visceral

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The Word of the Day for September 12 is:

visceral   \VISS-uh-rul\   adjective 
     1 a : felt in or as if in the viscera : deep  b : of, relating to, or 
located on or among the viscera 
    *2 : not intellectual : instinctive, unreasoning 
     3 : dealing with crude or elemental emotions : earthy

Example sentence: 
     The story about the abandoned dogs elicited such a visceral reaction in 
Amy that within minutes she was on the phone offering to adopt one.

Did you know? 
     The "viscera" are the internal organs of the body -- especially those 
located in the large cavity of the trunk (e.g., the heart, liver, and 
intestines). The word "viscera" comes from Latin, in which it has essentially 
the same meaning. Something "visceral" has to do with the viscera. In a more 
figurative sense, something "visceral" is felt "deep down." Even in the early 
years of its use, "visceral" often referred to things emotional rather than 
physiological. For example, in 1640, an English bishop named Edward Reynolds 
wrote, "Love is of all other the inmost and most visceral affection." This 
figurative use is the most common use of "visceral," but the word continues to 
be used in medical contexts as well. 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.






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