Adoration

Etymology

Middle English adouren, from Anglo-French aurer, adourer, from Latin adorare, from ad- + orare to speak, pray

• Date: 14th century

Definitions

• 1 : to worship or honor as a deity or as divine
• 2 : to regard with loving admiration and devotion <adored his wife>
• 3 : to be very fond of <adores pecan pie>

Description

Ad, to, and ora, mouth; (i.e. "carrying to one's mouth "), primarily an act of homage or worship, which, among the Romans, was performed by raising the hand to the mouth, kissing it and then waving it in the direction of the adored object. The devotee had his head covered, and after the act turned himself round from left to right. Sometimes he kissed the feet or knees of the images of the gods themselves, and Saturn and Hercules were adored with the head bare.

By a gradual transition the homage, at first paid to divine beings alone, came to be paid to monarchs. Thus the Greek and Roman emperors were adored by bowing or kneeling, laying hold of the imperial robe, and presently withdrawing the hand and pressing it to the lips, or by putting the royal robe itself to the lips.