velleity

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Word For The Day, Thursday, April 2, 2009 - velleity dictionaries ad nauseum, internet

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Volition at its lowest level.
  2. noun A mere wish or inclination.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (29)

  • Word For The Day, Thursday, April 2, 2009 - velleity dictionaries ad nauseum, internet —  Latest Articles
  • To become now a priest was an elevation of sorts; yet the ceremony, as we would soon see, reinforced every contrast between the life he would lead and the life of the high and mighty, for whom the crowds roar and the bands play, courtiers and servants surrounding them to gratify the least velleity, historians on their toes to record their wispiest thought. —  Latest Articles
  • The ease of her words, the control of them, was meant to convey to Compton that her wish to know of her real parents was hardly more than a velleity, a thought that would come to one while watering a plant or peeling an orange. —  Latest Articles
  • Dear hubby showed no velleity whatsoever when I informed him I would be packing PB&Js for our lunches today instead of the planned ham and cheese subs ......... secret garden (Dubiety reigns here) —  Latest Articles
  • The not-so-valiant Sabres displayed further velleity regarding the playoffs as they were swept last night by the Thrashers (!) ... —  Latest Articles
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This word has been looked up 196 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. New Latin velleitās, from Latin velle, to wish; see wel-1 in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French velléité = Spanish veleidad = Portuguese velleidade = Italian velleità, from Middle Latin velleita(t-)s, irreg. from Latin velle, will, wish: see will.
 

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