Gravitas

Gravitas is a Latin noun that, as a modern loanword, conveys a sense of substance or depth of personality.

Related Topics:
Latin - Noun - Loanword - Personality

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In an Ancient Roman context, the word gravitas communicated a sense of dignity, seriousness, and duty. Gravitas is one of the several virtues that Ancient Roman society expected men to possess, along with pietas and dignitas.

Related Topics:
Ancient Roman - Context - Word - Dignity - Duty - Virtue - Society - Men - Pietas - Dignitas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was popularized by the media during the summer of 2000, describing the Republican Party candidate, George W. Bush, as not having any, and Al Gore, the Democratic Party candidate, as having too much. After a month of heavy usage, the use of the word steadily dropped and disappeared. It is still used occasionally, mostly in biographical writing, and actually began to gain in popularity during the 2004 presidential election.

Related Topics:
Media - Summer - 2000 - Republican Party - George W. Bush - Al Gore - Democratic Party - Month - 2004 presidential election

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gravitas should not be confused with gravity, the force of attraction between massive particles.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~