pertain

The word of the day is "pertain," a verb that means to relate, refer, or have a connection to someone or something. To pertain to someone or something is to have a direct relationship or association with that person or thing. An example of the word's usage is in the sentence "That law pertains only to people who live in this state." The word "pertain" is also used in the context of office dressing, where certain rules of conduct pertain to maintaining a professional appearance. The word "pertain" comes from the Latin verb "pertinēre," which means "to reach to" or "to belong." The Latin verb "pertinēre" was formed by combining the prefix "per-" and the root "tenēre," which means "to hold." The root "tenēre" is a common root in English words, often manifesting with the -tain spelling. Other words that share this root include abstain, contain, detain, maintain, obtain, retain, and sustain. However, not all words with the -tain spelling have "tenēre" in their ancestry, and some words with the root "tenēre" do not follow the usual pattern. The word "pertain" is an example of how Latin roots can influence the meaning and spelling of English words.