Differences Between Execrate and Excoriate: Simple Guide

Understanding “Execrate” and “Excoriate”

The words “execrate” and “excoriate” may sound a bit similar, but they have different meanings and uses. Let’s explore these words, where they come from, and how we can remember what they mean.

History and Meaning

Execrate: The word “execrate” means to strongly dislike or hate something very much. It comes from the Latin word “execrari,” which means to curse or speak very badly about something.

Excoriate: “Excoriate” means to criticize someone or something very harshly. It comes from the Latin word “excoriare,” which means to take the skin off something, like peeling. Think of it as pulling off words to criticize.

Trick to Remember

To remember the difference, think about the sound “execr” in “execrate.” It sounds like “exit” – you want to exit or get away from what you hate. For “excoriate,” remember “sc” like “scratch,” as if you’re scratching with words when you criticize.

Example Sentences

Execrate Examples:

• She execrates lies and never wants to hear them.
• Many people execrate cruelty against animals.
• He learned to execrate the bad habits that hurt him.
• The group execrated the unfair laws.
• Children execrate eating vegetables they don’t like.

Excoriate Examples:

• The teacher excoriated the students for not doing their homework.
• Critics excoriated the movie for being too long and boring.
• The coach excoriated the team for not trying hard enough.
• The article excoriated the company for their poor service.
• She excoriated him for being late again.

Summary

“Execrate” means to deeply hate or detest something. You might execrate things you dislike very much. On the other hand, “excoriate” means to seriously criticize someone or something. If you excoriate someone, you are speaking very critically about them. Remember these differences with the tricks “exit” for execrate and “scratch” for excoriate!