cordial (2009-06-28)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['ka-di-êl (British) or 'kor-jêl (US)]

Definition: Pertaining to the heart, stimulating or invigorating the heart (food and drink); heartfelt, warm, sincere.

Usage: "Cordial" and "courage," also derived from the root meaning "heart," vividly exemplify the emotional range English (and European) culture has historically associated with the central organ of our bodies. The true test of cordiality, of course, is whether you can be cordial with someone you dislike. But I think the adjective begs the company of its identical twin, the noun: "Nothing makes you more cordial than a good cordial after dinner."

Suggested Usage: Today's adjective may be used as a noun referring to a tonic, usually a liqueur, originally thought to stimulate the heart. The noun derived from today's word is cordiality "(human) warmth, friendliness" and the adverb is "cordially."

Etymology: From Medieval Latin cordialis from cor, cord- "heart." The ancient root contained an initial [k] which became [h] in Germanic languages, hence our "heart" and German "Herz." It is from the Greek "kardia" that we derive "cardiac." This [k], however, was an unusual one that changed into an [s] in the Eastern Indo-European languages, so that we find Russian "serdtse" and Polish "serce." The root emerges in many of our Latinate words: "concord" (hearts together), "discord" (hearts apart), "courage" (from French "coeur"), and misericordia "pity on the heart = mercy."