different between excruciating vs ordeal

English

Etymology

Present participle of excruciate, from Latin excruci?, from ex- + cruci? (“I torment”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?sk?u??i?e?t??/, /?k?sk?u?si?e?t??/

Adjective

excruciating (comparative more excruciating, superlative most excruciating)

1. Causing great pain or anguish, agonizing
   • 2011, Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live?

     Sagan faced an excruciating dilemma: Should he remain true to his naturalistic philosophy and reject the marrow graft as something acquired by immoral means? Or should he agree to undergo the medical treatment in hope of saving his life

2. Exceedingly intense; extreme

Derived terms

• excruciatingly

Related terms

• cruciate
• excruciate

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ord?lium or its source Old English ord?l, ord?l (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *u?dail? (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *u?dailijan (“to deal out; dispense”), equivalent to or- +? deal.

Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /???di?l/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /???dil/
• Hyphenation: or?deal
• Rhymes: -i?l

Noun

ordeal (plural ordeals)

1. A painful or trying experience.
2. A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused.
3. The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean

Translations

See also

• trial by fire

Anagrams

• Laredo, Loader, Rodela, loader, reload