Legal Writing

Words we like: antebellum

By Pam_Nelson

The latest installment in The N&O's Old North State series, Warrenton fights to regain lost glory, allows us a chance to use the lovely sounding word, antebellum. Staff writer Kristin Collins' story refers to the town's "antebellum architecture" and to its heyday before the Civil War.

The word antebellum comes from Latin. The prefix ante means "before," as in antecedent or "in front of," as in anteroom. The second part, bellum, means "war." It's also a root word for bellicose and belligerent.

Antebellum refers most often to the time before the American Civil War, although the Oxford English Dictionary notes that it can refer to the times before the 20th century's two world wars. 

I also like antediluvian, referring to the time before the biblical flood. It can be used to describe someone or something that is antiquated or old-fashioned. If you click on the links for the words to go to Dictionary.com, you can hear the pronunciations of antebellum and antediluvian.

Full post as published by Triangle Grammar Guide on July 07, 2009 (boomark / email).