Word of The Day for Monday, February 7, 2011

volitant

vol•i•tant (VOL-i-tnt)  adj

Definition:
1. flying or capable of flying
2. moving about rapidly; flit about


Origin:
1840–50; Latin volitant  (stem of volitans ), present participle of volitare  "to flutter", frequentative of volare  "to fly"

Related:
Related Words: volatile, volley

Sentence Examples:
• Adaptiveness is the peculiarity of human nature. We are golden averages, volitant stabilities, compensated or periodic errors, houses founded on the sea. - Representative Men, Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Now, just as volitant bird-life attains its highest expression in the habit of singing on the wing, so it may be said that cursorial bird-life attains its highest expression in those concerted dances, mock-battles, and displays, which have excited the wonder and admiration of all naturalists. -Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York, 1908

• The head waiter smiles knowingly, and, while volitant minions were bringing the truffles and pheasant, he continues in these terms : 'I must confess, Monsieur, that this famous gastronomic permit issued by the essess is a pure invention. It doesn't exist." -The blue flowers, Raymond Queneau

Sources: Free Dictionary, Dictionary.com

Word-E: A Word-A-Day

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