dignitary
a person of high rank or honour
TRANSLATION
dignitary = der Honoratior, der Würdenträger --- GOOGLE INDEX dignitary: approximately 1,600,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
By all accounts, Mrs Merkel likes Mr Gauck as a person, the BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin reports. The question is whether he will be too outspoken for her political needs - say during a visit by a DIGNITARY from an oppressive regime.
(BBC News)
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In London, Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Brings Out DIGNITARIES and Protesters
(PBS News headline)
(BBC News)
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In London, Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Brings Out DIGNITARIES and Protesters
(PBS News headline)
Did you
know?
By all accounts, Mrs Merkel likes Mr Gauck as a person, the BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin reports. The question is whether he will be too outspoken for her political needs - say during a visit by a DIGNITARY from an oppressive regime.
(BBC News)
---
In London, Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Brings Out DIGNITARIES and Protesters
(PBS News headline)
---
dignitary
noun
- a person who has an important position in society
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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Dignitary derives from the noun dignity - a quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect - and the suffix "ary."
Dignity is a 13th century word that stems from the Old French "dignite" (dignity, privilege, honour) and from the Latin "dignitas" (worthiness), which comes from the Latin noun "dignus" (worth).
The suffix "ary" is from the Latin -arius, -aria, -arium, which means to be connected with or pertaining to. In the case of a person, it means "the man engaged in." This suffix appears in words borrowed from Latin in Middle English. In later borrowings from Latin to French, it became -aire and passed into Middle English as -arie, subsequently -ary.
While uncommon, there are a few other words that are formed by adding -ary to define a person that is engaged in a particular activity:
- actuary = a register, clerk or account keeper. In the insurance business an actuary is a person who calculates how likely accidents, such as fire, flood, or loss of property, are to happen, and tells insurance companies how much they should charge their customers
- functionary = one charged with the performance of a function or office, as in a public functionary
- notary = a public officer who attests or certifies deeds and other writings, or copies of them, usually under his official seal, to make them authentic
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SYNONYMS
high ranking person, VIP, big gun, big kahuna, big shot, bigwig, celebrity, luminary, official, person of influence, star, top cat
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Dignitaries will be visiting the company tomorrow so please dress accordingly."
(BBC News)
---
In London, Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Brings Out DIGNITARIES and Protesters
(PBS News headline)
---
dignitary
noun
- a person who has an important position in society
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
Dignitary derives from the noun dignity - a quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect - and the suffix "ary."
Dignity is a 13th century word that stems from the Old French "dignite" (dignity, privilege, honour) and from the Latin "dignitas" (worthiness), which comes from the Latin noun "dignus" (worth).
The suffix "ary" is from the Latin -arius, -aria, -arium, which means to be connected with or pertaining to. In the case of a person, it means "the man engaged in." This suffix appears in words borrowed from Latin in Middle English. In later borrowings from Latin to French, it became -aire and passed into Middle English as -arie, subsequently -ary.
While uncommon, there are a few other words that are formed by adding -ary to define a person that is engaged in a particular activity:
- actuary = a register, clerk or account keeper. In the insurance business an actuary is a person who calculates how likely accidents, such as fire, flood, or loss of property, are to happen, and tells insurance companies how much they should charge their customers
- functionary = one charged with the performance of a function or office, as in a public functionary
- notary = a public officer who attests or certifies deeds and other writings, or copies of them, usually under his official seal, to make them authentic
---
SYNONYMS
high ranking person, VIP, big gun, big kahuna, big shot, bigwig, celebrity, luminary, official, person of influence, star, top cat
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Dignitaries will be visiting the company tomorrow so please dress accordingly."
