- 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..
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.