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July 20, 2005

palatine (PAL-uh-tyn) adjective

Of or relating to a palace.
[After Palatine, from Latin Palatium, the name of the centermost of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built. Roman emperors built their palaces on this hill. The word palace also derives from the same source.]

Of, relating to, or in the palate.

[From French palatin, from Latin palatum palate (roof of the mouth).]

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=palatine

Pictures of the Palatine Hill:
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/FPALATIU.HTM


"The palatine city just outside the capital, symbol of the wealth and the secular aesthetics of the caliph and his entourage, was destroyed by Muslim armies."
Maria Rosa Menocal; A Golden Reign of Tolerance; The New York Times; Mar 28, 2002.

This week's theme: words derived from Italian landmarks.

Pronunciation   RealAudio

Permalink:
http://wordsmith.org/words/palatine.html

Posted by Keya at July 20, 2005 12:26 PM
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