Sunday, January 24, 2016

25January Word and Quote of the Day

Today's Quote

'Darkness isn't the opposite of light, it is simply its absence.'
Terry Pratchett
http://grammarandpunctuationmodule4.blogspot.com.au/

Word of the Day

pundit

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌndɪt/
Noun

Definition

An expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called upon to give their opinions to the public:

Political pundits were tipping him for promotion.

Origin

From Sanskrit paṇḍita 'learned'.

 The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word paṇḍit, a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit paṇḍita, meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form pundit specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now pundit is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise.

What 5-letter word beginning with "s" can refer to a Hindu religious teacher or a pundit?

Merriam Webster

Oxford Dictionary 


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