- Today's Word
Venerate
VEN-uh-rayt
Definition
- (verb) To deeply respect, admire, or hold in high regard.
Example
Generations of artists venerate Michelangelo as one of the greatest painters in history.
Fun Fact
Veneration is deeply embedded in many cultures and religions. In Buddhism, followers venerate the Buddha and sacred texts; in Christianity, saints are venerated for their faith and sacrifice. The practice extends beyond religion—national heroes, intellectual figures, and even objects (like the U.S. Constitution) can be venerated for their historical or moral significance..
(noun) Displaying extreme generosity in giving; lavish and openhanded in the bestowal of gifts or resources.
The philanthropist’s munificence transformed the city — new libraries, funded hospitals, and a university scholarship program that outlasted her by decades.
Munificence derives from the Latin munificentia, built from munus meaning “gift” or “duty” and facere meaning “to make” — literally “the making of gifts.” The same root munus gives us municipal and munitions, both originally tied to the idea of public duties and obligations. It entered English in the 16th century, used almost exclusively to describe the grand, sweeping generosity of rulers, patrons, and institutions rather than everyday acts of giving.