rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -itas
Latin

-itas

a quality or state

Forms

  • -itas
  • -itat- — Latin stem used outside the basic noun form.
  • -ity — English form developed through French.

Origin

Latin -tas, a suffix for abstract nouns, with a preceding i; the suffix continues an older Indo-European abstract-noun formation.

Note

Turns a description into something that can be discussed as a quality in its own right.

231 / 231
A woman makes a conspicuous obscene middle-finger gesture across a café table while her companion recoils in offended distaste, depicting vulgar behavior without dialogue.
noun

vulgarity

vul-GAIR-uh-tee/vʌlˈɡærəti/

The quality or expression of being crude or lacking refinement.

Etymology
vulgarLatincommon; of the common people
+ityLatina quality or state

Latin vulgaris described what belonged to common people, a meaning that probably developed into the disparaging sense “unrefined.” Vulgarity came to name that coarseness, including tasteless or offensive acts and expressions.

Full entry

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