exhortation
UK[ˌɛɡzɔːˈteɪʃən]US[ˌɛɡzɔːrˈteɪʃən]
n
The act of strongly encouraging or urging someone to do something.
n
A speech or piece of writing that strongly encourages or urges a particular course of action.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
hort
ation
ex
hort
ation
Etymology
The word 'exhortation' is a direct inheritance from Latin exhortationem, the noun of action from the verb exhortari, meaning 'to encourage strongly'. This verb itself is a compound of the intensive prefix ex- ('out, thoroughly') and hortari ('to urge, encourage'). The root hort- is likely related to the Proto-Indo-European root ǵʰer-, which carried meanings of 'to like, want, or yearn for', a semantic seed that evolved into the concept of urging someone toward a desired action. Thus, the literal 'process of urging out' evolved into the modern abstract meaning of a strong, formal encouragement or admonition.
Analysis
Structure: ex + hort + ation
- ex (Latin): A prefix meaning 'out', 'thoroughly', or 'completely'. It functions as an intensifier in this word.
- hort (Latin): A root derived from the Latin verb hortari, meaning 'to encourage', 'to urge', or 'to incite'. It forms the core semantic element.
- ation (Latin via French): A noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process, or the result of an action.
Examples
The coach's passionate exhortation inspired the team to play their hardest.
The sermon was filled with moral exhortation to help the less fortunate.
He ignored all exhortations to be more cautious and proceeded with his risky plan.