orgulous

adjective

or·​gu·​lous ˈȯr-gyə-ləs How to pronounce orgulous (audio)
-gə-
: proud

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"In Troy, there lies the scene. From Isles of Greece / The princes orgulous, their high blood chaf'd, / Have to the port of Athens sent their ships." Thus William Shakespeare begins the Trojan War tale Troilus and Cressida, employing orgulous, a colorful word first adopted in the 13th century from Anglo-French orguillus. After the Bard's day, orgulous dropped from sight for 200 years; there is no record of its use until it was rejuvenated by the pens of Robert Southey and Sir Walter Scott in the early 1800s. 20th-century authors (including James Joyce and W. H. Auden) continued its renaissance, and it remains an elegant (if infrequent) choice for today's writers.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French orguillus, from orguil pride, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German urguol distinguished

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orgulous was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Orgulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orgulous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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