• equanimity •
Pronunciation: e-kwê-nim-i-tee or ee-kwê- • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun, mass (No plural)
Meaning: Steadiness and composure under pressure; unruffledness in a stressful situation.
Notes: The adjective that accompanies today's Good Word is the rather odd-sounding equanimous [ee-kwæ-nê-mês] "even-tempered, balanced, composed", as an equanimous response to a provocative insult.
In Play: Stressful or embarrassing situations call for equanimity: "May Tripp rose from her pratfall with uncommon equanimity and continued down the hall as though nothing had happened." Whatever raises stress levels, equanimity lowers them: "Duane Pipes received the news of his wife's leaving him with an equanimity that might have saved the marriage had he applied it more while they were together."
Word History: English borrowed this word from French in the 17th century. French inherited it from Latin æquanimitas "calmness, patience, equanimity", a noun based on æquus "even, equal" + animus "mind, spirit" or anima "soul". Æquus is apparently related to Sanskrit eka "one". Animus underlies animal, a thing of spirit; it comes from the same source as Greek anemos "wind", often thought of as a spirit in bygone years. The Greek word is the root of anemone "daughter of the wind", which is now the English word for the wind-flower, Anemone nemorosa. (Today we thank Rob N. Hood for having the spirit to suggest today's Good Word.)
EQUANIMITY
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EQUANIMITY
• The Good Dr. Goodword
But, "disequanimity" is so much more fun! That's why we have Reality T.V., Bozo the Clown and Glen Beck. Wouldn't you rather see someone coming completely unglued , the last vestiges of self-control thrown to the winds, blathering nonsense, twaddle and drivel, than sitting there inert, the picture of misguided composure? I know I would. Boring otherwise.
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