excelsior
UK[ɪkˈsɛlsiːɔː]US[ɪkˈsɛlsiːɔːr]
n
Long, thin wood shavings used for packing or stuffing.
n
A motto meaning "ever upward" or "still higher," used to indicate striving for excellence.
adj
(archaic) Loftier, still higher.
Morpheme Breakdown
excel
ior
excel
to surpass
ior
comparative suffix
Etymology
The word 'excelsior' is the neuter comparative form of the Latin adjective excelsus, meaning "high, lofty." Excelsus itself derives from the verb excellere ("to rise out, surpass"), composed of ex- ("out of") and cellere ("to rise high, be prominent"). Adopted directly into English in the 18th century for the wood shavings, likely for their "higher" or "uplifted" fluffy quality, its more famous abstract usage as a motto was popularized by the 19th-century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Thus, the literal "loftier" evolved into both a concrete material and an aspirational slogan for continual elevation.
Analysis
Structure: excel (to surpass) + ior (comparative suffix)
The morpheme 'excel' originates from Latin excellere, meaning "to rise, surpass, be eminent." The morpheme '-ior' is a Latin comparative suffix, equivalent to English '-er' as in 'higher' or 'greater.'
Examples
The fragile vase was carefully packed in excelsior inside the crate.
The school's motto, "Excelsior," is emblazoned above the main entrance.
His excelsior ambition drove him to achieve beyond all expectations.