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eclectic: msg#00010culture.language.word-of-the-day
**************************************************************** Looking for a Merriam-Webster dictionary that fits your own special needs? Come on in and browse! http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/book.pl?diction.htm **************************************************************** The Word of the Day for March 11 is: eclectic \ih-KLEK-tik\ adjective 1 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles *2 : composed of elements drawn from various sources; also : heterogeneous Example sentence: Old-school musicians joined with today's rising stars to showcase an eclectic mix of music for charity. Did you know? "Eclectic" comes from a Greek verb meaning "to select" and was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were not committed to any single system of philosophy; instead, these philosophers selected whichever doctrines pleased them from every school of thought. Later, the word's use broadened to cover other selective natures. "Hard by, the central slab is thick with books / Diverse, but which the true eclectic mind / Knows how to group, and gather out of each / Their frequent wisdoms...." In this 19th century example from a poem by Arthur Joseph Munby, for example, the word is applied to literature lovers who cull selective works from libraries. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. |
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