Larry's Pretty Good Word of the Day (prettygoodword) wrote in 1word1day,
Larry's Pretty Good Word of the Day
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grammatolatry

grammatolatry (gram-muh-TOL-uh-tree) - n., the worship of words or letters; excessive concern for the letter (of a rule) instead of the spirit, literalism.


Not, alas, a worship of grammar, though it is used to describe grammar-nazis. May be a result of being a grammataster. Or a lawyer. One of a large list of -olatry words of worship (from Greek latreía, service, worship), joined in this case with Greek grammato- (from gramma, letter). Verbolatry.

"The worship of words is more pernicious than the worship of images -- grammatolatry is the worst species of idolatry."

—Robert Dale Owen (1871)

---L.
Tags: g, greek, noun
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