logo       

porcine: msg#00017

culture.language.word-of-the-day

Subject: porcine

****************************************************************
Looking for "information technology?" Check out all the latest words by
subscribing to Merriam-WebsterCollegiate.com today!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/collegiate_sub.pl?refr=C_wod
****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for August 19 is:

porcine \POR-syne\ adjective
: of, relating to, or suggesting swine : piggish

Example sentence:
Thelma's oldest son was regarded as porcine not only in size but in
appetite, and rarely did he leave a crumb on his plate.

Did you know?
Deservedly or not, pigs don't usually enjoy a very flattering image, and
they are rarely given credit for their high level of intelligence. Although the
word "porcine" is not as negative in tone as "swinish," it may still describe
things with the decidedly negative attributes of being greedy, pushy, or
generally piggish -- but primarily it means simply "fat." Porky Pig, for
example, is not typically considered porcine in his behavior, only in his pink
and pudgy appearance. "Porcine" comes from the Latin word "porcinus," meaning
"swinish," and ultimately derives from the Latin "porcus," meaning "pig." When
"porcine" was first used in English in the mid-17th century, it joined
similarly formed animal-related words, including "leonine," "canine,"
"asinine," "vulpine," and "aquiline."







<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Google Custom Search

News | FAQ | advertise