aficionado

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 4, 2020 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>aficionado</strong> &#149; \uh-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><strong>:</strong> a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity <strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devotee">devotee</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>Mickey's brother, an <em>aficionado</em> of jazz, was a regular at the downtown clubs and often bought new records on the day they were released.</p> <p>"But assessing the investment value of a vintage watch or a vintage car—a popular pastime among <em>aficionados</em>—can be a tricky business. Supply, or lack of it, often dictates which models appreciate, and which lose value." — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/business/wristwatches-racecars.html">Stephen Williams, <em>The New York Times</em>, 18 June 2020</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>The affection an aficionado has for their favorite subject isn't merely emotional—it's also etymological. Back in the early 1800s, English borrowed <em>aficionado</em> from the past participle of the Spanish verb <em>aficionar</em>, which means "to inspire affection." That verb comes from the Spanish noun <em>afición</em>, meaning "affection." Both Spanish words trace to the Latin <em>affectiō</em> (which is also an ancestor of the English word <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affection">affection</a></em>). <em>Affectiō</em>, in turn, is from <em>afficere</em> ("to influence") and gave English speakers the noun and verb <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affect">affect</a></em>.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>