Thursday word: divagate

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

divagate (DI-vuh-gait) - v., to wander, digress, ramble.


Both in the physical sense of a somewhat aimless walk and the metaphoric sense of straying from the subject. I'm fond of this one, being prone to both kinds of action -- plus is has a nice sound. Adopted in 1599 from Late Latin dīvagātus, past participle of dīvagārī, to wander off, from Latin dis-, apart/in a different direction + vagārī, to wander (which is also the root of vagrant).

Poets talk of maidens' eyes, and divagate endlessly upon them"

—John Crowley, Lord Byron's Novel: The Evening Land

---L.

Comments

[med_cat]

An interesting word, and one I'd not heard before; thanks!

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I like it -- especially in conjunction with stravage.

---L.

[med_cat]

Hee, never seen stravage either ;)