Word of the Day

: September 12, 2006

visceral

adjective VISS-uh-rul

What It Means

1 a : felt in or as if in the viscera : deep

b : of, relating to, or located on or among the viscera

2 : not intellectual : instinctive, unreasoning

3 : dealing with crude or elemental emotions : earthy

visceral in Context

The story about the abandoned dogs elicited such a visceral reaction in Amy that within minutes she was on the phone offering to adopt one.

Did You Know?

The "viscera" are the internal organs of the body-especially those located in the large cavity of the trunk (e.g., the heart, liver, and intestines). The word "viscera" comes from Latin, in which it has essentially the same meaning. Something "visceral" has to do with the viscera. In a more figurative sense, something "visceral" is felt "deep down." Even in the early years of its use, "visceral" often referred to things emotional rather than physiological. For example, in 1640, an English bishop named Edward Reynolds wrote, "Love is of all other the inmost and most visceral affection." This figurative use is the most common use of "visceral," but the word continues to be used in medical contexts as well.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.