Wednesday, May 23, 2007

WORD A DAY

OPPROBRIUM: 1: something that brings disgrace 2a: public disgrace or ill fame b: contempt, reproach

Borrowed into English in the 17th century, "opprobrium" came from the Latin verb opprobrare, which means "to reproach." That verb came from the noun probrum, meaning "disgraceful act" or "reproach." The adjectival form of "opprobrium" is "opprobrious," which means "scurrilous" or "infamous"; one might commit an "opprobrious crime" or be berated with "opprobrious language." Probrum gave English another word, too, but you might have a little trouble guessing it. Give up? The word is "exprobrate," an archaic synonym of "censure" or "upbraid."

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