- Today's Word
Rancor
[RANG-ker]
Definition
- (noun) Bitter, deep-seated ill will, hatred, or resentment. It describes a particularly intense and long-lasting form of animosity or spite that often festers over time.
Example
Despite years having passed since their business partnership dissolved, there was still obvious rancor between the former friends whenever they encountered each other at industry events.
Fun Fact
“Rancor” comes from the Latin word “rancor,” meaning “a stinking smell or rotten taste,” derived from “rancere” meaning “to stink or be rotten.” This etymology reveals how emotional bitterness was originally linked to physical sensations of decay or spoilage. In medieval times, rancor was considered one of the “daughters of wrath” in Catholic moral theology, seen as a spiritual corruption that could poison the soul. The word gained particular significance in medieval law, where “rancor” had to be formally renounced before pardons could be granted or feuds officially ended. Knights would perform a “ceremony of rancor renunciation” where they would literally embrace their enemies to show the end of hostilities. Interestingly, the word’s connection to rottenness survives in the related term “rancid,” used to describe spoiled food, while “rancor” has retained purely emotional connotations. This evolution shows how language can preserve metaphorical connections even as meanings diverge.