lionize
Meaning
to treat someone as a famous or important person
to give a lot of public attention and approval to someone
Structure
Usage
the young author was lionized by the literary elite after winning the prestigious award.
the media tends to lionize successful athletes, often overlooking their struggles.
she had no desire to be lionized and avoided the spotlight whenever possible.
Etymology
the verb 'lionize' is a 19th-century formation, directly derived from the noun 'lion'. in the early 1800s, 'lion' was used figuratively to describe a person who was a source of great interest and admiration, much like the lion was considered the king of beasts and a main attraction. the suffix '-ize', a prolific verb-forming element of greek origin, was appended to mean 'to treat someone as a lion'. thus, the literal sense 'to make into a lion' evolved into the modern abstract meaning of treating a person as a celebrity or object of public fascination, capturing the social practice of fêting notable individuals.
Analysis
- lion: from latin 'leo, leonis' (lion). in this word, it functions as the root, metaphorically representing a person of great importance or celebrity. - ize: from greek '-izein', via latin '-izare' and french '-iser'. it is a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make, to treat as, or to act like'.