gratitude · noun — the state of being grateful. It carries an Arena rating of 1338, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, gratitude ranks #1,519 of 17,162 for Most Elegant Words, #5,488 of 17,188 for Most Malleable Words, #6,002 of 17,172 for Most Beautiful Words, #8,422 of 17,163 for Most Sublime Words.
gratitude is pronounced /ˈɡɹæ.tɪ.tjuːd/.
Why “gratitude” is a great word
A profound appreciation for what is received, whether tangible or intangible. From Medieval Latin *gratitudinem* (nominative *gratitudo*), meaning 'thankfulness', from Latin *gratus* ('thankful, pleasing'), first attested in English in the mid-15th century. Unlike 'thankfulness' (often a brief, verbal acknowledgement of a specific deed) or 'indebtedness' (which binds one with chains of obligation), gratitude is a free and abiding warmth of the spirit. It is the unspoken recognition in a shared glance after a long silence, the conscious savoring of sunlight on skin after weeks of rain, or the daily, private tally not of what is owed but of what is simply, marvelously given—the quiet recognition that we are held, however briefly, by forces larger than our own making.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From French gratitude, from Medieval Latin grātitūdō (“thankfulness”), from Latin grātus (“thankful”). Displaced Old English þancung.
noun
- The state of being grateful.e.g.“She showed deep gratitude for the support she received.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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