Posted on 03/06/2014 4:53:16 AM PST by secret garden
In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
zeitgeber \TSYTE-gay-ber\ noun
an environmental agent or event that provides the stimulus setting or resetting a biological clock of an organism.
Example sentences:
"Food availability seems to be a weaker zeitgeber than light. Although food is more essential than light for an animal's survival, light exerts a finer control than food availability over the activity rhythm."
— From Roberto Refinetti's 2006 book Circadian Physiology, Second Edition
"Night-shift workers also struggle, he says, because they don't get the environmental and social cues that help adjust the circadian clock. The most important of these cues, called zeitgebers … is sunlight. But a zeitgeber could also be a scrambled-egg breakfast or children coming home from school in the afternoon."
— From an article by Tara Parker-Pope in New York Times Magazine, November 20, 2011
Etymology:
Zeitgebers are nature's alarm clocks—both biologically and etymologically. The word "zeitgeber" derives from a combination of two German terms, "Zeit," which means "time," and "Geber," which means "giver"—so a "zeitgeber" is literally a "time giver." In nature, zeitgebers tend to be cyclic or recurring patterns that help keep the body's circadian rhythms operating in an orderly way. For plants and animals, the daily pattern of light and darkness and the warmer and colder temperatures between day and night serve as zeitgebers, cues that keep organisms functioning on a regular schedule. For humans, societally imposed cycles, such as the schedule of the work or school day and regular mealtimes, can become zeitgebers as well.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day. The Review threads are linked for your edification. ;-)
Practice makes perfect.....post on....
Review Thread One: Word For The Day, Thursday 11/14/02: Raffish
Review Thread Two: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/14/03: Roister
Review Thread Three: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/28/03: Obdurate
WFB's attempt to emulate us ; ) No pushing at the door please!
He would fit in perfectly here.
uh... that’s what I was thinking but was too embarrassed to post it. I wee that you weren’t.
I am awakened every Wednesday morning at 7:30, by the knowledge that I have to post the Word For The Day. It’s my web-zeitgeber.
 |
 |
 America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi! |
 |
 |
Holen Sie sich einen Wecker? A+ for you.
English IS a derivative of German, so it’s no surprise that so much of our vocabulary is German-based.
Wasn’t he traded to the Ottawa Senators yesterday for a third-round draft choice?
Which came first - the zeitgeist or the zeitgeber?
Deleted.
Among other languages, that’s true. Welcome to WFTD!
We traded our first ever draft pick yesterday, back to Detroit, his hometown. I think we got the better part of that deal.
Chicken, egg, what evs. A for you.
Lent is the zeitgeber for our soul.
Are you giving up or adding on? A for you.
Fasting for all of Lent, and adding a mass and more prayer as well. As I get older, I feel the need to perfect the soul more and more. It sure does need it. ;^)
That word suggests food, for some reason...
Obama may have a zeitgeber,
But it really doesn’t show-
No reins have been tightened,
No driver has shouted “whoa”!
Reset and regroup don’t matter-
This cannon has broken loose,
Rolling around the USA deck,
And about to cook our goose
He broke the Russia-reset button
Hillary conjured sometime ago-
And says to fear global warming
With many states buried in snow...
I was hankering for a zeitberger for lunch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.