VAGITUS

[Dr. Goodword]

• vagitus •

Pronunciation: vê-jai-tês • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. The first cry of a new-born baby. 2. The cry or wailing of any small child.

Notes: Apparently, today's intriguing word is so rarely used, no dictionary compiler knows what its plural would be: the Latin vagitus (same as the singular) or English vagituses. You are always safe with the latter. This word is used primarily in medicine but there is no reason why the rest of us cannot use it, too.

In Play: One of the most important events of human life is the sound of the first cry of a newborn infant: "It was a difficult birth but all the pain was erased by the sound of my new son's vagitus." However, the meaning of this word has important metaphorical implications, too: "The new president's inaugural speech was the vagitus of an era of radical innovation at the college."

Word History: Today's Good Word is Latin vagitus "the crying, squalling of young children", the noun from the verb vagire "to cry, squall". The same original root, *uagh-, underlies Sanskrit vagnu "a cry, sound" and Greek ekho "a sound, echo". (I think everyone will echo my thanks to M. Henri Day for suggesting such an interesting word as we have read about today.)

[Slava]

Thanks, Henri, Thanks, Henri Thanks, Henri Thanks, Henri Thanks, Henri...

So much for the echo. Nice word, but it's not going to make the contemporary list anytime soon. Too suggestive for us prudes.

Speaking of suggestions, vagitus was first proposed here:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=770

and treated once previously here:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=994

Good commentary at both, so check them out and add what you will, where you will.

[LukeJavan8]

The cry or wailing of a small child, as versus the
cry of the Sirens.

[tcward]

Funny how uagh looks both like ugh and wah...

[LukeJavan8]

I could not even begin to try and spell the sound of
a wailing child. My attitude is sheer frustration.
I am always amazed that the Native Americans
and their infants did not cry nor wail. Fear of giving
away their locations to enemies. I often wish the
practice were more common here in the 21 st Century.