Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#85489 11/03/02 10:48 AM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 167
J
member
OP Offline
member
J
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 167
What's the male equivalent? is this a YART?


#85490 11/03/02 11:54 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
B&M OED gives maritorious, but calls it a nonce-word and only lists one citation, which, I suppose, makes it a hapax legomenon as well.


#85491 11/03/02 04:12 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
the new edition adds a bit:

nonce-wd. (Revived only from dict. record.)

[Humorously < classical Latin maritus husband (see MARRY v.) + -ORIOUS (in UXORIOUS a.: cf. -ORIOUS), punningly on MERITORIOUS a.]

Greatly or excessively fond of one's husband.

1607 G. CHAPMAN Bussy d'Ambois II. 22 Dames maritorious, ne're were meritorious.

1978 P. HOWARD Weasel Words xliv. 166 ‘My husband and I’, is felt to be..charmingly whatever adjective is the wifely feminine of uxorious. The adjective you are looking for is the extremely rare word ‘maritorious’.




#85492 11/03/02 08:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
From India word site:
"What is the word for a wife who is excessively fond of her husband? (Kriti Nath Jha,
Delhi)

Some time ago I had written in this column that the English language has a word for a
man who is excessively fond of his wife -"uxorious"- but that it doesn't have a word for a
woman who is excessively fond of her husband. I am happy to report that such a word
does exist. The word is "maritorious". It is derived from the Latin "maritus" meaning
"husband". But unlike the word "uxorious", "maritorious" is a word that is seldom heard
or used. One does not find it listed in most dictionaries. Wonder why! "

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2001/09/04/stories/13040376.htm

Scroll down about two thirds





#85493 11/06/02 12:25 AM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 167
J
member
OP Offline
member
J
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 167
I love this site, thanks for that everyone. I wonder if there's any possible tie up-or corruption between maritorious and meritorious?


#85494 11/06/02 12:57 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
The ladies would perhaps regard the uxorious male as so uncommon as to be noteworthy,
while maritorious wives are the norm and so not noteworthy.


#85495 11/06/02 10:14 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Dr Bill - I suspect you of currying favour with the ladies!


#85496 11/06/02 10:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
any possible tie up-or corruption between maritorious and meritorious?

I would suspect that the coiner of maritorious had meritorious in mind when he coined it. Uxorious gets its r legitimately from the Latin root. The root for maritorious is marit-; the second r has no business being in there. How much of its presence is due to the r in uxorious and how much to meritorious is up to debate.



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 941 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5