VALENTINE: Your word of the day from www.yourdictionary.com

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Have a MEANINGFUL "St. Valentine's Day", everyone!
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Today's Word: Valentine (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['væ-lên-'tIn]

Definition 1: A gift or card sent to someone beloved on St. Valentine's Day,
February 14, or the person to which the card is sent.

Usage 1: The verb, "to valentine," meaning to serenade a prospective mate (said
of birds) has fallen into disuse, as has, alas, the blend Valentide = "St.
Valentine's Day" from "Valentine + tide." So we are left to send valentines to
our valentines on St. Valentine's Day.

Suggested Usage: Although this word is used as a common noun, because it is so
closely associated with St. Valentine's Day, the range of its possible uses is
limited. Its association with the courtship of birds suggests we might revive
the verb in figurative expressions like this one: "Fenwick has been valentining
Maudy rather seriously of late."

Etymology: February 14 was a Roman feast day that mysteriously became associated
with two saints named Valentine in the 3rd century. One was a Roman priest and
physician killed during the persecution of Christians by Claudius II. The other
St. Valentine was a bishop of Terni, also martyred in Rome but his relics were
remanded to Terni. (It is possible the two saints were the same person.) The
association with love derives from the fact that February 14 was traditionally
taken as the beginning of the mating season of birds. As Chaucer noted in
"Parliament of Foules" (1381): "For this was on seynt Volantynys day Whan euery
bryd comyth there to chese his make." (For this was on Saint Valentine's day
when every bird comes there to choose his mate.)


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