Word of the Day: Nativity

Word of the Day : December 24, 2017

nativity \nuh-TIH-vuh-tee\ noun

Definition

1 : the process or circumstances of being born; especially, capitalized : the birth of Jesus

2 : a horoscope at or of the time of one's birth

3 : the place of origin

Did You Know?

Nativity is one of many words born of the Latin verb nasci, which means "to be born." The gestation of the word was a long one. Nasci developed in Latin into nativitas, meaning "birth," which passed through Anglo-French as nativité before entering English in the 14th century. Nativity has many siblings and cousins in our language; other terms of the lineage of nasci include cognate, innate, nascent, native, and renaissance.

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Aired December 24, 2017

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