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Word of the day

vivify

[ viv-uh-fahy ]

verb

to enliven; brighten; sharpen.

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More about vivify

The English verb vivify comes from Old French vivifier, from Late Latin īھ “to make alive, restore to life, quicken.” īھ breaks down easily to īܲ “alive,” from ī() “to live,” from a very widespread Proto-Indo-European root with many variants: gwei-, ī-, gwi-, ɾō- “live” (gw- usually becomes v- in Latin). The Proto-Indo-European forms īɴDz and gwiwos “alive, life” become īܲ in Latin, bivus in Oscan (an Italic language spoken in southern Italy), íDz in Greek (from íɴDz, from gwiwos). The Proto-Indo-European adjective gwigwos become kwikwaz in Germanic and ultimately English quick (in the archaic sense “alive,” as in the phrase “the quick and the dead”). The suffix -fy comes from Middle English -fi(en), from Old French -fier, from Latin , a combining form for verbs of doing or making, from the adjective suffix -ficus, from the verb facere “to do, make,” from the very complicated Proto-Indo-European root ŧ-, dho- (and many other variants) “put, place,” the same source for English do. Vivify entered English in the 16th century.

how is vivify used?

… he enlarged his sphere of action from the cold practice of law, into those vast social improvements which law, rightly regarded, should lead, and vivify, and create.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Lucretia, 1846

Faber vivifies the atmosphere and environment of the fictional planet, from its marked humidity to its insect life, with fascinating specificity.

Nicole Lamy, "Books for Left-Brained Readers," New York Times, October 2, 2018
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Word of the day

supplicate

[ suhp-li-keyt ]

verb

to pray humbly to; entreat or petition humbly.

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More about supplicate

Supplicate comes directly from Latin ܱٳܲ, past participle of the verb ܱ “to sue for forgiveness or mercy, make a humble petition.” The Latin verb is a derivative of the adjective supplex (stem supplic-) “bringing peace, making humble petition.” Supplex and ܱ come from the root -, plak-, the source of Latin ŧ “to please, be acceptable to” (source of English placebo “I shall please” and pleasant, via Old French), and “to conciliate, calm,” whose past participle 峦ٳܲ is the source of English placate. Supplicate entered English in the 15th century.

how is supplicate used?

Alas! on my knees I supplicate you to forbear–Will you leave me a prey to Frederic?

Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto, 1746

I ask you but to extend to one whose fault was committed under strong temptation that mercy which even you yourself, Lord King, must one day supplicate at a higher tribunal, and for faults, perhaps, less venial.

Sir Walter Scott, The Talisman, 1825
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Word of the day

luculent

[ loo-kyoo-luhnt ]

adjective

convincing; cogent.

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More about luculent

English luculent comes straight from the Latin adjective ūܱԳٳܲ, a derivative of lux (stem ū-) “light,” from a very widespread Proto-Indo-European root leuk-, louk-, luk- “light, bright.” (The suffixed form leuktom becomes leuhtan in Germanic, ŧdz in Old English, and light in English.) Latin ūܱԳٳܲ and English luculent are not much used in their literal senses but have a metaphorical sense like splendid and the colloquial British brilliant. Luculent entered English in the 15th century.

how is luculent used?

The thundering acclamations, which greeted the close of that luculent and powerful exposition, the zeal with which the concourse hailed him unanimously Savior of Rome and Father of his country …

Henry William Herbert, The Roman Traitor, 1846

… now he would favour us with a grace … expatiating on this text with so luculent a commentary, that Scott, who had been fumbling with his spoon long before he reached his Amen, could not help exclaiming as he sat down, ‘Well done, Mr. George!”

John Gibson Lockhart, The Life of Sir Walter Scott, 1837–1838
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