excelsior

English

Etymology

From Latin excelsior, comparative of excelsus (“high”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ɛkˈsɛlsɪɔː/

Adjective

excelsior (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Loftier, yet higher; ever upward

Noun

excelsior (uncountable)

1. An originally trademarked name for stuffing material (as for furniture and mattresses) made of slender, curled wood shavings, as a substitute for hair.
   • 1942, Elliot Paul, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Sickle Moon 2001, p. 91:

     These little mangers, with baby dolls representing Jesus, porcelean Josephs and Marys, wide-eyed cows of papier-mâché, and excelsior for straw, were purchased by pious parents for well-behaved children at Christmas-tide.

Usage notes

• This word is sometimes thought to be an adverb, which, perhaps, is inspired by the sounding quite adverbish common "ever upward" translation from Latin.
• "Excelsior!" is the motto of the state of New York.

Translations

An originally trademarked name for stuffing material (as for furniture and mattresses) made of slender, curled wood shavings

Russian: древесная стружка f.

---

Latin

Etymology

From excelsus (“elevated, lofty”).

Adjective

excelsior (comparative of excelsus)

1. higher, loftier, more elevated

Inflection

• Third declension, comparative variation (3:COM).

Number	Singular			Plural
Case \ Gender	M.F.	N.		MM.FF.	NN.
nominative	excelsior	excelsius		excelsiōrēs	excelsiōra
genitive	excelsiōris	excelsiōris		excelsiōrum	excelsiōrum
dative	excelsiōrī	excelsiōrī		excelsiōribus	excelsiōribus
accusative	excelsiōrem	excelsius		excelsiōrēs	excelsiōra
ablative	excelsiōre	excelsiōre		excelsiōribus	excelsiōribus
vocative	excelsior	excelsius		excelsiōrēs	excelsiōra