A.Word.A.Day --catholicon

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Jul 2, 2008

This week's theme
Words from medicine

This week's words
costive
roborant
catholicon
atrabilious
linctus

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

catholicon

PRONUNCIATION:

(kuh-THOL-i-kuhn)

MEANING:

noun: A panacea or cure-all.

ETYMOLOGY:

Via Latin from Greek katholikos (general), from kata (according to, by) + holou (whole). Ultimately from the Indo-European root sol- (whole) that gave us words such as solid, salute, save, salvo, and soldier.

USAGE:

"In the end, even the most intrusive measures will not be foolproof: there is no verification catholicon. But perfect verification is as illusory as it is unnecessary."
Bruce Van Voorst; Arms Control; Time (New York); Jul 31, 1989.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain. -Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709-1784)

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