Imprimatur

I see words as providing people with a deeper and richer meaning to their emotional and professional lives, especially because much of our lives rely on words. So not every word that I use in this little feature is completely unfamiliar to you, or at least I hope it isn't, because teaching you obscure words is not my primary intention, although I do sometimes do this to give you some fun.

Instead, my goal is to demonstrate the beauty, versatility and subtlety of the English language and to acquaint you with the many wonderful languages that have contributed to English. And of course, I hope that you choose a word or two each week to use in your daily conversation simply because it is fun to be erudite and articulate. Keep in mind that you only have to repeat something 20 times for it to become a habit. Why not pick up a few special word and make them your own unique verbal signature?

I found this interesting word in The Republican War on Science, by my friend and fellow SciBling, Chris Mooney. This book was recently released in the more affordable trade paperback. If you haven't read this book yet, now is the time (I've read it once already in hard-cover, but never reviewed it, so I am going to rectify that oversight in the near future by reviewing this updated paperback).

Imprimatur (im-pri-MAH-ter, -MEY-, -prahy-) [Origin: 1630-40; < NL: let it be printed, L: let it be made by pressing upon (something);]

noun

1. Official approval or license to print or publish, especially under conditions of censorship or under a license issued by a censor of the Roman Catholic Church. Compare: nihil obstat. .
2. sanction or approval; support: Our plan has the company president's imprimatur.
3. Official approval; sanction.
4. A mark of official approval: a directive bearing the imprimatur of high officials.

Usage: OTA's challenges in particular struck the Reagan administration in the gut, coming as they did with the official imprimatur of congress. In response to these reports, the administration and its conservative supporters engaged in a pitched battle against the scientific concensus, even attempting actual scientific suppression.

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