Where does the word edification come from?

mid-14c., in religious use, “a building up of the soul,” from Old French edificacion “a building, construction; edification, good example,” and directly from Latin aedificationem (nominative aedificatio) “construction, the process of building; a building, an edifice,” in Late Latin “spiritual improvement,” from past …

What is the root word of edify?

The Latin noun aedes, meaning “house” or “temple,” is the root of aedificare, a verb meaning “to erect a house.” Generations of speakers built on that meaning, and by the Late Latin period, the verb had gained the figurative sense of “to instruct or improve spiritually.” The word eventually passed through Anglo-French …

What is an edifice mean?

1 : building especially : a large or massive structure. 2 : a large abstract structure holds together the social edifice— R. H. Tawney.

What does for your edification mean?

If something is for your edification, watch out! It means it’s designed to improve you in some way, whether morally, educationally, or spiritually.

What does the origin of a last name mean?

may confirm (or disprove) some long-accepted beliefs about your family’s roots including their ethnic origin. Perhaps there are other countries (and relatives) attached to your family tree that you had never considered before. The genealogy behind your last name is more than just finding the meaning from a surnames list.

Where does the last name patronymic come from?

Patronymic Surnames The majority of surnames are derived from the name of a male ancestor. These evolved from pre-existing non-permanent naming customs whereby an individual was identified by reference to a male ancestor or ancestors.

When did the Chinese start to use surnames?

The Chinese began to use surnames about 5,000 years ago. They wanted to honor their forebears by use of the name. However, Chinese surnames come first instead of last. Gradually, the rest of the world started to use surnames as well.

Why do some surnames have a religious connotation?

The nature of the surnames depends on what was important to the society at the time surnames were adopted. Thus hunter-gatherer societies often distinguished individuals by an event, a characteristic or a religious connotation.