exhortative · adj — appearing to exhort; in an urging manner. It carries an Arena rating of 1521, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, exhortative ranks #2,586 of 17,134 for Most Satisfying to Say, #5,948 of 17,144 for Most Malleable Words, #7,653 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #7,661 of 17,157 for Most Exacting Words.
exhortative is pronounced /ɛɡˈzɔːtətɪv/.
Why “exhortative” is a great word
A quality of language that strongly urges a listener to act, appealing more to duty or spirit than to reason. From late Middle English *exhortatyf*, from Latin *exhortātīvus*, from *exhortātus* (past participle of *exhortārī*, "to urge strongly") + *-īvus* (adjective-forming suffix). Unlike "hortative," which codifies a suggestion, or "persuasive," which builds a reasoned case, exhortative carries the heat of moral urgency. It is the street-corner preacher with sweat on his collar, the coach's halftime speech in a locker room thick with ammonia and desperation, the final, throat-shredding command shouted over the din of battle—a plea that brooks no debate because the moment for debate has passed, pressing the listener toward the threshold of decision.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From late Middle English exhortatyf, from Latin exhortātīvus, from exhortātus + -ivus. By surface analysis, exhort + -ative.
adj
- Appearing to exhort; in an urging manner.
- Inflected hortative verb form that a speaker uses to avidly encourage a listener.e.g.“In sections (5.2.7-10.) three special prohibitive moods were identified and described: negative imperative, negative exhortative and monitory.” — 1994, Hein van der Voort, A grammar of Kwaza, Mouton de Gruyzer, page 528:
noun
- The exhortative mood.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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