Exalt

Exalt is a transitive verb in English, derived from the Latin exaltāre meaning "to lift up," primarily denoting the act of raising someone or something in rank, power, honor, or estimation, or of praising and glorifying enthusiastically.^[1]^[2] The term entered English in the Middle English period, with its earliest recorded use before 1400 in the Chester Plays, where it conveyed physical elevation before evolving to metaphorical senses of elevation in status or praise.^[1] Over time, exalt has developed multiple nuanced meanings, including to elevate in intensity or degree, such as heightening noble thoughts or emotions, though some early senses like literal physical lifting or stirring up excitement are now obsolete.^[1] In modern usage, it appears approximately four times per million words in written English, often in formal, literary, or religious contexts to extol virtues, deities, or achievements, as seen in phrases like "exalt the virtues we hold dear."^[1]^[3] Its pronunciation varies slightly by dialect, typically /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/ in American English and /ɛɡˈzɔːlt/ in British English.^[1]

Etymology and Pronunciation

Historical Origins

The word "exalt" originates from the Latin verb exaltāre, formed by combining the prefix ex- (indicating "out" or "upward") with altāre, a frequentative derivative of altus ("high"), thereby conveying the sense of "to raise up" or "to elevate."^[4]^[2] This etymological structure reflects the verb's core implication of lifting something to a higher position, whether literal or figurative, and it appears in late Latin texts, notably in the Vulgate Bible, with connotations of elevation in status or physical height.^[5]^[6] From Latin, exaltāre passed into Old French as exalter by the 10th century, retaining its essential meaning of raising or promoting.^[4] This Old French form then influenced Middle English, where the verb emerged as exalten in the late 14th century, marking its integration into the evolving English lexicon through Norman linguistic borrowings following the Conquest.^[7] The earliest recorded uses in English date to before 1400, as evidenced in the Chester Mystery Plays, a collection of religious dramas composed in the northwest of England during that period.^[5] The first known attestation of "exalt" in English prose appears circa 1375, primarily in religious contexts such as translations and devotional writings, where it denoted both physical lifting and metaphorical elevation.^[5] This adoption was significantly shaped by the Latin Vulgate Bible, Jerome's 4th-century translation that became the standard scriptural text in the Western Church; the Vulgate employs exaltāre repeatedly to render Hebrew terms like rûm ("to lift up"), influencing early English Christian literature through direct Latin study and vernacular renderings like John Wycliffe's Bible (completed in the 1380s).^[8] Such usage in sacred texts accelerated the word's entry into English, embedding it in theological discourse before broader secular applications developed.^[4]

Modern Pronunciation and Variations

In standard American English, the word "exalt" is pronounced /ɪɡˈzɔlt/, with primary stress on the second syllable, often rendered phonetically as "ig-ZAWT". This pronunciation features a short "i" in the first syllable, a voiced "gz" affricate for the "x", and an open-mid back rounded vowel /ɔ/ in the stressed syllable.^[2]^[9] In British English variants, particularly Received Pronunciation, the pronunciation is /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/ or /ɛɡˈzɔːlt/, with the stressed vowel extended as a long /ɔː/ and occasional variation in the initial vowel from /ɪ/ to /ɛ/. These forms reflect influences from traditional British phonology, where the "aw" sound is more diphthong-like in some dialects.^[1] The modern pronunciations represent an evolution from the word's Middle English form "exalten," derived ultimately from Latin exaltāre via Old French exalter. In Middle English, it was approximately pronounced /ɛkˈsal.tɛn/, with a clear /ks/ for "x," a short /a/ in the stressed second syllable, and an ending influenced by French infinitival -er. Over time, key sound changes occurred, including the assimilation of /ks/ to /ɡz/ by the late Middle English period, the Great Vowel Shift raising and diphthongizing certain vowels (though less directly affecting the /a/ here, which lowered to /ɔ/ through later mergers), and the loss of the final syllable. These shifts aligned the word with broader Early Modern English phonological patterns.^[1]^[4] There are no truly silent letters in "exalt," as the "x" consistently represents /ɡz/ rather than /ks/, and all consonants are articulated. A frequent point of confusion arises in distinguishing it from the similar-sounding "exult," pronounced /ɪɡˈzʌlt/ with a short central vowel /ʌ/ in the stressed syllable, leading some speakers to misapply the "exult" pattern to "exalt."

Definitions and Meanings

Primary Sense: Elevation in Status or Rank

The primary sense of "exalt" refers to raising someone or something in rank, power, character, or dignity, often through formal promotion or hierarchical advancement.^[2] This usage emphasizes a structural elevation within social, political, or organizational hierarchies, distinct from mere recognition or emotional uplift.^[2] Historically, monarchs in medieval Europe frequently exalted loyal knights or nobles to higher titles as a means of rewarding service and consolidating power. For instance, William Marshal, a landless knight in the 12th century, was elevated by King Richard I to the earldom of Pembroke in 1189 through marriage to Isabel de Clare, granting him vast lands and authority that transformed him from a tournament fighter into one of England's most influential regents.^[10] Such acts of exaltation were common in feudal systems, where a knight might be promoted to baron upon demonstrating military prowess or administrative skill, thereby shifting from vassalage under a lord to holding baronial estates directly from the crown.^[11] In modern contexts, the term describes promotions within professional or corporate structures, where individuals are raised to elevated positions of authority. An employee might be exalted to an executive role, such as CEO, after years of exemplary performance, enhancing both personal status and organizational prestige.^[2] This usage underscores the enduring metaphorical application of exaltation to non-physical advancements in status. The metaphorical dominance of this sense emerged in the early 15th century, evolving from the Latin exaltare ("to raise high"), which initially connoted literal elevation but quickly adapted to signify hierarchical or dignitary uplift rather than physical lifting.^[4] Unlike its secondary sense of verbal praise, this primary meaning focuses on tangible changes in position or power.^[2]

Secondary Sense: Praise or Glorification

In its secondary sense, "exalt" denotes the act of praising enthusiastically, glorifying, or holding something or someone in high esteem, typically through verbal acclaim, celebration, or rhetorical elevation. This usage emphasizes laudatory expression rather than literal or positional advancement, often conveying admiration for moral, intellectual, or aesthetic qualities.^[2]^[12] This meaning traces back to the early 15th century, deriving from the Latin exaltare, meaning "to raise or elevate," which figuratively extended to lifting up through commendation by around 1500.^[4] In 16th-century Elizabethan literature, poets commonly used "exalt" to extol virtues and idealized figures, as seen in the Petrarchan sonnet tradition where the beloved is portrayed as a divine exemplar worthy of perpetual praise.^[13] For example, earlier poets' works in the sonnet sequence serve as anticipatory tributes exalting the fair youth's surpassing beauty and grace.^[14] The term appears in ceremonial contexts to honor heroes and achievements, such as speeches during national holidays or award presentations, where orators glorify individuals' contributions to foster collective inspiration and reverence.^[3] By the 17th century, influenced by religious texts promoting themes of glorification, the usage had evolved from any lingering physical connotations to a predominantly abstract form of praise, emphasizing spiritual or ethical elevation in prose and poetry.^[4] This development highlights a brief historical overlap with the primary sense of status elevation, where commendation often reinforced newfound rank.^[15]

Tertiary Sense: Emotional Elation

In its tertiary sense, the verb "exalt" refers to filling with delight, elation, or heightened emotion, or stimulating to ecstasy.^[2]^[16] This usage derives from the Latin exaltare, meaning "to lift up," and historically encompassed elevating one's spirits or intensifying joy, though it is now considered obsolete or rare.^[2] Unlike its primary senses of raising status or praising, this meaning focuses on internal emotional uplift, akin to but distinct from modern terms like "elate," which shares the same etymological root.^[17] This emotional connotation appeared in rare historical usages, particularly in 19th-century Romantic literature, where it described exalted spirits during encounters with nature. For instance, writers evoked the term to capture the ecstatic response to sublime landscapes, portraying how such scenes could elevate the soul to a state of profound joy and inspiration. Such applications emphasized the word's poetic capacity to convey transcendent delight, often in reflective or aesthetic contexts.^[2] In modern colloquial English, this sense persists infrequently with a distinctly poetic tone, as in phrases like "the victory exalted the fans' spirits," suggesting an uplifting surge of collective joy.^[16] However, its frequency has declined sharply since the 20th century, largely supplanted by more direct synonyms such as "exhilarate" or the noun "elation" for describing emotional highs.^[2] Dictionaries now label it archaic, reflecting its shift from everyday to literary or elevated rhetoric.

Usage in Language and Culture

Religious and Biblical Contexts

In the Bible, the verb "exalt" appears over 50 times in the King James Version, primarily conveying the act of lifting up or praising God in worship. For instance, Psalm 99:5 instructs, "Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy," emphasizing reverential elevation of the divine. This usage underscores a call to spiritual adoration, distinguishing it from mere elevation in status. Within Christianity, "exalt" often describes glorifying God through prayer, hymns, and scripture. The Magnificat in Luke 1:46 exemplifies this, where Mary declares praise; while the King James Version translates it as "My soul doth magnify the Lord," other versions such as the New American Standard Bible render it as "My soul exalts the Lord," highlighting exaltation as joyful magnification of God's mercy. This theme extends to communal worship, where believers exalt God to affirm His sovereignty, as seen in Philippians 2:9, where God "highly exalted" Jesus.^[18] In Jewish tradition, the Hebrew root rûm (Strong's H7311), meaning "to exalt" or "lift up," appears in the Torah to denote raising God in praise or status. Exodus 15:2 states, "He is my God, and I will exalt him," using 'ărôməmennû from rûm to express triumphant glorification after the Red Sea crossing. This verb reinforces moral and spiritual elevation in covenantal relationship with Yahweh.^[19] Islamic parallels employ terms like rafaʿa (to raise or exalt) in the Quran to elevate Allah above all. Surah Al-Isra 17:43 declares, "Exalted is He and high above what they say by great sublimity," using subḥāna and taʿālā to affirm Allah's transcendent praise-worthiness. One of Allah's names, Ar-Rafiʿ (The Exalter), further embodies this, as in Surah Al-Mujadila 58:11, where Allah promises to "raise those who have believed... by degrees." In Mormonism, the verb "exalt" refers to God's act of elevating the faithful to divine likeness through obedience and ordinances, as articulated in Doctrine and Covenants 132:20, promising that those sealed by authority "shall be gods." This verbal usage emphasizes progression toward godhood, distinct from general praise.^[20]

Literary and Rhetorical Applications

In poetry, the verb "exalt" has been employed to rhetorically elevate characters and themes, imbuing them with grandeur and heroic stature. John Milton's epic Paradise Lost (1667) exemplifies this through its use of "exalt" to heighten the portrayal of figures like Satan, presenting him as a complex, almost tragic hero whose ambitions challenge divine order. For instance, in Book IV, Satan reflects on divine commands designed "To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt / Equal with gods," underscoring the transformative power of enlightenment in a rhetorical framework that amplifies rebellion and intellectual ascent.^[21] Similarly, in Book III, the phrase "Humiliation shall exalt" describes the Son's redemptive rise, employing exaltation to contrast humility with divine elevation and reinforce the poem's epic scope.^[22] In rhetorical devices, "exalt" functions as a form of hyperbole in persuasive oratory, intensifying appeals to ideals like freedom and human dignity to inspire action. During the 19th-century abolitionist movement, speakers harnessed the term to magnify the moral imperative of emancipation, portraying liberty as a transcendent force. Frederick Douglass, in his addresses, invoked exaltation to argue that efforts to uplift humanity in one sphere inevitably exalt it universally, emphasizing how true patriotism exalts the oppressed by aligning national ideals with universal justice.^[23]^[24] This hyperbolic usage amplified emotional resonance, transforming abstract concepts into rallying cries that elevated the cause beyond mere policy to a sublime ethical imperative. In 20th-century fiction, "exalt" appears selectively amid sparse prose styles, creating contrast to underscore moments of profound reverence for nature or human endurance. Ernest Hemingway's minimalist technique, characterized by short sentences and omission of overt sentiment, often juxtaposes restraint with exalted depictions of the natural world to convey its sublime power. In The Old Man and the Sea (1952), the old fisherman's struggle elevates the sea and marlin to near-mythic status, where difficulties "exalt his determination" against elemental forces, highlighting nature's grandeur without verbose embellishment.^[25] This rhetorical contrast reinforces thematic depth, using exaltation sparingly to affirm resilience amid isolation. The cultural impact of "exalt" in literature traces to Renaissance humanism, where it played a key role in elevating themes of human potential and agency. Thinkers and writers like Giovanni Pico della Mirandola employed the term to promote the idea of humanity's capacity for self-transformation, as articulated in his Oration on the Dignity of Man (1486), which exalts free will as the means to ascend toward divine likeness.^[26] This usage permeated literary works, fostering narratives that celebrated intellectual and moral elevation, thereby shifting focus from medieval fatalism to an optimistic affirmation of human achievement.^[27]

Derivations and Noun Forms

The noun exaltation, derived from the Late Latin exaltātiō meaning "elevation" or "raising aloft," denotes the act or state of being raised in rank, honor, or emotion, with its first attested use in English around 1400.^[28]^[29] This form has evolved independently in specialized domains, such as astrological exaltation, where it signifies a planet's position of enhanced dignity and strength within a zodiac sign.^[30] In Mormon theology, exaltation represents the highest form of salvation, equivalent to eternal life in the presence of God and the potential for divine progression.^[20] The adjective exalted, originating as the past participle of the verb exalt, describes something elevated to a superior, noble, or dignified level, as in an "exalted position" or spiritual state; its earliest recorded use dates to 1594.^[31] This form emphasizes heightened status or quality, often in literary or formal contexts. Less common derivations include the rare noun exalter, referring to a person or entity that raises or glorifies another.^[32] The past participle exalted also serves adjectivally to indicate elevated physical, social, or emotional conditions, distinct from its verbal role. An obsolete specialized sense of exaltation in early chemistry described the emission or giving off of vapor from a substance, a usage now entirely disused in modern scientific terminology.^[33]

Synonyms, Antonyms, and Distinctions

Synonyms of "exalt" include "elevate," which emphasizes raising in status or rank, such as promoting someone to a higher position.^[34] Another synonym is "glorify," focusing on praise or idealization, often in a reverential context.^[34] "Acclaim" serves as a synonym highlighting public honor or approval, typically through enthusiastic recognition.^[35] In contrast, "extol" is a synonym that stresses verbal praise or commendation, differing from "exalt" by being more explicitly laudatory in expression.^[36] Antonyms of "exalt" encompass "debase," which denotes lowering in rank or moral standing, directly opposing elevation.^[34] "Humiliate" acts as an antonym by implying degradation through shame or embarrassment, countering any form of glorification.^[34] Similarly, "degrade" serves as an antonym, involving a reduction in dignity or status, as seen in demoting someone from a position of esteem.^[34] A common confusion arises with "exult," which means to rejoice greatly or show triumphant joy, unlike "exalt," which involves raising or praising something externally.^[37] Etymologically, "exult" derives from Latin exsultare, meaning "to leap up," reflecting its connotation of joyful leaping, while "exalt" stems from exaltare, "to raise high," underscoring elevation.^[38]^[39] "Exhort" is another frequently confused term, defined as urging or advising earnestly, in contrast to "exalt," which focuses on honoring or elevating in esteem rather than encouraging action.^[40] For instance, one might exhort someone to persevere, but exalt them for their achievements.^[41]