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Spruce up the season with Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia, the ultimate desk reference. http://www.m-w.com/book/peoplace/collency.htm *************************************************************** The Word of the Day for December 21 is: solstice \SAHL-stiss or SOHL-stiss\ (noun) : the time of year when the sun is farthest north of the equator or farthest south of the equator Example sentence: Ancient astronomers from many lands used the summer and winter solstices to mark the turning of the seasons in their calendars. Did you know? "Solstice" owes much to a merry old "sol" -- the Latin noun "sol," meaning "sun." The ancients added "sol" to "-stitium" (from "status," the past participle of the verb "sistere," meaning "to come to a standstill"). That's because for several days around the time of the solstices, the sun's appearance on the horizon at sunrise and sunset seems to occur at the same spot, before it starts drifting to the north or south again. Speakers of Old French adapted "solstitium" to form "solstice," and Middle English speakers borrowed the term during the 13th century. In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs on June 21 or 22 and the winter solstice on December 21 or 22. In the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed, the solstices are exactly the opposite. Please Note: The Word of the Day will not be e-mailed on December 24, 25, or 26. The full text for each day's word will be available at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/mwwod.pl ---------------- Brought to you by Merriam-Webster, Inc. http://www.Merriam-Webster.com ---------------- Subscribe or unsubscribe to Word of the Day via the Web at: http://www.Merriam-Webster.com/service/subinst.htm To join the list via e-mail, send a blank e-mail to: mw-wod-subscribe-request@listserv.webster.m-w.com To leave the list via e-mail, send a blank e-mail to: mw-wod-signoff-request@listserv.webster.m-w.com Questions about your subscription? Write to: mw-wod-request@listserv.webster.m-w.com Questions or comments about the Word of the Day? Write to: word@Merriam-Webster.com © 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
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