Sanction (Noun)

Today's Word: Sanction (Noun) Pronunciation: ['sængk-shên] Definition 1: This word has two contradictory meanings: approval for or prohibition against doing something. It also may refer to a specific law prohibiting something or the penalty for violating such a law.

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Usage 1: When you sanction the use of something you either approve of it or effectively prohibit it. The meanings are distinguished by the prepositions used with the word: sanction to (approval) versus sanction against (prohibition). "Sanction" is also a verb but the prepositional distinction is not maintained with the verb: "Mom sanctioned milk and cookies after school" could mean she approved of them or prohibited them.

Suggested usage: This is a word that can be used everywhere from the home to international relations: "We need Mom and Dad's sanction (approval) to pull stumps in the back yard with the Volvo" but "The US established sanctions against non-essential exports to Cuba in the 1960."

Etymology: Latin sanctio "establishing as inviolable" from sancire "to make holy." The Proto-Indo-European root, sak-, which was rendered "sanc-" when nasalized, also underlies "saint" (sank-t-) with the "t" suffix and simplification of the consonant cluster (loss of the "k" sound). Unnasalized, it produced "sacred." Read "How is a Hippopotamus like a Feather" in the yourDictionary library for more on Proto-Indo-European. (Our thanks to Gene Soto of Baker Oil Tools for suggesting today's word that is its own antonym.)

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