A.Word.A.Day --peccant

A.Word.A.Day

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Jan 15, 2024

This week’s theme
Words that have changed

This week’s words
peccant
prestigious
dapper
peterman
prudish

Illustration: Anu Garg + AI

Previous week’s theme
Forgotten positives

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Seasons change. People change. Languages change too. If a language hasn’t changed in its words’ meanings, pronunciations, or spellings, chances are it’s a dead language.

If you have exactly the same beliefs and opinions as you did 10 or 20 years ago, check your pulse.

But in a world where words constantly shift in meaning, how do we keep track? The secret lies in the gradual nature of these changes, occurring over decades or centuries. Moreover, context is a powerful tool, often revealing half of a word’s meaning in how it’s used.

This week we’ll feature five words that have changed. A lot.

How have you changed over time? Share below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state).

peccant

PRONUNCIATION:

(PEK-uhnt)

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Sinful.
2. Violating a rule.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin peccare (to err). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ped- (foot) which gave us peccadillo (alluding to a stumble or fall), pedal, impeccable, podium, octopus, and impeach. Earliest documented use: 1595.

NOTES:

The earliest recorded meaning of the word peccant is unhealthy or diseased. Over time, the term morphed into figurative senses of being sinful or erring. It’s speculated the Latin peccare (to err) arose from pes (foot) meaning having an injured foot or stumbling. Then the stumbling became metaphorical.

USAGE:

“None of these writers believes atheists, agnostics, or skeptics are less moral than their religious fellows. Were there any evidence that unbelievers were more peccant, Dennett notes, the religions would be onto it like a duck on a June bug.”
Michael Cohen; The God Damners; Skeptic (Altadena, California); Fall 2018.

See more usage examples of peccant in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists, who are dedicated to justice, peace, and brotherhood. The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom have always been nonconformists. In any cause that concerns the progress of mankind, put your faith in the nonconformist! -Martin Luther King, Jr., civil-rights leader (15 Jan 1929-1968)

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