lionize

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 13, 2008 is: lionize • \LYE-uh-nyze\  • verb 1 : to treat as an object of great interest or importance 2 : to show the sights of a place to Examples: After his successful first novel, critics lionized the young writer as a literary virtuoso, though he has yet to replicate the feat. Did you know? The lion is traditionally regarded as the king of beasts, and perhaps rightly so -- the lion is brave, stately, and quite often ferocious. Those qualities that earn the lion respect from other creatures were probably in people's minds when, in the 18th century, "lion" came to be used for a person who is similarly well-regarded, especially after a long and distinguished career in a particular field. A veteran lawmaker might be considered one of the lions of the Senate; a literary lion has enjoyed a long career as a successful writer. This sense of "lion" forms the basis of "lionize," which first appeared in English in the early 19th century. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.