Question

Select the process that the following word has undergone.

lord, from OE hiaf weard (loaf keeper)

O pejoration: change in meaning to something less favorable
O specialization: meaning narrows to refer to something specific
O generalization: meaning broadens to refer to something general
amelloration: change in meaning to something more favorable

Answer 1

The word "lord" seems to have undergone:

D. amelioration: change in meaning to something more favorable.

Step-by-step explanation:

We can say amelioration is the opposite of pejoration. Amelioration is the change for a better meaning, as if the word acquired an improved status. One example of amelioration is the word "nice", which originally meant "silly". The same goes for the word "lord", which is the one we are analyzing here. Originally, "lord" referred to a loaf keeper, a person who provided food for the others in the tribe. The word eventually began to refer to anyone who was superior in birth and nobility, or someone who had power - money, lands, influence.