TITIVATE

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 7 October 2011

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TITIVATE  (v. -VATED, -VATING, -VATES)

Definition(s):

1. (v.) to spruce up; to make neat (as one’s appearance)
2. (v.) to touch up; to put the finishing touches on

Useful information for game players:

• Front hooks: (none)
• Back hooks: -D, -S
• Anagrams: (none)
• Longer extensions: (none)
• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: TITTIVATE (v.)
• Related Forms: TITIVATION (n.)

Epilogue:
When this word first appeared in written English in the early 1800s, it was often spelled tidivate or tiddivate, suggesting that it was probably formed as a combination of TIDY and the Latin -ate ending found in words such as RENOVATE or CULTIVATE.  Take care not to confuse it with TITILLATE, “to excite or stimulate agreeably,” an older word (derived from the Latin titillare “to tickle”) with a very different meaning.

Recapping this week’s words: TREPAN, TUPIK, TMESIS, TEOCALLI, and TITIVATE

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