venerate

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 17, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>venerate</strong> &#149; \VEN-uh-rayt\&nbsp; &#149; <em>verb</em><br /> <p><em>Venerate</em> means "to feel or show deep respect and honor for someone or something."</p> <p>// Volunteers of the Peace Corps are <em>venerated</em> for their selfless dedication and contributions.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venerate">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"But for those of us who <em>venerate</em> the written word, … a lost book is not an insignificant item gone astray…. Its value comes from the story and who we were and what we learned when we first encountered it." — Ana Veciana-Suarez, <em>The Miami Herald</em>, 8 Sept. 2021</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Venerate</em> comes from the Latin root <em>venerārī</em>, which has the various meanings of "to solicit the good will of," "to worship," "to pay homage to," and "to hold in awe."  That root is related to <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Venus">Venus</a></em>, which, as a proper noun, is the name of the Roman goddess of love and beauty.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>