Word of the Day : April 5, 2021

reputation \rep-yuh-TAY-shun\ noun

Definition

1 a : overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general

b : recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability

2 : a place in public esteem or regard : good name

Did You Know?

For reputation, the attainment of lexical esteem begins in 14th-century Middle English in the character of reputacion, which is a borrowing of an Anglo-French word with meanings similar to the English word (referring to such things as celebrity, distinction, good name, or estimation of character). The Anglo-French is from Latin reputation-, reputatio, meaning "consideration," and ultimately from reputare, "to reckon up or to think over." That Latinate verb couples the well-known "again" prefix re- with the verb putare ("to reckon"). Renowned celebrities of the putare family are the verb repute ("to believe or consider"), the identical noun (synonymous with reputation), the adjectives reputable and reputed, and the adverb reputedly. Other putare cousins of notoriety are dispute, disreputable, imputation, and putative, along with their kin.

Aired April 5, 2021

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