excelsior
English
Etymology
From Latin excelsior, comparative of excelsus (“high”). The name of the stuffing material was originally a trademark.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ɛkˈsɛlsɪɔː/
Adjective
excelsior (not comparable)
- (archaic) Loftier, yet higher; ever upward
Noun
excelsior (uncountable)
- (US printing, dated) The size of type between Norse and brilliant, standardized as 3-point.
- Stuffing material (as for furniture and mattresses) made of slender, curled wood shavings, as a substitute for hair.
- 1942, Elliot Paul, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Sickle Moon 2001, p. 91:
- These little mangers, with baby dolls representing Jesus, porcelean Josephs and Marys, wide-eyed cows of papier-mâché, and excelsior for straw, were purchased by pious parents for well-behaved children at Christmas-tide.
- 1942, Elliot Paul, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Sickle Moon 2001, p. 91:
Synonyms
- (type size): (UK) minikin
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ekˈskel.si.or/, [ɛkˈskɛɫ.si.ɔr]
Inflection
Third declension, comparative variant
Number | Singular | Plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case / Gender | Masc./Fem. | Neuter | Masc./Fem. | Neuter | |
Nominative | excelsior | excelsius | excelsiōrēs | excelsiōra | |
Genitive | excelsiōris | excelsiōris | excelsiōrum | excelsiōrum | |
Dative | excelsiōrī | excelsiōrī | excelsiōribus | excelsiōribus | |
Accusative | excelsiōrem | excelsius | excelsiōrēs | excelsiōra | |
Ablative | excelsiōre | excelsiōre | excelsiōribus | excelsiōribus | |
Vocative | excelsior | excelsius | excelsiōrēs | excelsiōra |
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.