The Etymology of Words

[Clifford Black]

This thread will be where we will investigate words!

B.

[Clifford Black]

Sacred

The word "sacred" descends from the Latin sacrum, which referred to the gods or anything in their power, and to sacerdos, priest; sanctum, set apart. It was generally conceived spatially, as referring to the area around a temple.

The English word "holy" dates back to at least the 11th Century with the Old English word hālig, an adjective derived from hāl meaning "whole" and used to mean "uninjured, sound, healthy, entire, complete". The Scottish hale ("health, happiness and wholeness") is the most complete modern form of this Old English root. The modern word "health" is also derived from the Old English hal. As "wholeness", holiness may be taken to indicate a state of religious completeness or perfection. The word "holy" in its modern form appears in Wyclif's Bible of 1382.

[Clifford Black]

The Etymology

• Posted by Adisa on August 23, 2011 at 9:44pm in Education (Change)
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I was reading through my dictionary, 1937 Webster's Universal Dictionary, and in the Preface read the following:

     "The etymological department of this work will be found to be unusually valuable and complete." 

I could go on and on with what I read, but I read and re-read the above sentence numerous times...."unusually valuable."   

[Clifford Black]

Since we now have new participants in our class, let us do this one more time.  Please follow where the thread leads and if you have questions we will address.

B.

[Clifford Black]

Have you looked up the word, etymology, in the dictionary...after you finish with the definition please investigate the etymology brackets if you do not know what that is, then, look in the front of the book for the page  that tells you how to use the dictionary.

B.

[Adam White]

https://archive.org/download/webstersseventhn00unse/webstersseventh...

As a .pdf file goes, this one is too large to scroll on PC or phone; however, the Front Matter - explanatory notes, guide to pronunciation, abbreviations used in this work - is completely readable. This is the smallest download I found tonight that included the "Front Matter" with Webster's dictionary.

To other friends who wish to find access for low cost to this information, I also ask for better, more creative ideas. For an unabridged dictionary, $5 a month from Webster's is the best I have found - versus the immense cost of purchasing a used multi-volume copy.

For a hard copy abridged version, I have a good feeling I can find them at a thrift store. And I will report back on those results.

[Clifford Black]

Thank you Brother White.

[Clifford Black]

Do not stop looking!!!!