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WordWealth:
legerity
le·ger·i·ty
,
n. physical or mental quickness;
nimbleness; agility.
[1555–65; < MF
legerete, equiv. to leger (< VL *levi ārius;
see LEVITY,
-ARY)
+ -ete -ITY]
—Syn. lightness,
grace, alacrity, celerity.
(Random
House Webster's Unabridged).
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Susan was impressed by Mr. Webber’s legerity and quick
wit—he had a quip for every occasion. —— Merriam-Webster
Did you know? (Merriam-Webster)
When "legerity" first appeared in English in 1561, it drew
significantly upon the concept of being "light on one's feet," and
appropriately so. It is derived from words in Middle and Old French
and ultimately Latin that all mean "light in weight." These days,
"legerity" can describe a nimbleness of mind as well as of the feet. A
cousin of "legerity" in English is "legerdemain," meaning "sleight of
hand" or "a display of skill or adroitness." "Legerdemain" comes from
the French phrase "leger de main," meaning "light of hand."
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