- Today's Word
Velleity
[vuh-LEE-i-tee]
Definition
- (noun) A wish, inclination, or slight desire for something, but one that is not strong enough to lead to action. It’s often used to describe a fleeting or half-hearted desire.
Example
Tom had a velleity to start exercising regularly, but he never quite managed to overcome his inertia and actually join a gym.
Fun Fact
The word “velleity” comes from the Latin “velle,” meaning “to wish” or “to will.” It entered the English language in the early 17th century. Interestingly, it’s related to the more common word “volition,” which refers to the act of making a conscious choice or decision. “Velleity” represents a much weaker form of desire than volition, capturing that feeling of wanting something but not enough to act on it. It’s a sophisticated word that precisely describes a common human experience, making it a favorite among writers and vocabulary enthusiasts.
(verb) To officially forbid something, especially by law or authority; to condemn or prohibit as harmful or unacceptable.
The new administration moved quickly to proscribe several previously tolerated practices, leaving industries scrambling to interpret exactly what compliance now required.
Proscribe derives from the Latin proscribere, meaning “to publish in writing” — from pro- (“before” or “publicly”) and scribere (“to write”). In ancient Rome, proscription was a formal public notice posted in the forum listing the names of enemies of the state — men whose property was forfeit and whose killers would be rewarded. To be proscribed was to be publicly condemned and stripped of all legal protection. The word’s journey from “publicly written” to “officially forbidden” traces directly through this brutal Roman practice.