Month: July 2020

“love of cruelty,” 1888, from French sadisme, from the name of Count Donatien A.F. de Sade (1740-1815). Not a marquis, though usually now called one, he was notorious for cruel sexual practices he described in his novels

early 15c., of a deed, “evil, wicked;” from 1520s as “having the property of destroying or being injurious,” from Old French pernicios (13c., Modern French pernicieux) and directly from Latin perniciosus “destructive,” from pernicies “destruction, death, ruin,” from per “completely” (see per) + necis “violent death, murder,” related to necare “to kill,” nocere “to hurt, injure, harm,” noxa “harm, injury” (from PIE root *nek- (1) “death”). Related: Perniciously; perniciousness.

“dryness, want of moisture,” 1590s, from Middle French aridité or directly from Latin ariditatem (nominative ariditas) “dryness,” from aridus “dry” (see arid). Figuratively from 1690s; the Latin word was used figuratively of unadorned styles as well as stingy men.

1620s, “in the act of being born;” 1706 in the figurative sense of “beginning to exist or grow, coming into being,” from Latin nascentem (nominative nascens) “arising young, immature,” present participle of nasci “to be born” (Old Latin gnasci), from PIE root *gene- “give birth, beget.” Related: Nascence (1560s); nascency.

1570s, from Latin sibyllinus, from sibylla (see sibyl).

“woman supposed to possess powers of prophecy, female soothsayer,” c. 1200, from Old French sibile, from Latin Sibylla, from Greek Sibylla, name for any of several prophetesses consulted by ancient Greeks and Romans, of uncertain origin. Said to be from Doric Siobolla, from Attic Theoboule “divine wish.”

1610s, “that which is added;” 1620s, “union” (now obsolete); 1630s, “action of adding to the end or adding a smaller to a greater,” from Medieval Latin annexiationem (nominative annexatio) “action of annexing,” noun of action from past-participle stem of annexare “to bind to,” from ad “to” (see ad-) + nectere “to tie, bind” (from PIE root *ned- “to bind, tie”). The Middle English noun form was annexion “union; joining; territory acquired” (mid-15c.).

mid-14c., “to correct, reform;” late 14c., “restore, put right” (a wrong, error, offense); “repair; relieve; improve; amend,” from Old French redrecier “reform, restore, rebuild” (Modern French redresser), from re- “again” (see re-) + drecier “to straighten, arrange” (see dress (v.)). Formerly used in many more senses than currently. Related: Redressed; redressing.