attitudinize

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 13, 2008 is: attitudinize • \at-uh-TOO-duh-nyze\ • verb : to assume an affected mental attitude : pose Examples: "She kept her position; she seemed absorbed in the view. 'Is she posing -- is she attitudinizing for my benefit?' Longueville asked of himself." (Henry James, Confidence) Did you know? The English word "attitude" was first used in the 17th century to describe the posture of a sculptured or painted figure. The word was borrowed from French and formed from the Italian word "attitudine," meaning "aptitude" or "natural tendency." By the early 18th century, "attitude" was also being used for the posture a person assumed for a specific purpose. And by mid-century, "attitudinarians," people who study and practice attitudes, were being talked about. The verb "attitudinize" followed in 1784. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.