Dog Days: The Words of August: An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor

The month of August was named after Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome, who lived from 63 BCE–14 CE. He took the name Augustus — he was born Gaius Octavius — because it means "worthy of honor" in Latin. Learn this list of synonyms for august and your vocabulary will be fit for an emperor!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. august
    profoundly honored
    My comments may provoke discussion in the august halls of the Naval War College, but what are the midshipmen in Bancroft Hall at Annapolis supposed to think? Washington Post (Jun 24, 2020)
    August comes from the Latin verb augere, meaning "to increase." Unlike the month, when you're pronouncing august to describe something or someone worthy of the highest respect, the stress goes on the second syllable.
  2. dignified
    formal or stately in bearing or appearance
    “This was a face-off in the most vivid terms between a dignified, composed, completely nonviolent multitude of silent protesters and the truly malevolent force of a heavily armed, hateful battalion of troopers,” Lewis wrote. Washington Times (Jul 18, 2020)
  3. eminent
    standing above others in quality or position
    Mr. Wilsey managed to recruit about 150 eminent scientists as advisers, with some actively working on the research problem. New York Times (Jul 7, 2020)
    Eminere means "to project" in Latin, so something eminent sticks up above its surroundings, standing out by virtue of its height or grand stature. Preeminent means the tallest, the biggest, a leader of leaders. You may also see éminence grise, "grey eminence," a French expression used to describe an influential or powerful figure who operates behind the scenes, out of the public eye.
  4. exalted
    of high moral or intellectual value
    Europe’s revolutionary tradition exalted liberty, equality and fraternity until revolutionary fascism sacrificed the first to the second and third. Washington Post (Jul 9, 2020)
    Altus means "high" in Latin, so to exalt something is to raise it up, either literally or figuratively. The altar in a church or temple comes from the same root: a raised platform where holy objects are placed.
  5. honorable
    deserving of esteem and respect
    “In our game, there’s nothing more honorable than tipping your cap,” Kendrick said. Washington Times (Jun 29, 2020)
  6. imposing
    befitting an important, distinguished, or powerful person
    “It is the only survivor of a clump of pines on Raddon Top, an imposing site of bronze age and Neolithic remains,” he says. The Guardian (Jul 20, 2020)
  7. lofty
    of imposing height; especially standing out above others
    The deal with Google will bolster Reliance’s lofty tech ambitions, such as building smart homes, using solutions similar to Amazon.com Inc’s Alexa voice assistant, connected cars and security systems. Reuters (Jul 15, 2020)
    The only word on this list that does not come from Latin, lofty is Old Norse, loft meaning "sky" or "upstairs."
  8. majestic
    having or displaying great dignity or nobility
    The majestic scavengers, the largest land bird in North America, with a 9.5-foot wingspan, once inhabited areas stretching from California to Florida and Western Canada to Northern Mexico. Los Angeles Times (Jul 8, 2020)
  9. noble
    of or belonging to hereditary aristocracy
    “This memorial garden is dedicated to her noble spirit which celebrated the oneness of humankind and to the bonds of everlasting friendship between black and Jewish people,” reads the plaque in the ground. Washington Post (Jul 15, 2020)
    Noble used to mean a person born into a royal family or the aristocracy: someone with a title like Duchess or Earl. It can still be used that way, but nobility can also mean the state of being highly moral, virtuous, or altruistic: a very good person who earns the label through action, not a lucky birth.
  10. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
    “Wimbledon — the sound of the word, in itself, is magical. It’s historical. It’s different. It’s regal,” said Evert, a three-time singles champion there. Seattle Times (Jul 3, 2020)
    Regalis means "of a king or queen" in Latin, so regal is a synonym for royal.
  11. resplendent
    having great beauty
    European visitors swoon with desire and disbelief at the sight of the hyacinth bean, a purple-leafed vine resplendent in August with striking purple stems, flowers and seedpods. Washington Post (Jun 15, 2020)
    From the same Latin root as splendid, something resplendent is glorious, exquisite, or breathtakingly beautiful.
  12. stately
    impressive in appearance
    Douglass’s stately home, which sits high on a knoll, is where he spent the last 17 years of his life. Washington Post (Jul 10, 2020)
  13. venerable
    profoundly honored
    Mr. Lewis, 80, died Friday following a venerable career in American politics and activism that included decades representing Georgia in the U.S. Washington Times (Jul 18, 2020)
    To venerate someone is to revere them, to hold them in the highest esteem. There's also a connotation of age; a venerable person or institution is one that has been around for a long time and part of the respect they deserve is based on that.
Created on Thu Jul 16 16:07:15 EDT 2020 (updated Sun Aug 02 10:29:57 EDT 2020)

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