Monday, June 23, 2008

Word of the Week — June 23-29

Since I've missed a couple weeks, I'm going to give you a couple words. It only seems fair.

litotes • \LYE-tuh-teez\ • noun


1 : understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary


Example Sentence:

Jamie blushingly acknowledged her victory by litotes, saying that her scores were "not bad" and that she was "not displeased" with her performance.

Did you know?


Even if you've never heard the word "litotes," chances are you've encountered this figure of speech. If you've ever approved of a job well done by exclaiming "Not bad!" or told someone that you are "not unhappy" when you are ecstatic, you've even used it yourself. In fact, you might say that it would be "no mean feat" to avoid this common feature of our language! And litotes isn't only common; it's also "simple" -- etymologically speaking, that is. "Litotes" evolved from a Greek word meaning "simple," and perhaps ultimately from another Greek word meaning "linen cloth."


obeisance • \oh-BEE-sunss\ • noun


1 : a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow *2 : acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance : homage


Example Sentence:

The people paid obeisance to their god by kneeling at the shrine.

Did you know?


When it first appeared in English in the late 14th century, "obeisance" shared the same meaning as "obedience." This makes sense given that "obeisance" can be traced back to the Anglo-French verb "obeir," which means "to obey" and is also an ancestor of our word "obey." The other senses of "obeisance" also date from the 14th century, but they have stood the test of time whereas the obedience sense is now obsolete.

Courtesy of Merriam-Webster Online


So there we are. Back on track!

Stay tuned, friends. It won't be long now.

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