Vocabulary and Etymology week 11

Sym-

• with, together

Symbolize(v.)

 (used with object)

• to be a symbol of; stand for or represent in the manner of a symbol.

• to represent by a symbol or symbols.

• to regard or treat as symbolic.

 (used without object)

• to use symbols.

Symbolic(adj.)

• serving as a symbol of something (often followed by of).

• of, relating to, or expressed by a symbol.

• characterized by or involving the use of symbols :

• pertaining to a class of words that express only relations. Compare notional 

Ob-

• “toward,” “to,” “on,” “over,” “against,” with the sense of “reversely,” “inversely,” 

Obligate

1. (v.)

 (used with object)

• to bind or oblige morally or legally:

• to obligate oneself to purchase a building.

• to pledge, commit, or bind (funds, property, etc.)to meet an obligation.

2.(adj.)

• morally or legally bound; obliged; constrained.

• necessary; essential.

Oblanceolate(adj.)

• inversely lanceolate, as a leaf.

Gen-

• Race

• Kind of

Genus (n.)

• Biology. the usual major subdivision of a family or subfamily in 

the classification of organisms, usually consisting of more than

one species.

• Logic. a class or group of individuals, or of species of individuals.

• a kind; sort; class.

Genealogy(n.)

• a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person,

family, group, etc.

• the study of family ancestries and histories.

• descent from an original form or progenitor; lineage; ancestry.

• Biology. a group of individuals or species having acommon ancestry:

The Raven

"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

When I Was One-and-Twenty BY A. E. HOUSMAN

 

The speaker also tells us that he was given some advices by a wise man that asked him (the speaker) to better lose the money than lose one’s heart or love. It means that we should not give our heart away. The money is symbolization from “Give crowns, pounds, and guineas”. The wise man also told to him that heart is important than the other. It is explained in a sentence “ Give pearls away and rubies but keep your fancy free”. It also shows us, we better to lose jewelry or valuable things rather than our heart. Fancy free refers to something valuable. But- unfortunately the speaker did not notice the wise man’s advices because he (speaker) thought that he (speaker) is a young man who was inhabit of listening of advices from the other, he want to be free to enjoy his life. It is marked on the sentence“ No use to talk to me”.
In the second stanza, the speaker tells us that he was warned by a wise man more than once. It is marked on the sentence “I heard him say again”. A wise man said to him that love or heart is important thing and never give up too freely to everyone. If the speaker does not hear the advices from a wise man, he will regret and feel sorrow. One year older, or when the speaker was in twenty-two years old, he realized that the advice from the wise man is true. The word “oh” in the last line refers to regret and sorrow.

Vocabulary

vulnerable (adj.)

c. 1600, from Late Latin vulnerabilis "wounding," from Latin vulnerare "to wound, hurt, injure, maim," from vulnus (genitive vulneris) "wound," perhaps related to vellere "pluck, to tear" (see svelte), or from PIE *wele-nes-, from *wele- (2) "to strike, wound" (see Valhalla).

bedlam (n.)

"scene of mad confusion," 1660s, from colloquial pronunciation of "Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem" in London, founded 1247 as a priory, mentioned as a hospital 1330 and as a lunatic hospital 1402; converted to a state lunatic asylum on dissolution of the monasteries in 1547. It was spelled Bedlem in a will from 1418, and Betleem is recorded as a spelling of Bethlehem in Judea from 971.

cacophony (n.)

1650s, from Greek kakophonia, from kakophonos "harsh sounding," from kakos "bad, evil" (see caco-) + phone "voice, sound," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (see fame (n.)). Related: Cacophonous.

exploit (n.)

late 14c., "outcome of an action," from Old French esploit "a carrying out; achievement, result; gain, advantage" (12c., Modern French exploit), a very common word, used in senses of "action, deed, profit, achievement," from Latin explicitum "a thing settled, ended, or displayed," noun use of neuter of explicitus, past participle of explicare "unfold, unroll, disentangle" (see explicit).

Meaning "feat, achievement" is c. 1400. Sense evolution is from "unfolding" to "bringing out" to "having advantage" to "achievement." Related: Exploits.

(v.)

c. 1400, espleiten, esploiten "to accomplish, achieve, fulfill," from Old French esploitier, espleiter "carry out, perform, accomplish," from esploit (see exploit (n.)). The sense of "use selfishly" first recorded 1838, from a sense development in French perhaps from use of the word with reference to mines, etc. (compare exploitation). Related: Exploited; exploiting.

propinquity (n.)

late 14c., "nearness in relation, kinship," later also "physical nearness" (early 15c.), from Old French propinquite (13c.) and directly from Latin propinquitatem (nominative propinquitas) "nearness, vicinity; relationship, affinity," from propinquus "near, neighboring," from prope "near" (enlarged from PIE *pro "before;" see pro-) + suffix -inquus.

Nothing propinks like propinquity [Ian Fleming, chapter heading, "Diamonds are Forever," 1956; phrase popularized 1960s by U.S. diplomat George Ball]

disgruntled (adj.)

past participle adjective from disgruntle.

infallible (adj.)

"exempt from error in judgment, knowledge, or opinion," early 15c., from Medieval Latin infallibilis, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Late Latin fallibilis (see fallible). In reference to Popes, attested from 1870, hence infallibilism, the doctrine of this; infallibilist. Related: Infallibly.

panacea (n.)

"universal remedy," 1540s, from Latin panacea, a herb (variously identified) that would heal all illnesses, from Greek panakeia "cure-all," from panakes "all-healing," from pan- "all" (see pan-) + akos "cure," from iasthai "to heal" (see -iatric). Earlier in English as panace (1510s).

eradicate (v.)

early 15c., "destroy utterly," literally "pull up by the roots," from Latin eradicatus, past participle of eradicare "to root out, annihilate" (see eradication). Related: Eradicated; eradicating; eradicable.

impede (v.)

c. 1600, back-formation from impediment, or else from Latin impedire "impede, be in the way, hinder, detain," literally "to shackle the feet." Related: Impeded; impedes; impeding; impedient.

sedate (adj.)

"calm, quiet," 1660s, from Latin sedatus "composed, moderate, quiet, tranquil," past participle of sedare "to settle, calm," causative of sedere "to sit" (see sedentary). Related: Sedately

(v.)

"treat with sedatives," 1945, a back-formation from the noun derivative of sedative (adj.). The word also existed 17c. in a sense "make calm or quiet." Related: Sedated; sedating.

equanimity (n.)

c. 1600, "fairness, impartiality," from French équanimité, from Latin aequanimitatem (nominative aequanimitas) "evenness of mind, calmness; good-will, kindness," from aequanimis "mild, kind," literally "even-minded," from aequus "even, level" (see equal (adj.)) + animus "mind, spirit" (see animus). Meaning "evenness of temper" in English is from 1610

compatible (adj.)

mid-15c., from Middle French compatible (15c.), from Medieval Latin compatibilis, from Late Latin compati (see compassion). Related: Compatibility.

serenity (n.)

1530s, of weather, 1590s, of persons, from Middle French sérénité, from Latin serenitatem (nominative serenitas) "clearness, serenity," from serenus (see serene). Earliest use (mid-15c.) was as a title of honor for kings, probably from the similar use of Latin serenitas, applied to Roman emperors, later popes.

revere (v.)

1660s, from French révérer, from Latin revereri "revere, fear" (see reverence (n.), which also was the earlier form of the verb). Related: Revered; revering.

irrational (adj.) Look up irrational at Dictionary.com

late 15c., "not endowed with reason" (of beasts, etc.), from Latin irrationalis/inrationalis "without reason, not rational," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + rationalis "of or belonging to reason, reasonable" (see rational (adj.)).

Meaning "illogical, absurd" is attested from 1640s. Related: Irrationally. The mathematical sense "inexpressible in ordinary numbers" is from late 14c. in English, from use of the Latin word as a translation of Greek alogon in Euclid.

avarice (n.)

c. 1300, from Old French avarice "greed, covetousness" (12c.), from Latin avaritia "greed," from avarus "greedy," adjectival form of avere "crave, long for."

insatiable (adj.)

early 15c., insaciable, from Old French insaciable "ravenous" (15c., Modern French insatiable), or directly from Latin insatiabilis "not to be satisfied," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + satiabilis, from satiare (see satiate). Related: Insatiably; insatiableness.

nadir (n.)

late 14c., in astronomical sense, from Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic nazir "opposite to," in nazir as-samt, literally "opposite direction," from nazir "opposite" + as-samt "road, path" (see zenith

moribund (adj.)

1721, "about to die," from Middle French moribund (16c.), from Latin moribundus "dying, at the point of death," from mori "to die" (see mortal (adj.)). Figurati

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lithe (adj.)

Old English liðe "soft, mild, gentle, calm, meek," also, of persons, "gracious, kind, agreeable," from Proto-Germanic *linthja- (source also of Old Saxon lithi "soft, mild, gentle," Old High German lindi, German lind, Old Norse linr "soft to the touch, gentle, mild, agreeable," with characteristic loss of "n" before "th" in English), from PIE root *lento- "flexible" (source also of Latin lentus "flexible, pliant, slow," Sanskrit lithi).

In Middle English, used of the weather. Current sense of "easily flexible" is from c. 1300. Related: Litheness. Old and Middle English had the related verb lin "to cease doing (something)," also used of the wind dying down.

obese (adj.)

1650s, back-formation from obesity and in part from Latin obesus "fat, stout, plump," past participle of obedere "that has eaten itself fat" (see obesity). According to OED, "Rare before 19th c." Related: Obeseness. Latin obesus was translated in Old English as oferfæt "overfat."

adherent (adj.)

late 14c., "sticking, clinging to, adhesive," from Old French adherent or directly from Latin adhaerentem (nominative adhaerens), present participle of adhaerere "stick to," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + haerere "to stick" (past participle haesus; see hesitation).

(n.)

early 15c., "follower, supporter, one who upholds (a leader, cause, etc.)," from Old French adherent or directly from Latin adhaerentem (nominative adhaerens), present participle of adhaerere "stick to," from ad "to" (see ad-) + haerere "to stick" (see hesitation). Meaning "adhesive substance" is from 1912.

bliss (n.)

Old English blis, also bliðs "bliss, merriment, happiness, grace, favor," from Proto-Germanic *blithsjo (source also of Old Saxon blidsea, blizza), from *blithiz "gentle, kind" + *-tjo noun suffix. Originally mostly of earthly happiness; influenced by association with bless and blithe.

(v.)

often with out, by 1973, U.S. colloquial, from bliss (n.).

pathetic (adj.)

1590s, "affecting the emotions, exciting the passions," from Middle French pathétique "moving, stirring, affecting" (16c.), from Late Latin patheticus, from Greek pathetikos "subject to feeling, sensitive, capable of emotion," from pathetos "liable to suffer," verbal adjective of pathein "to suffer" (see pathos). Meaning "arousing pity, pitiful" is first recorded 1737. Colloquial sense of "so miserable as to be ridiculous" is attested from 1937. Related: Pathetical (1570s); pathetically. Pathetic fallacy (1856, first used by Ruskin) is the attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects.

exhort (v.)

c. 1400, "to exhort, encourage," from Old French exhorer (13c.) and directly from Latin exhortari "to exhort, encourage, stimulate" (see exhortation). Related: Exhorted; exhorting.

apathy (n.)

c. 1600, "freedom from suffering," from French apathie (16c.), from Latin apathia, from Greek apatheia "freedom from suffering, impassability, want of sensation," from apathes "without feeling, without suffering or having suffered," from a- "without" (see a- (3)) + pathos "emotion, feeling, suffering" (see pathos). Originally a positive quality; sense of "indolence of mind, indifference to what should excite" is from c. 1733.

fracas (n.)

1727, from French fracas "crash, sudden noise; tumult, bustle, fuss" (15c.), from Italian fracasso "uproar, crash," back-formation from fracassare "to smash, crash, break in pieces," from fra-, a shortening of Latin infra "below" (see infra-) + Italian cassare "to break," from Latin quassare "to shake" (see quash).

inebriated (adj.)

"drunken," c. 1600, past participle adjective from inebriate. The earlier adjective was inebriate (late 15c.).

adversary (n.)

"unfriendly opponent, enemy" (originally especially of Satan as the enemy of mankind), mid-14c., aduersere, from Anglo-French adverser (13c.), Old French adversarie (12c., Modern French adversaire) "hostile opponent, enemy," or directly from Latin adversarius "an opponent, rival, enemy," noun use of adjective meaning "opposite, hostile, contrary," literally "turned toward one," from adversus "turned against, turned toward, fronting, facing," figuratively "hostile, adverse, unfavorable," past participle of advertere "to turn toward," from ad "to" (see ad-) + vertere "to turn, turn back, be turned; convert, transform, translate; be changed" (see versus). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by wiðerbroca.

indolent (adj.)

1660s, "causing no pain, painless," from French indolent (16c.) or directly from Late Latin indolentem (see indolence). Sense of "living easily, slothful," is 1710, a sense perhaps developed in French. Related: Indolently.

gusto (n.)

1620s, "very common from the beginning of the 19th c." [OED], from Italian gusto "taste," from Latin gustus "a tasting," related to gustare "to taste, take a little of," from PIE *gus-tu-, suffixed form of root *geus- "to taste, choose" (source also of Sanskrit jus- "enjoy, be pleased," Avestan zaosa- "pleasure," Old Persian dauš- "enjoy"). The root forms words for "taste" in Greek and Latin, but its descendants in Germanic and Celtic mostly mean "try" or "choose" (such as Old English cosan, cesan, Modern English choose; Gothic kausjan "to test, to taste of," Old High German koston "try," German kosten "taste of"). The semantic development could have been in either direction. English first borrowed the French form, guste "organ of taste; sense of taste" (mid-15c.), but this became obsolete.

garrulous (adj.)

1610s, from Latin garrulus "talkative, chattering," from garrire "to chatter," from PIE root *gar- "to call, cry," of imitative origin (compare Greek gerys "voice, sound," Ossetic zar "song," Welsh garm, Old Irish gairm "noise, cry"). Related: Garrulously; garrulousness.

banal (adj.)

"trite, commonplace," 1840, from French banal, "belonging to a manor, common, hackneyed, commonplace," from Old French banel "communal" (13c.), from ban "decree; legal control; announcement; authorization; payment for use of a communal oven, mill, etc." (see ban (v.)). The modern sense evolved from the word's use in designating things like ovens or mills that belonged to feudal serfs, or else compulsory military service; in either case it was generalized in French through "open to everyone" to "commonplace, ordinary," to "trite, petty."

platitude (n.)

1812, "dullness," from French platitude "flatness, vapidness" (late 17c.), from Old French plat "flat" (see plateau (n.)); formed on analogy of latitude, etc. Meaning "a flat, dull, or commonplace remark" is recorded from 1815. Related: Platitudinous. Hence platitudinarian (n.), 1855; platitudinize (1867).

pique (n.)

1530s, "fit of ill feeling," from Middle French pique "a prick, sting, irritation," noun of action from piquer (see pike (n.2)).

(v.)

"to excite to anger," 1670s, from French piquer "to prick, sting" (see pike (n.2)). Softened meaning "to stimulate, excite" is from 1690s. Related: Piqued; piquing.

dilettante (n.)

1733, borrowing of Italian dilettante "lover of music or painting," from dilettare "to delight," from Latin delectare (see delight (n.)). Originally without negative connotation, "devoted amateur," the pejorative sense emerged late 18c. by contrast with professional.

atypical (adj.)

1847, from a- (2) "not" + typical. Related: Atypica

nondescript (adj.)

1680s, "not hitherto described," in scientific usage, coined from non- + Latin descriptus, past participle of describere (see describe). General sense of "not easily described or classified" is from 1806.

wane (v.)

Old English wanian "make or become smaller gradually, diminish, decline, fade," from Proto-Germanic *wanen (source also of Old Saxon wanon, Old Norse vana, Old Frisian wania, Middle Dutch waenen, Old High German wanon "to wane, to grow less"), from *wano- "lacking," from PIE *we-no-, from root *eue- "to leave, abandon, give out" (see vain). Related: Waned; waning; wanes.

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extinct (adj.)

early 15c., "extinguished, quenched," from Latin extinctus/exstinctus, past participle of extinguere/exstinguere "to put out, quench; go out, die out; kill, destroy" (see extinguish). Originally of fires; in reference to the condition of a family or a hereditary title that has "died out," from 1580s; of species by 1690s. Shakespeare uses it as a verb. Compare extinction.

idyllic (adj.)

"full of natural, simple charm," 1831, literally "suitable for an idyll" from French idyllique or else from idyll + -ic. In late 18c. it meant "pertaining to an idyll."

galvanize (v.)

1801, "stimulate by galvanic electricity," from French galvaniser, from galvanisme (see galvanism). Figurative sense of "excite, stimulate (as if by electricity)" first recorded 1853 (galvanic was in figurative use in 1807). Meaning "to coat with metal by means of galvanic electricity" (especially to plate iron with tin, but now typically to plate it with zinc) is from 1839.

He'll swear that in her dancing she cuts all others out,

Though like a Gal that's galvanized, she throws her legs about.

[Thomas Hood, "Love has not Eyes," 1845]

Related: Galvanized; galvanizing.

encumbrance (n.)

c. 1300, "trouble, difficulty; ensnarement, temptation," from Old French encombrance "encumbrance, obstruction; calamity, trouble," from encombrer (see encumber). Meaning "that which encumbers, impediment, obstacle" is from late 14c. in English.

gaudy (adj.)

"showy, tastelessly rich," c. 1600; earlier "joyfully festive" (1580s), probably a re-adjectivizing of gaudy (n.) "large, ornamental bead in a rosary" (early 14c.) via the noun gaud + -y (2.). In early Modern English it also could mean "full of trickery" (1520s).

Or possibly the adjective is from or influenced by Middle English noun gaudegrene (early 14c.), name of a yellowish-green color or pigment, originally of dye obtained from the weld plant (see weld (n.1)). This Germanic plant-name became gaude in Old French, and thus the Middle English word. Under this theory, the sense shifted from "weld-dye" to "bright ornamentation."

As a noun, "feast, festival" 1650s, from gaudy day "day of rejoicing" (1560s).

condescend (adj.)

mid-14c., "to yield deferentially," from Old French condescendere (14c.) "to agree, consent, give in, yield," from Late Latin condescendere "to let oneself down," from Latin com "with, together" (see com-) + descendere "descend" (see descend). Sense of "to sink willingly to equal terms with inferiors" is from mid-15c.

candor (n.)

"openness of mind, impartiality, frankness," c. 1600, from Latin candor "purity, openness," originally "whiteness," from candere "to shine, to be white" (see candle). Borrowed earlier in English (c. 1500) with the Latin literal sense "extreme whiteness."

mortify (v.)

late 14c., "to kill," from Old French mortefiier "destroy, overwhelm, punish," from Late Latin mortificare "cause death, kill, put to death," literally "make dead," from mortificus "producing death," from Latin mors (genitive mortis) "death" (see mortal (adj.)) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Religious sense of "to subdue the flesh by abstinence and discipline" first attested early 15c. Sense of "humiliate" first recorded 1690s (compare mortification). Related: Mortified; mortifying.

jocose (adj.)

"given to jokes and jesting," 1670s, from Latin iocosus "full of jesting, fond of jokes, funny," from iocus "pastime, sport; a jest, joke" (see joke (n.)). Often it implies ponderous humor (compare jocund). Related: Jocosely; jocoseness.

malign (adj.)

early 14c., from Old French maligne "having an evil nature," from Latin malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from male "badly" (see mal-) + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget," from PIE root *gn- "to bear" (see genus).

(v.)

"to slander," mid-15c., from earlier more literal sense of "to plot, to contrive" (early 15c.), from Old French malignier "to plot, deceive, pervert," from Late Latin malignare "to do maliciously," from malignus "mean, unkind" (see malign (adj.)). Related: Maligned; maligning.

omnipotent (adj.)

early 14c., from Old French omnipotent "almighty, all-powerful" (11c.) or directly from Latin omnipotentem (nominative omnipotens) "all-powerful, almighty," from omnis "all" (see omni-) + potens (genitive potentis) "powerful" (see potent). Strictly only of God or a deity; general sense of "having absolute power or authority" is attested from 1590s.

zenith (n.)

"point of the heavens directly overhead at any place," late 14c., from Old French cenith (Modern French zénith), from Medieval Latin cenit, senit, bungled scribal transliterations of Arabic samt "road, path," abbreviation of samt ar-ras, literally "the way over the head." Letter -m- misread as -ni-.

The Medieval Latin word could as well be influenced by the rough agreement of the Arabic term with classical Latin semita "sidetrack, side path" (notion of "thing going off to the side"), from se- "apart" + *mi-ta-, suffixed zero-grade form of PIE root *mei- (1) "to change" (see mutable). Figurative sense of "highest point or state" is from c. 1600.

fledgling

also fledgeling, 1830, "untried" (adj.), in Tennyson; 1846 as a noun meaning "young bird" (one newly fledged); from fledge + diminutive suffix -ling. Of persons, from 1856.

peremptory (adj.)

"decisive," mid-15c., legal term, from Anglo-French peremptorie, from Middle French peremtoire, from Latin peremptorius "destructive, decisive, final," from peremptor "destroyer," from perimpere "destroy, cut off," from per "away entirely, to destruction" (see per) + emere "to take" (see exempt (adj.)). Of persons or their words, "certain, assured, brooking no debate," 1580s. Related: Peremptorily.

precedent (n.)

early 15c., "case which may be taken as a rule in similar cases," from Middle French precedent, noun use of an adjective, from Latin praecedentum (nominative praecedens), present participle of praecedere "go before" (see precede). Meaning "thing or person that goes before another" is attested from mid-15c. As an adjective in English from c. 1400. As a verb meaning "to furnish with a precedent" from 1610s, now only in past participle precedented.

wheedle (v.)

"to influence by flattery," 1660s, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with Old English wædlian "to beg," from wædl "poverty" [OED], or borrowed by English soldiers in the Thirty Years' War from German wedeln "wag the tail," hence "fawn, flatter" (compare adulation). Related: Wheedled; wheedling.

rustic (adj.)

mid-15c., from Latin rusticus "of the country, rural; country-like, plain, simple, rough, coarse, awkward," from rus (genitive ruris) "open land, country" (see rural). Noun meaning "a country person, peasant" is from 1550s (also in classical Latin). Related: Rustical (early 15c.).

jubilant (adj.)

1660s (Milton), from Latin iubilantem (nominative iubilans), present participle of iubilare "to let out whoops," in Christian writers, "to shout for joy," related to iubilum "wild shout," from Proto-Italic *iu, an exclamation of joy that probably was in Proto-Indo-European (cognates: Greek iu, an interjection of amazement, iuge "crying;" Middle High German ju, juch, an exclamation of joy; Dutch juichen, Old Norse yla, English yowl). With ending as in sibilant. Related: Jubilantly.

decorum (n.)

1560s, from Latin decorum "that which is seemly," noun use of neuter of adjective decorus "fit, proper," from decor (see dec

charlatan (n.)

1610s, from French charlatan "mountebank, babbler" (16c.), from Italian ciarlatano "a quack," from ciarlare "to prate, babble," from ciarla "chat, prattle," perhaps imitative of ducks' quacking. Related: Charlatanism; charlatanical; charlatanry.

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heresy (n.)

"doctrine or opinion at variance with established standards" (or, as Johnson defines it, "an opinion of private men different from that of the catholick and orthodox church"), c. 1200, from Old French heresie, eresie "heresy," and by extension "sodomy, immorality" (12c.), from Latin hæresis, "school of thought, philosophical sect." The Latin word is from Greek hairesis "a taking or choosing for oneself, a choice, a means of taking; a deliberate plan, purpose; philosophical sect, school," from haireisthai "take, seize," middle voice of hairein "to choose," a word of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE *ser- (5) "to seize" (source of Hittite šaru "booty," Welsh herw "booty").

The Greek word was used by Church writers in reference to various sects, schools, etc. in the New Testament: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and even the Christians, as sects of Judaism. Hence the meaning "unorthodox religious sect or doctrine" in the Latin word as used by Christian writers in Late Latin. But in English bibles it usually is translated sect. Transferred (non-religious) use in English is from late 14c.

prudent (adj.)

late 14c., from Old French prudent "with knowledge, deliberate" (c. 1300), from Latin prudentem (nominative prudens) "knowing, skilled, sagacious, circumspect;" rarely in literal sense "foreseeing;" contraction of providens, present participle of providere "to foresee" (see provide). Re

ostensible (adj.)

1762, "capable of being shown, presentable," from French ostensible, from Latin ostens-, past participle stem of ostendere "to show, expose to view; to stretch out, spread before; exhibit, display," from ob "in front of" (see ob-) + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). Meaning "apparent, professed" is from 1771.

fervid (adj.)

1590s, "burning, glowing, hot," from Latin fervidus "glowing, burning; vehement, fervid," from fervere "to boil, glow" (see brew (v.)). Figurative sense of "impassioned" is from 1650s. Related: Fervidly; fervidness.

spurious (adj.)

1590s, "born out of wedlock," from Latin spurius "illegitimate, false" (source also of Italian spurio, Spanish espurio), from spurius (n.) "illegitimate child," probably from Etruscan spural "public." Sense of "having an irregular origin, not properly constituted" is from c. 1600; that of "false, sham" is from 1610s; of writing, etc., "not proceeding from the source pretended, 1620s. Related: Spuriously; spuriousness.

propagate (v.)

1560s, "to cause to multiply," from Latin propagatus, past participle of propagare "to set forward, extend, procreate" (see propagation). Intransitive sense "reproduce one's kind" is from c. 1600. Related: Propagated; propagating.

anomaly (n.)

1570s, from Latin anomalia, from Greek anomalia "inequality," noun of quality from anomalos "uneven, irregular," from an-, privative prefix, "not" (see an- (1)) + homalos "even," from homos "same" (see same).

innocuous (adj.)

1590s, from Latin innocuus "harmless; innocent; inoffensive," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + nocuus "hurtful," from root of nocere "to injure, harm," from *nok-s-, suffixed form of PIE root *nek- (1) "death" (see necro-). Related: Innocuously; innocuousness.

surfeit (n.) early 14c., "excess quantity;" late 14c., "overindulgence," from Old French sorfet "excess; arrogance" (Modern French surfait), noun use of past participle of surfaire "overdo," from sur- "over" (see sur- (1)) + faire "do," from Latin facere "to make, do" (see factitious).

(v.)

late 14c., intransitive, "indulge or feed to excess," from surfeit (n.). Related: Surfeited; surfeiting. Transitive sense from 1590s.

milieu (n.) "surroundings," 1877, from French milieu, "middle, medium, mean," literally "middle place" (12c.), from mi "middle" (from Latin medius; see medial (adj.)) + lieu "place" (see lieu).

strident (adj.)

1650s, from French strident (16c.) and directly from Latin stridentem (nominative stridens), present participle of stridere "utter an inarticulate sound, grate, screech," from PIE *(s)trei-, possibly of imitative origin (source also of Greek trismos "a grinding, scream"). Related: Stridently; stridence; stridency.

concomitant (adj.)

c. 1600, from French concomitant, from Late Latin concomitantem (nominative concomitans), present participle of concomitari "accompany, attend," from com "with, together" (see com-) + comitari "join as a companion," from comes (genitive comitis) "companion" (see coun

lassitude (n.)

early 15c., from Latin lassitudinem (nominative lassitudo) "faintness, weariness," from lassus "faint, tired, weary," from PIE *led-to-, suffixed form of *led- "slow, weary" (source also of Old English læt "sluggish, slow;" see late (adj.)), from root *le- (2) "to let go, slacken" (see lenient).

deleterious (adj.)

1640s, from Medieval Latin deleterius, from Greek deleterios "noxious," from deleter "destroyer," from deleisthai "to hurt, injure." Related: Deleteriously; deleteriousness.

efficacy (n.)

1520s, from Latin efficacia "efficacy, efficiency," from efficax (genitive efficacis) "powerful, effectual, efficient," from stem of efficere "work out, accomplish" (see effect (n.)). Earlier in same sense was efficace (c. 1200), from Old French eficace (14c.), from Latin efficacia; also efficacite (early 15c.), from Latin efficacitatem.

dissent (v.)

early 15c., from Latin dissentire "differ in sentiments, disagree, be at odds, contradict, quarrel," from dis- "differently" (see dis-) + sentire "to feel, think" (see sense (n.)). Related: Dissented; dissenting. The noun is 1580s, from the verb.

Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime. [Jacob Bronowski "Science and Human Values," 1956]

ferment (v.)

late 14c. (intransitive), from Old French fermenter (13c.) and directly from Latin fermentare "to leaven, cause to rise or ferment," from fermentum "substance causing fermentation, leaven, drink made of fermented barley," perhaps contracted from *fervimentum, from root of fervere "to boil, seethe" (see brew (v.)). Transitive use from 1670s. Figurative use from 1650s. Related: Fermented; fermenting.

(n.)

early 15c., from Middle French ferment (14c.), from Latin fermentum "leaven, yeast; drink made of fermented barley;" figuratively "anger, passion" (see ferment (v.)). Figurative sense of "anger, passion, commotion" in English is from 1670s.

attenuated (v.)

"to make thin, to make less," 1520s, from Latin attenuatus "enfeebled, weak," past participle of attenuare "to make thin, lessen, diminish," from ad "to" (see ad-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin" (see tenet). Related: Attenuated; attenuating. Earlier was Middle English attenuen "to make thin (in consistency)," early 15c.

arbiter (n.) late 14c., from Old French arbitre or directly from Latin arbiter "one who goes somewhere (as witness or judge)," in classical Latin used of spectators and eye-witnesses, in law, "he who hears and decides a case, a judge, umpire, mediator;" from ad- "to" (see ad-) + baetere "to come, go." The specific sense of "one chosen by two disputing parties to decide the matter" is from 1540s. The earliest form of the word attested in English is the fem. noun arbitress (mid-14c.) "a woman who settles disputes."

incumbent (n.)

early 15c., "person holding a church position," from Medieval Latin incumbentem (nominative incumbens) "holder of a church position," noun use of present participle of incumbere "to obtain or possess," from Latin incumbere "recline on," figuratively "apply oneself to," from in- "on" (see in- (2)) + -cumbere "lie down," related to cubare "to lie" (see cubicle). Extended to holders of any office from 1670s.

(adj.) Look up incumbent at Dictionary.com

1560s, in relation to duties or obligations, from Medieval Latin incumbentem (nominative incumbens), present participle of incumbere (see incumbent (n.)). The literal, physical sense "lying or resting on something" is rare in English and first attested 1620s.

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profound (adj.)

c. 1300, "characterized by intellectual depth," from Old French profund (12c., Modern French profond), from Latin profundus "deep, bottomless, vast," also "obscure; profound; immoderate," from pro "forth" (see pro-) + fundus "bottom" (see fund (n.)). The literal and figurative senses both were in Latin, but English, having already deep, employed this word primarily in its figurative sense. Related: Profoundly.

alleviate (v.)

early 15c., " to mitigate, relieve (sorrows, suffering, etc.)," from Late Latin alleviatus, past participle of alleviare "lift up, raise," figuratively "to lighten (a burden), comfort, console," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + levis "light" in weight (see lever). Related: Alleviated; alleviating.

prodigious (adj.)

1550s, "ominous," from Middle French prodigieux and directly from Latin prodigiosus "strange, wonderful, marvelous, unnatural," from prodigium (see prodigy). Meaning "vast, enormous" is from c. 1600. Related: Prodigiously; prodigiosity.

expedite (v.)

c. 1500 (implied in past participle expedit "accomplished"), from Latin expeditus, past participle of expedire "extricate, disengage, liberate; procure, make ready, put in order, make fit, prepare; explain, make clear," literally "free the feet from fetters," hence to liberate from difficulties, from ex "out" (see ex-) + *pedis "fetter, chain for the feet," related to pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)). Compare Greek pede "fetter." Related: Expedited; expediting.

celerity (n.)

late 15c., from Old French celeritee (14c., Modern French célérité), from Latin celeritatem (nominative celeritas) "swiftness," from celer "swift," from possible PIE root *kel- (3) "to drive, set in swift motion" (source also of Sanskrit carati "goes," Greek keles "fast horse or ship," keleuthos "journey, road," Lithuanian sulys "a gallop," Old High German scelo "stallion").

usurp (v.)

early 14c., from Old French usurper "to (wrongfully) appropriate" (14c.), from Latin usurpare "make use of, seize for use," in later Latin "to assume unlawfully, trespass on," from usus "a use" (see use (v.)) + rapere "to seize" (see rapid (adj.)). Related: Usurped; usurping.

paltry (adj.)

1560s, probably an adjectival use of noun paltry "worthless thing" (1550s), associated with dialectal palt, pelt "trash," cognate with Middle Low German and East Frisian palte "rag," Middle Dutch palt "broken or torn fragment." Similar formation in Low German paltrig "rubbishy," East Frisian palterig "ragged, torn."

condone (v.)

1857, from Latin condonare "to give up, remit, permit," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + donare "to give" (see donation). Originally a legal term in the Matrimonial Causes Act, which made divorce a civil matter in Britain. Related: Condoned; condoning.

trivial (adj.)

"ordinary" (1580s); "insignificant, trifling" (1590s), from Latin trivialis "common, commonplace, vulgar," literally "of or belonging to the crossroads," from trivium "place where three roads meet," in transferred use, "an open place, a public place," from tri- "three" (see three) + via "road" (see via). The sense connection is "public," hence "common, commonplace."

The earliest use of the word in English was early 15c., a separate borrowing in the academic sense "of the trivium" (the first three liberal arts -- grammar, rhetoric, and logic); from Medieval Latin use of trivialis in the sense "of the first three liberal arts," from trivium, neuter of the Latin adjective trivius "of three roads, of the crossroads." Related: Trivially. For sense evolution to "pertaining to useless information," see trivia.

bizarre (adj.)

1640s, from French bizarre "odd, fantastic" (16c.), from Italian bizarro "irascible, tending to quick flashes of anger" (13c.), from bizza "fit of anger, quick flash of anger" (13c.). The sense in Italian evolved to "unpredictable, eccentric," then "strange, weird," in which sense it was taken into French and then English. Older derivation from Basque bizar "a beard" is no longer considered tenable.

menial (adj.)

late 14c., "pertaining to a household," from Anglo-French meignial, from Old French mesnie "household," earlier mesnede, from Vulgar Latin *mansionata, from Latin mansionem "dwelling" (see mansion). Sense of "lowly, humble, suited to a servant" is recorded by 1670s.

(n.)

"domestic servant," late 14c., meynyal; see menial (adj.).

venerable (adj.)

early 15c., "worthy of respect," from Old French venerable and directly from Latin venerabilis "worthy of reverence or respect," from venerari "to worship, revere" (see veneration). As a title, used in reference to ecclesiastics (in the Anglican church, specifically of archdeacons) or those who had obtained the first degree of canonization. Related: Venerably; venerability.

extraneous (adj.)

1630s, from Latin extraneus "external, strange," literally "that is without, from without" (as a noun, "a stranger"), from extra "outside of" (see extra-). A doublet of strange. Related: Extraneously.

ambiguous (adj.)

1520s, from Latin ambiguus "having double meaning, shifting, changeable, doubtful," adjective derived from ambigere "to dispute about, contend, debate," literally "to wander, go about, go around," figuratively "hesitate, waver, be in doubt," from ambi- "about" (see ambi-) + agere "drive, lead, act" (see act (n.)). First attested in Sir Thomas More (1528); related ambiguity dates to c. 1400. Related: Ambiguously; ambiguousness.

succinct (adj.)

early 15c., "having one's belt fastened tightly," from Middle French succincte, from Latin succinctus "prepared, ready; contracted, short," past participle of succingere "tuck up (clothes for action), gird from below," from assimilated form of sub "up from under" (see sub-) + cingere "to gird" (see cinch (n.)). Sense of "brief, concise" first recorded 1530s. Related: Succinctness.

archaic (adj.)

1810, from or by influence of French archaique (1776), ultimately from Greek arkhaikos "old-fashioned," from arkhaios "ancient," from arkhe "beginning" (see archon). Archaical is attested from 1799.

emulate (v.)

1580s, back-formation from emulation, or else from Latin aemulatus, past participle of aemulari "to rival." Related: Emulated; emulating; emulable; emulative.

facetious (adj.)

1590s, from French facétieux (16c.), from facétie "a joke" (15c.), from Latin facetiae "jests, witticisms" (singular facetia), from facetus "witty, elegant, fine, courteous," which is of unknown origin, perhaps related to facis "torch."

Formerly often in a good sense, "witty, amusing," but later implying a desire to be amusing that is often intrusive or ill-timed. Related: Facetiously; facetiousness. "Facetiæ in booksellers' catalogues, is, like curious, a euphemism for erotica."

rabid (adj.)

1610s, "furious, raving," from Latin rabidus "raging, furious, enraged; inspired; ungoverned; rabid," from rabere "be mad, rave" (see rage (v.)). Meaning "made mad by rabies" in English first recorded 1804. Related: Rabidly; rabidness.

salubrious (adj.)

1540s, from Latin salubris "promoting health, healthful," from salus (genitive salutis) "welfare, health" (see salute (v.)). Related: Salubriously; salubriousness.