meditate
Definitions
To empty or calm the mind through quiet focus, often as a spiritual or relaxation practice.
冥想，打坐。
To think deeply and carefully about something (meditate on/upon).
沉思，深思（meditate on/upon）。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Latin meditārī 'to think over, ponder' — NOT medius 'middle' or medērī 'heal,' but a third relative. Both meditārī and medērī trace to an ancient root *med- 'to measure / weigh in the mind': a doctor measures out a cure, a thinker weighs over an idea. So meditate is 'to turn something over in the mind' — which split into the modern 'sit in calm focus' and the older 'ponder on.'
Root medi still carries 48 more wordsWhy It Means This
Important boundary: meditate belongs to the 'ponder' branch (meditārī), not the 'middle' branch (medius) or the 'heal' branch (medērī). It only shares spelling with them. The English family keeps it here for convenience, but its meaning is 'to weigh over in the mind' — which is also why 'premeditated' (pre- + meditate) means 'thought out in advance,' i.e. planned, as in premeditated murder.
Common Collocations
- 1.meditate on沉思于
- 2.learn to meditate学习冥想
- 3.meditate daily每日冥想
- 4.sit and meditate静坐冥想
Example Sentences
- 1.
She meditates for twenty minutes every morning.
- 2.
He sat by the river and meditated on his future.