APOTHEOSIS

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APOTHEOSIS

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:56 am

• apotheosis •

Pronunciation: ê-pah-thee-o-sis • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. Glorification, exaltation to the rank of a god, deification. 2. Someone or something that has been so deified or glorified.

Notes: Today's Good Word is one used too often when epitome "a perfect example" is intended. Keep in mind that it should be reserved for those who have been elevated to a position near that of a god or the process of such elevation itself. This word is the noun from the verb apotheose; we apotheose those whom we elevate to god-like stature. Don't forget that, like all English nouns ending in -is, the plural is formed by changing this ending to -es: apotheoses.

In Play: Keep in mind that this word generally refers to the process of elevating someone to godhood: "I left Creighton Barrel's party last night when the afterdinner dissertation turned into an apotheosis of Creighton's elder son, now a Whitehouse intern." Be careful not to use it as a synonym of epitome but to denote someone who has been glorified to the point of being a god: "Martin Luther King became the apotheosis of the civil rights movement before his assassination in 1968."

Word History: Today's Good Word turned up in late Latin, which traced it from an identical Greek noun. The Greek noun came from the verb apotheoun "to deify", a verb made up of apo "off, completely" + theos "god". The root of theos appears in many English borrowings from Greek: atheism "godlessness", theocracy "religious government", but also enthusiasm, based on a Greek adjective entheos "having a god within". It began its life in English meaning "rapture caused by God". In Latin the same root produced fesiae "holidays (holy days)" which later became feriae (German Ferien today). This word was borrowed by Old English at various stages of its development, leading to English feast, fest and fair. (We needn't apotheose the inexplicable Grogie for suggesting Today's Good Word in the Alpha Agora, but he does deserve a hearty round of applause.)
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Perry
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Postby Perry » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:41 am

"I left Creighton Barrel's party last night when the afterdinner dissertation turned into an apotheosis of Creighton's elder son, now a Whitehouse intern."
[Hopefully no Christians will take offense!]

How do we know that Jesus was Jewish? He was 33, single, lived with his parents, and his mother thought he was God.
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Postby Stargzer » Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:11 pm

Hey, Perry, most Christian's won't take offense at that joke, but the ADL may pay you a visit! Could you tell it to them in Hebrew? Would they understand it?

:lol:
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Postby scw1217 » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:31 pm

This word made me think of my mother who apotheoses her pastor. Great word. I am also fond of the name "Creighton Barrell".
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Postby Bailey » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:59 pm

This word made me think of my mother who apotheoses her pastor. Great word. I am also fond of the name "Creighton Barrell".
Dr. Beard has a WAY with great names.

mark B.

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Postby scw1217 » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:34 pm

My husband, daughter, and I always play a game whenever we spot odd last names. I always ask, "What do you NOT name your child if you last name is..." "Harry" comes up frequently. The other day there was a person with the last name "Book". The answer to that one is, of course, Rita. "Rita Book" would be a terrible name to have, unless of course you liked to read.
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Postby gailr » Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:41 am

The Apotheosis of [x] is a recurring motif in classical Western painting. For anyone gripped by a US patriotic fever, there are a good half-dozen versions of The Apotheosis of Washington.
(I like to think he would be appalled.)

Good joke, Perry. :D
It reminds me of a nun's observation about Jesus' panicked parents, thinking he was lost, then finding the 12-year-old showing off in the Temple. He popped off to Mary (inexplicably in KJ English), “Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s business?”

The NT does not record what she said to him. But we do not hear another *peep* out of him for the next 18 years.

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Postby sluggo » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:19 pm

He popped off to Mary (inexplicably in KJ English), “Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s business?”

The NT does not record what she said to him. But we do not hear another *peep* out of him for the next 18 years.
:lol: :mrgreen: :wink:
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Postby Bailey » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:00 pm

My husband, daughter, and I always play a game whenever we spot odd last names. I always ask, "What do you NOT name your child if you last name is..." "Harry" comes up frequently. The other day there was a person with the last name "Book". The answer to that one is, of course, Rita. "Rita Book" would be a terrible name to have, unless of course you liked to read.
Or like Nita for Knapp, or Sutta or Lally for Popp?

of course there is the self-fulling prophecy type of name....

mark my-brain-has-reverted-to-age-10-again Bailey

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Postby Perry » Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:41 am

Hey, Perry, most Christian's won't take offense at that joke, but the ADL may pay you a visit! Could you tell it to them in Hebrew? Would they understand it?

:lol:
I could tell it in Hebrew, although being an ADL member or staff-person does not automatically mean that one's Hebrew is fluent.

The beagle looks sweet sleeping in his cage. Is his demeanor domewhat different when he is awake and at liberty?
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Postby sluggo » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:54 pm

I could tell it in Hebrew, although being an ADL member or staff-person does not automatically mean that one's Hebrew is fluent.
That should make it all the more interesting.
Can I watch?
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