Hortative

WORD OF THE DAY

hortative / HOR-tuh-tiv / adjective

Definition

1: giving exhortation 

2: serving to advise or warn

Examples

"None can understand or interpret Michelangelo unless we recognise the extent to which the mysticism of Catholic faith coloured his beliefs and work…. [If] we look back to the Pietà in St Peter's, finished when he was only 24, we find an image of such profound piety and sympathy that crowds fall silent in its presence without any hortative 'Silenzio!'" 

— Brian Sewell, The Evening Standard (London), 24 Mar. 2006

"But it's important to remember that 'Jersey Shore' is on MTV, a youth-oriented cable channel that has a hortative streak: series like 'Teen Mom' and 'If You Really Knew Me' carry a strong 'don't try this at home' message." 

— Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, 20 Aug. 2010

Did You Know?

"We give nothing so freely as advice," observed French writer François de la Rochefoucauld in 1665. Hortative and exhort (meaning "to urge earnestly") are two words that testify to our eagerness to counsel others. Both trace to Latin hortari, meaning "to urge." 

Hortative has been used as both a noun (meaning "an advisory comment") and an adjective since the 17th century, but the noun is now extremely rare. You may also encounter the adjectives hortatory, exhortatory, and exhortative, all of which have the same meaning as hortative.