It's the Word of the Day podcast for December 14th.

Today's word is venerate, spelled V-E-N-E-R-A-T-E.

Venerate is a verb.

To venerate someone or something is to feel or show deep respect for them,

because they are considered great or holy. Here's the word used in a sentence from the associated

press. Vietnam is the world's third largest rice exporter, and the staple importance to Vietnamese

culture is palpable in the Mekong Delta.

The fertile patchwork of green fields, crisscrossed by silvery waterways, has helped stave off famine since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

Rice isn't just the mainstay of most meals.

It's considered a gift from the gods and continues

to be venerated. Among the pantheon of ancient Roman deities has any been so venerated that is

deeply respected over the centuries as Venus, goddess of love and beauty. Of course, one may personally prefer Vulcan or Robigus,

the god associated with wheat blight, but from the Venus de Milo to the classic pop song Venus,

Venus has inspired far more enduring reverence. To venerate something or someone, whether an artist or a saint, is to hold them

in similarly high regard, which makes sense given venerates origins. The word comes from the Latin

verb venerary, which can mean to solicit the goodwill of, to worship, to pay homage to, and to hold in awe. That verb in turn is related to,

you guessed it, Venus. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sakalowski.

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