Word of the Day

adorable

Adorable

Latin

Classical Latin/a.do.ˈra.bi.lis/Modern English/əˈdɔːr.ə.bəl/
Adorable once described gods, not kittens.

Latin adorabilis appeared by the first century BCE, built from adorare: composed of ad (toward) and orare (to pray, to speak before). The word named a quality of the divine, something worthy of being prayed to and prostrated before. Jupiter could be adorabilis. A sacred flame could be adorabilis. The word carried the full weight of Roman religious life.

4 stops · from Rome to London

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