expropriate: M-W's Word of the Day

****************************************************************
Happy Birthday Noah Webster! At a youthful 247, you're
still the Web Master! Read all about him here:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/info/noah.htm
****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for October 18 is:

expropriate \ek-SPROH-pree-ayt\ verb
1 : to deprive of possession or proprietary rights
*2 : to transfer (the property of another) to one's own possession

Example sentence:
When Maria went home, we expropriated her pens and extra paper to finish the group project.

Did you know?
If you guessed that "expropriate" has something in common with the verb "appropriate," you're right. Both words ultimately derive from the Latin adjective "proprius," meaning "own." "Expropriate" came to us by way of the Medieval Latin verb "expropriare," itself from Latin "ex-" ("out of" or "from") and "proprius." "Appropriate" descends from Late Latin "appropriare," which joins "proprius" and Latin "ad-" ("to" or "toward"). Both the verb "appropriate" ("to take possession of" or "to set aside for a particular use") and the adjective "appropriate" ("fitting" or "suitable") have been with us since the 15th century, and "expropriate" has been a part of the language since at least 1611. Other "proprius" descendants in English include "proper" and "property."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

You Are Subscribed As: WORDFORTHEDAY.DROP@blogger.com
To unsubscribe, change your e-mail address or to subscribe to the html
version of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, featuring audio
pronunciations, please visit:

http://www.startsampling.com/sm/wod/changeofaddress.iphtml

(c) 2005 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Merriam-Webster, Inc.
47 Federal Street
P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102

*mf mwt 101805 WORDFORTHEDAY.DROP@blogger.com mf*