51吃瓜 of the Day
More about cordate
Cordate, now used only in botany and biology in the meaning 鈥渉eart-shaped,鈥� comes from the Latin adjective 肠辞谤诲腻迟耻蝉 鈥渋ntelligent, sensible,鈥� a derivative of the noun cor (inflectional stem cord-) 鈥渢he heart鈥� (the organ, also considered the seat of one鈥檚 conscience, will, and emotions). In English the senses “intelligent, prudent” became obsolete during the first half of the 18th century; Latin 肠辞谤诲腻迟耻蝉 never had any biological senses. Cordate in the sense 鈥渋ntelligent, prudent鈥� entered English in the mid-17th century; its modern sense in the second half of the 18th century.
how is cordate used?
He also wrote, at 15, his first poem after seeing a raindrop cause a cordate leaf to flutter.
Its leaves are variable in shape, as are those of most ivies, but generally cordate, or heart-shaped, and very dark green, larger than the Irish ivy, which is the ivy you see most often in Washington.
cordate
eleemosynary
adjective
of or relating to alms, charity, or charitable donations; charitable.
More about eleemosynary
Eleemosynary 鈥渞elating to alms or almsgiving鈥� comes from the Medieval Latin adjective 别濒别脓尘辞蝉测苍腻谤颈耻蝉, a derivative of the Late Latin noun 别濒别脓尘辞蝉测苍补 鈥渁lms,鈥� used by Christian Latin authors (Tertullian, St. Augustine of Hippo). Latin 别濒别脓尘辞蝉测苍补 is a borrowing from Greek 别濒别脓尘辞蝉媒苍脓 鈥減ity, mercy, compassion鈥� (and 鈥渁lms鈥� in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate), a derivative of the adjective 别濒别(别)颈苍贸蝉 鈥渞ousing compassion.鈥� The Greek forms derive from the noun 茅濒别辞蝉 鈥減ity, compassion,鈥� from which Greek forms the verb 别濒别别卯苍 鈥渢o pity, have pity on, feel pity for.鈥� The second singular active aorist imperative, 别濒茅脓蝉辞苍, as in the phrase from the Christian liturgy (in Latin transcription representing the Late Greek pronunciation) Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison 鈥淟ord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy鈥� will be familiar to those who like to listen to or take part in musical settings of the Latin Mass. Eleemosynary entered English in the first half of the 17th century.
how is eleemosynary used?
It would be fair enough to call Cornelia a power for good. I shared an apartment in New York with her the year before she was married, and I haven’t done so many eleemosynary acts in the whole rest of my life as I did during that time.
When a church collects money to then redistribute to the poor in its neighborhood, it performs an eleemosynary function.
eleemosynary
gravitas
noun
seriousness or sobriety, as of conduct or speech.
More about gravitas
Gravitas comes straight from the Latin noun 驳谤补惫颈迟腻蝉, which has many meanings: 鈥渟eriousness of conduct, temperament, or speech; solemnity or majesty (of a speaker or writer); authority, influence or importance (of a person or institution).鈥� (The inflectional stem of 驳谤补惫颈迟腻蝉 is 驳谤补惫颈迟腻迟-, which by regular phonetic change becomes 驳谤补惫颈迟茅 in French and gravity in English.) Gravitas became necessary in English because during the first half of the 17th century, gravity acquired its physical meanings 鈥渇orce of attraction, heaviness, gravitation,鈥� and a sentence like 鈥淭he Prime Minister displayed an unusual lack of gravity鈥� would be unintentionally humorous today. Gravitas entered English in the 1920s.
how is gravitas used?
Dad was gearing up to say something, a gradual process that involved shifting around in his chair, some throat-clearing, lifting his tea halfway to his mouth and putting it down again, so Paul and Grandma broke off their staring contest and waited for him to speak. Grief had lent him a certain gravitas.
… a growing number of independent research-oriented institutions like his own, Mr. Coogan said, have brought gravitas to a field that once seemed lighter than Spider-Man鈥檚 touch.
gravitas