Vertiginous comes from the Latin word vertīginōsus, meaning “dizzy.”
Vertiginous shares the same stem as vertigo, “a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings.”
EXAMPLES OF VERTIGINOUS
Looking out from the observation deck, the city’s skyscrapers seemed to rise endlessly into a vertiginous skyline.
The towering roller coaster offered a vertiginous thrill to its riders as it plunged from dizzying heights.
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Auberge entered English from French around 1770–80.
The French word auberge comes from Old Provençal alberga, which meant “encampment, hut.”
These forms diverged from the verb arbergar, “to lodge, shelter,” which was originally from an East Germanic term meaning, “to shelter an armed force.”
Both harbinger, which can mean “a person sent in advance of troops,” and harbor, “shelter,” may have similar origins.
EXAMPLES OF AUBERGE
After a long day of hiking, we were relieved to find a welcoming auberge to rest our weary bodies.
The cozy auberge by the lake offered comfortable accommodations and delicious homemade meals.