2007July2, Monday

Interesting Word: “Tergiversate”

Posted in Interesting Words at 7:46 by Trey Austin

From Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis 3:16:  

In order that the majesty of the judge may shine the more brightly, God uses no long disputation; whence also we may perceive of what avail are all our tergiversations with him.

Tergiversate (tər-jĭv’ər-sāt’)
verb
To evade or equivocate; to be deliberately ambiguous or confusing in order to mislead; constantly to change one’s opinion or attitude; to commit treason or apostasy.

From Latin, tergum “back,” versare “to turn.”

1 Comment »

  1. Tim Prussic said,

    It seems that to use this word in converstation would be to tergiversate… or at least confuse!


Leave a reply to Tim Prussic Cancel reply