Saint Ignatius High School

Etymology Word of the Week

Director of Admissions Pat O'Rourke '90, a self-proclaimed "word nerd," brings you his Etymology Word of the Week. Every other week he presents an online Etymology lesson just for fun!

Etymology Word of the Week – As some of you know, in addition to working in the Admissions Office, I also teach Latin at Saint Ignatius and am something of a "word nerd."  Thus, each week, I’ll sneak a vocabulary word (sometimes derived from Latin, sometimes not) into the e-blast.  Here, then. is this week’s edition of the Etymology Word of the Week.  

Grateful

Definition: “Thankful; warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received.”  

Origin/Derivation: From the Latin adjective gratus, -a, -um meaning “pleasing, welcome, thankful.”      

Related Words/Phrases: gratuity (fancy word for a “tip” at a restaurant), gratuitous (as in some violence in movies), gratitude, congratulate, gratis (as in free), ingrate (someone who is not at all grateful), ingratiate (to “get in good with” someone), grace and disgrace

Sample Sentence: “Thanksgiving is an appropriate time of year to express our gratitude for all of the wonderful people in our lives.”



Photo Caption: "Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from us!"

(All information is from www.wikipedia.org, www.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com)