Friday, April 1, 2016

A-to-Z Challenge: A

The word we’re kicking off the challenge with is avid. You know, like someone who likes to read is an avid reader or…hm, I can’t think of a way to use that word that isn’t describing someone’s fondness for a hobby.


Avid first showed up in 1769, yes, an exact date. That’s pretty rare, although more common the more recent it gets. It comes from the French (as in modern French, what they speak today) avide, greedy, and before that the classical Latin avidus, also greedy. So I guess avid is greedy. Interesting.

Sources

16 comments:

  1. I'm an avid reader. Couldn't live without my books. Have a fabulous April!

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  2. Never would have guessed Avid came from Greedy, since the two words give me different connotations. Most intriguing.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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  3. So, instead of an avid hunter, he's a greedy hunter?
    Really going to miss the stick figure this month...

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  4. Like Natasha, I never would have thought that Avid came from Greedy. But as I consider myself to be an avid reader, and I have a few thousand books in my possession, I guess it fits. :)

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  5. Very Nice Post...

    Welcome in the letter "A"... thank you!
    Jeremy [Retro]
    AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2016]

    Stop over and find a free "SIX STRINGS: BLOGGING AtoZ CHALLENGE" Here: http://www.jmhdigital.com/

    HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
    You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?

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  6. I'm always surprised to see how old words are. That's surprising that it's been around that long!

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  7. I suppose it makes sense when you think of another word for greed- avarice.

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  8. I always think of avid as a compliment but knowing the origin is greedy makes me rethink it.

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  9. I used to be a greedy reader. These days, I don't have time for that.

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  10. Makes sense…. I am definitely a greedy reader.

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  11. It makes sense that avid used to mean greedy. :-)

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  12. I refer to myself not only as an avid reader, but a rabid one. I'm also fascinated by etymology so I'm very much looking forward to this month's posts. Nice to "meet" a fellow A-Z challenger. :)

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  13. I'm an avid readers, too, and I have to admit I do feel a little greedy when I go to the library and leave with an armful of books.

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  14. I never really thought about the idea that words date back to a certain date. Great word to start AtoZ.

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  15. There is another use for avid, but it's AVID, as in an acronym. So, I don't think that counts.

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  16. Um, can I say I'm an avid participate of the A to Z Challenge? Does that makes sense? LOL

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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Please validate me.