roseo-, ros-
(Latin: a red or pick color; rose colored or pinkish)
1. A secret or something that is private, or confidential, and which should not be revealed to anyone else: The workers met in sub rosa when they got together before voting on whether to strike against the company.
2. Etymology: from Latin, literally, "under the rose"; from the rose that, in ancient times, was hung over a government-council table as an indication of secrecy.
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2. Etymology: from Latin, literally, "under the rose"; from the rose that, in ancient times, was hung over a government-council table as an indication of secrecy.
The origin of the phrase sub rosa came from Greek mythology when Cupid, the son of Aphrodite (the goddess of love), learned that Harpocrates (the god of silence) had observed Aphrodite's amorous adventures, and bribed him not to reveal what he had seen. The bribe was a rose and it came to be considered "an emblem of silence" or "a pledge of secrecy".
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subrosa (adverb), more subrosa, most subrosa
In strict confidence; privately: The president of the company was suspicious because he was sure that members of the project were trying to make sub rosa decisions in an effort to keep him from knowing what they were doing.
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
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