Thursday, May 18, 2006

Today's word

is terpsichorean. (Sorry, Maryland fans, I don't believe it's etymologically related to your beloved 'terps.)
terpsichorean (turp-si-kuh-REE-uhn, turp-si-KOR-ee-uhn, -KORE-)
adjective: Of or relating to dancing.
noun: A dancer.[From Terpsichore, the Muse of dancing and choral song in Greek mythology.]

The word Terpsichore [turp-SI-kuh-ree) is the feminine form of terpsichoros (delighting in the dance), a combination of Greek terpein (to delight) and khoros (dance), which is ultimately from Indo-European root gher- (to grasp or to enclose) that's also the source of chorus, carol, choir, garth, court, and garden.]

So I guess Terpsichore would be my muse - though I'm not much of a dancer, I do enjoy it, and I've loved "singing choruses in public" since I was introduced to the choral arts in grade school. Interestingly, if this site is to be believed, it seems that of the 9 Muses, only Urania and Clio had little or nothing to do with the arts. The others are all described as singing or supporters of poetry or some such.

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