Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Estivate

Estivate \ES-tuh-veyt\ , verb;
1. To spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity
2. In zoology, to spend a hot, dry season in an inactive, dormant state, as certain reptiles, snails, insects and small mammals

According to Etymonline.com:
This word dates to the mid-17th century and comes from Latin aestivare ("to spend the summer") which derives from aestus ("heat") and aestas ("summer," literally "the hot season"). Aestus and aestas come from Proto-Indo-European *aidh- meaning "to burn."

Estivate certainly conjurs up memories of camps and pool passes for many of us, so tell me: what is your fondest estivating memory?

*Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Tuesday, December 7

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