Word of the Day : June 16, 2019

assiduous \uh-SIJ-uh-wus\ adjective

Definition

: showing great care, attention, and effort : marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application

Did You Know?

Judges presiding over assizes (former periodical sessions of the superior courts in English counties) had to be assiduous in assessing how to best address their cases. Not only were their efforts invaluable, but they also serve as a fine demonstration of the etymologies of assiduous, assess, and assize. All three of those words derive from the Latin verb assidēre, which is variously translated as "to sit beside," "to take care of," or "to assist in the office of a judge." Assidēre, in turn, is a composite of the prefix ad- (in this case, meaning "near" or "adjacent to") and sedēre, meaning "to sit."

Aired June 16, 2019

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