Saint Ignatius High School

Etymology Word of the Week

Director of Admissions Pat O'Rourke '90, a self-proclaimed "word nerd," brings you his Etymology Word of the Week. Every other week he presents an online Etymology lesson just for fun!

Etymology Word of the Week – As some of you know, in addition to working in the Admissions Office, I also teach Latin at Saint Ignatius and am something of a "word nerd."  Thus, each week, I’ll sneak a vocabulary word (sometimes derived from Latin, sometimes not) into the e-blast.  Here then is this week’s edition of the Etymology Word of the Week.  

Monsignor“title conferred upon certain prelates and dignitaries of the papal court.”  From the French monseigneur meaning to “my lord.”  Mon means “my” and seigneur means “lord, senior, elder.”  (All information is from www.wikipedia.orgwww.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com)

RELATED WORDS/PHRASES – Monsieur (used with laymen), mon Dieu (my God!), senior, senile, Senate

SAMPLE SENTENCE - (80-year-old SPOILER ALERT) “In the final scene of Casablanca, Monsieur Rick does not allow Major Strasser to interfere with Victor Laszlo’s departure from Morocco.”