Word of the Day

Tuesday, January 01, 2002

asseverate

\uh-SEV-uh-rayt\ , transitive verb;

To affirm or declare positively or earnestly.

Quotes:

But of course it is! asseverates Herman Woodlife.

-- Miles Kington, "Child slavery: the half-truth", Independent, June 12, 1998

Castro's been known to snow people, but he didn't snow me, Mr. Weicker asseverated.

-- "Fading Fidel and his gulled groupies", Washington Times, July 6, 2001

Mr. Vidal asseverates that McVeigh is "very, very bright." He writes with "perfect" spelling, punctuation and grammar.

-- R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., "When grim opportunity knocks . . .", Washington Times, May 11, 2001

Origin:

Asseverate comes from Latin asseverare, "to assert seriously or earnestly," from ad- + severus, "severe, serious."