Words
Content
glaucous
\GLAW-kus\ adjective Meaning
1 a : of a pale yellow-green color *b : of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color 2 : having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off Example Sentence
In the early mornings, the lush river valley is often shrouded in a glaucous mist. Did you know?
"Glaucous" came to English, by way of Latin "glaucus," from Greek "glaukos," meaning "gleaming" or "gray." It has been used for a range of pale colors from a yellow-green to a bluish-gray. The word has often been used to describe the pale color of the leaves of various plants as well as the powdery bloom that can be found on some fruits and leaves. The stem "glauc-" appears in some other English words, the most familiar of which is probably "glaucoma," referring to a disease of the eye that can result in gradual loss of vision. "Glauc-" also appears in the not-so-familiar "glaucope," a word used to describe someone with fair hair and blue eyes (and a companion to "cyanope," the term for someone with fair hair and brown eyes). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deke
\DEEK\ verb Meaning
: to fake (an opponent) oppo nent) out of position (as in ice hockey) Example Sentence
With a qu With quic ick k move move to the the le left ft and then then right right,, th thee fo forw rwar ard d de deke ked d th thee re rema main inin ing g defenseman and was left one-on-one with the goalie.
Did you know?
"Deke" originated as a shortened form of "decoy." Ernest Hemingway used "deke" as a noun referring to hunting decoys in his 1950 novel Across novel Across the River and into the Trees ("I offered to put the dekes out with him"). About a decade later, "deke" began appearing in ice-hockey contexts in Canadian print sources as both a verb and a noun ("the act of faking an opponent out of position"). Today, "deke" has scored in many other sports, including baseball, basketball, and football. It has also checked its way into more general usage to refer to deceptive or evasive moves or actions. However, this general application of "deke" has never made it past the defenders. It occurs too rarely in English to merit its own sense in the dictionary. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------plumply
\PLUMP-lee\ adverb adverb Meaning
: in a wholehearted manner mann er and without hesitation or circumlocution : forthrightly Example Sentence
Having taken offense at the remark, Sir Jeffrey plumply asked the man if his insult was intentional. Did you know?
In the 14th century, the word "plump" was used for a sound like that of something droppi dro pping ng into into water water (as we use "plop" "plop" today) today).. Middle Middle Englis English h speake speakers rs turned turned the "plump" sound into a verb meaning "to drop." The verb spawned a noun meaning "a sudden drop or fall," which in turn generated an adverb "plump" meaning "directly, without qualification." English novelist Fanny Burney (1752–1840) used the adverbial "plump" in one of her letters when she wrote of "coming plump against the question." But she didn’t stop there. The adverb "plump" gave rise to "plumply," and Fanny Burney was one of the first to use the new form, this time in her diary: "The offer was plumply accepted." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------tenderloin
\TEN-der-loyn\ noun noun Meaning
1 : a strip of tender meat consisting of a large internal muscle of the loin on each side of the vertebral column.
*2 : a district of a city largely devoted to vice Example Sentence
"Unlike old Saigon, a raucous wartime tenderloin of bars and nightclubs, Orange County Smithsonian,, August 1992) is quiet — except on Saturday nights…." (Stanley Karnow, Smithsonian Did you know?
A tenderloin, of course, is a juicy and tasty cut of meat. In the late 19th century, however, "Tenderloin" saw use as a nickname for the neighborhood of midtown Manhattan, west of Broadway and below 42nd 42 nd Street. This district, which contained numerous bordellos, gambling houses, and watering holes, alongside theaters and hotels, became a hotbed of corruption — and, it was alleged by some, blackmail by police. The notion n otion of dishonest law enforcers being able to afford a nice meal off activity in this district is believed to have given the Tenderloin Ten derloin its name. Soon the term was applied to similarly seedy districts in other cities. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------utile
\YOO-tul\ \YOO-tul\ adjective adjective Meaning
: useful Example Sentence
Shaker simple, utile, allcrafts at theare same time.meticulously constructed, pleasing to the eye, and eminently
Did you know?
For over a hundred years before "useful" entered our language, "utile" served us well on its own. We borrowed "utile" from Middle French in the 15th century. The French derived it from Latin "utilis," meaning "useful," which in turn comes from "uti," meaning "to use." "Uti" (the past participle of which is "usus") is also the source of our "use" and "useful." We've been using "use" since at least the 13th century, bu butt we didn't acquire "useful" until the late 16th century, when William Shakespeare inserted it into into King King John. John. Needless to say, we've come to prefer "useful" over "utile" since then, though "utile" functions as a very usable synonym. Other handy terms derived from "uti" include "utilize," "usury," "abuse" and "utensil." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------cogent
\KOH-junt\ \KOH-junt\ adjective adjective
Meaning
1 : having power to compel or constrain 2 *a : appealing forcibly to the mind or reason : convincing b : pertinent, relevant
Example Sentence
At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new high school.
Did you know?
"Trained, knowledgeable agents make cogent suggestions . . . that make sense to customers." It makes sense for us to include that comment from the president of a direct marketing consulting company because it provides such a nice opportunity to point out
the etymological relationship between the words "cogent" and "agent." "Agent" derives from the Latin verb "agere," which means "to drive," "to lead," or "to act." Adding the prefix "co-" to "agere" gave Latin "cogere," a word that literally means "to drive together"; that ancient term ultimately gave English "cogent." "cogen t." Something that is cogent figuratively pulls together thoughts and ideas, and the cogency of an argument depends on the driving intellectual force behind it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------popinjay
\PAH-pin-jay\ noun noun
Meaning
: a strutting supercilious person
Example Sentence
Shopping was going fine until, in one of the boutiques, a popinjay of a sales clerk clearly snubbed us. Did you know?
Popinjays and parrots are birds of a feather. "Popinjay," from the Middle French word "papegai," is the original name for a parrot in English. (The French word in turn came from the Arabic word for the bird, "babghā." "Parrot," which English speakers adopted later, probably comes from Middle French "perroquet.") In the days of Middle English, parrots were rare and exotic, and it was quite a compliment to be called a "popinjay" after such a beautiful bird. But by the 1500s, parrots had become more commonplace, and their gaudy plumage and vulgar mimicry helped "popinjay" develop the pejorative sense we use today. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
delate
\dih-LAYT\ verb Meaning
*1 : accuse, denounce 2 : report, relate Example Sentence
"In that year Archbishop Blackadder of Glasgow delated some thirty heretics to James IV who let the matter go with a jest." (J.D. Mackie, A Mackie, A History of Scotland ) Did you know?
To "delate" someone is to "hand down" that person person to a court of law. In Latin, "delatus" "delatus" is the unlikely-looking past participle of "deferre ," ," meaning "to bring down, report, or accuse," which in turn comes from "ferre," meaning "to carry." Not surprisingly, our word "defer," "defer," meaning "to yield yield to the opinion or wishes of another," another," can also be traced back to "deferre." At one time, in fact, "defer" and "delate" had parallel meanings (both could mean "to carry down or away" or "to offer for acceptance"), but those senses are now obsolete. Today, you are most likely to encounter "delate" or its relatives "delation" and "delator" in the context of medieval tribunals, although the words can also relate to modern ecclesiastical tribunals. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------neologism
\nee-AH-luh-jiz-um\ noun noun
Meaning
*1 : a new word, usage, or expression 2 : a meaningless word coined by a psychotic
Example Sentence
The novelist’s latest book is peppered with numerous slang words and neologisms that might not be familiar to some readers. Did you know?
The English language is constantly co nstantly picking up neologisms. Recently, for example, computer technology has added a number of new terms to the language. "Webinar," "malware," "netroots," and "blogosphere" are just a few examples of modern-day neologisms that have been integrated into American English. The word "neologism" was itself a brand-new coinage at the beginning of the 19th century, when English speakers first borrowed it from the French "néologisme." Its roots, however, are quite old. Ultimately, "neologism" comes from Greek "neos" (meaning "new") and an d "logos" (meaning "word"). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pukka
\PUCK-uh\ adjective adjective Meaning
genuine, authentic; also : first-class
Example Sentence
Ellingsworth stood framed in the door of his club, the picture of a pukka gentleman, immaculately groomed, upper lip appropriately stiff, perfectly genteel. Did you know?
"Pukka" tends to evoke the height of 18th- and 19th-century 19 th-century British imperialism in India, and, indeed, it was first used in English at the 1775 trial of Maha Rajah Nundocomar, who was accused of forgery and tried by a British court in Bengal. The word is borrowed
from Hindi and Urdu "pakkā," which means "solid." The English speakers who borrowed it applied the "sound and reliable" sense of "solid" and thus the word came to mean "genuine." As the British Raj waned, "pukka" was occasionally appended to "sahib" (an Anglo-Indian word for a European of some social or official status). That expression is sometimes used as a compliment for an elegant and refined gentleman, but it can also imply that someone is overbearing and pretentious. These days, "pukka" is also used as a British slang word meaning "excellent" or "cool." "coo l." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pabulum
\PAB-yuh-lum\ noun noun Meaning
1 : food; especially : a suspension or solution of nutrients in a state suitable for absorption *2 : intellectual sustenance 3 : something (as writing or speech) that is insipid, simplistic, or blan Example Sentence
The discovery provides pabulum for the scientific community to ruminate on for decades to come. Did you know?
"Pabulum" derives from the Latin term for "food" or "fodder" and was first used in English in the 18th century for anything taken in by plants or animals to maintain life and growth. Within 30 years of its first appearance in English texts, it was also being used to refer to things so intellectually stimulating or nourishing that they could be considered food for thought. But the word took on a whole new flavor in the 1930s when a team of Canadian doctors formulated a highly nutritious (but bland) baby cereal and named their product "Pablum" (based on the Latin word). As a result, the similar-looking "pabulum" did did a ling lingui uist stic ic about about-f -fac acee an and d is no now w ofte often n us used ed fo forr th thin ings gs th that at ar aree bl blan and d an and d unstimulating as well as for things that are intellectually sustaining. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------enhance
\in-HANS\ verb
Meaning
: heighten, increase; especially : to increase or improve in value, quality, desirability, or attractiveness
Example Sentence
The newspaper company hopes ho pes that including more full-color illustrations and adding extra news features will enhance their product and reverse the decline in circulation. Did you know?
When "enhance" was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it literally meant to raise something higher. That sense, though now obsolete, provides a clue about the origins of the word. "Enhance," which was spelled "enhauncen" in Middle English, comes to us from Anglo-French "enhaucer" or "enhauncer" ("to raise"), which can be traced back to the Vulgar Latin verb "inaltiare." "Inaltiare," in turn, was formed by combining the prefix "in-" with Latin "altus," meaning "high." Although "enhance" initially applied only to physically making things higher, it developed an additional and less literal sense of "to exalt especially in rank or spirit," and quickly acquired extended figurative senses for "raising" the value or attractiveness of something or someone. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laodicean
\lay-ah-duh-SEE-un\ adjective adjective Meaning
: lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics Example Sentence
Evan lamented the Laodicean attitude of his fellow citizens, as evidenced by the low voter turnout on Election Day. Did you know?
English speakers owe the word "Laodicean" to Chapter 3, verses 15 and 16 of the Book of Revelation, in which the church of Laodicea is admonished for being "neither cold nor hot, . . . neither one nor the other, but just lukewarm" in its devotion. By 1633, the name of that tepid biblical church had become a general term for any half-hearted or irresolute follower of a religious faith. Since then, the word’s use has broadened to cover flimsy political devotion as well. For example, in comparing U.S. presidents, journalist Samuel Hopkins Hopk ins Adams Adams compar compared ed "the "the fiery fiery and aggress aggressive ive [Theod [Theodore ore]] Roosev Roosevelt elt"" to "the "the timorous Laodicean [Warren] Harding." sockdolager
\sock-DAH-lih-jer\ noun Meaning
1 : something that settles a matter : a decisive blow or answer : finisher *2 : something outstanding or exceptional
Example Sentence
For a while I was completely stumped, but then, all of a sudden, I go gott a sockdolager of an idea. Did you know?
The verb "sock" ("to punch") and the noun "doxology" ("a hymn of praise to God") may seem like an odd pairing, but it is a match that has been promoted by a few word mavens when discussing the origins of the Americanism "sockdolager." Don't be too quick to believe the hype, however. When a word's origin is simply unknown, as is the case with "sockdolager," there's a tendency for folks to fill in the gap with an interesting story, whether or not it can be verified. In the case of "sockdolager," the "sock" part is plausible but unproven, and the "doxology" to "dolager" suggestion is highly questionable. The theory continues to have many fans, but it can't deliver the knockout punch. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
fatuous
\FATCH-oo-us\ adjective adjective Meaning
: complacently or inanely foolish : silly Example Sentence
"Fatuous and condescending" is how one reviewer described two of the best-selling selfhelp books. Did you know?
"I am two fools, I know, / For loving, and for saying so / In whining Poetry," wrote John Donne, simultaneously confessing to both infatuation and fatuousness. As any lovestruck fool can attest, infatuation can make buffoons of the best of us. So it should come as no surprise that the words "fatuous" and "infatuation" derive from the same Latin root, "fatuus," which means "foolish." Both terms have been part of English since the 17th century. "Infatuation" followed the earlier verb "infatuate," a "fatuus" descendant that once meant "to make foolish" but that now usually means "to inspire with a foolish love or adm admira irati tion." on." "Fatuo "Fatuous" us" came came direct directly ly from from "fatuu "fatuus." s." It' It'ss been been used used in Englis English h to describe the foolish and inane since at least 1633. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
quodlibet
\KWAHD-luh-bet\ noun Meaning
1 : a philosophical or theological point proposed for disputation; also : a disputation on such a point *2 : a whimsical combination of familiar melodies or texts Example Sentence
"'The Past & the Future' … is an operatic quodlibet, summarizing themes from previous movements, with some classical surprises." (Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland Plain Dealer , April 8, 2007) Did you know?
"Whatever." Try to get philosophical nowadays and that may be the response you hear. We don't know if someone quibbling over a minor philosophical or theological point 500 years ago might have gotten a similar reaction, but we do know that Latin "quodlibet," meaning "any whatever," was the name given to such academic debates. "Quodlibet" is a form of "quilibet," from "qui," meaning "what," and "libet," meaning "it pleases." We ca can' n'tt say say with with ce cert rtai aint nty y ho how w "q "quo uodl dlib ibet et"" went went fr from om di disp sput utat atio ions ns to musi musica call conglomerations, but English speakers have been using "quodlibet" for light musical mélanges since the early 19th century. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ab ovo
\ab-OH-voh\ \ab-OH-voh\ adverb Meaning
: from the beginning Example Sentence
The documentary presented the history of the city ab ovo, beginning with its inception as a frontier trading post in the 1800s and running through the present. Did you know?
"Ab ovo usque ad mala." That phrase translates as "from the egg to the apples," and it was penned by the Roman poet Horace. He was alluding to the Roman tradition of starting a meal with eggs and finishing it with apples. Horace also applied "ab ovo" in an account of the Trojan War that begins with the mythical egg of Leda from which Helen (whose beauty sparked the war) was born. In both cases, Horace used "ab ovo" in its literal liter al sense, "from the egg," but by the 16th century century Sir Philip Sidney had adapted adapted it to its modern English sense, "from the beginning": "If [the dramatic poets] wil represent an history, they must not (as Horace saith) beginne Ab ouo: but they must come to the principall poynt of that one action."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pink
\PINK\ verb
Meaning 1 a : to perforate in an ornamental pattern *b : to cut a saw-toothed edge on 2 a : pierce, stab b : to wound by irony, criticism, or ridicule
Example Sentence "The sleek curtain requires no sewing; we pinked the edges to add a dd a bit of detail." (Jennie Voorhees, Martha Stewart Living , April 2002) Did you know? Our unabridged dictionary, Webster's Third New International , includes 13 distinct entries for "pink," whereas our abridged volume,Merriam-Webster's Collegiate, satisfies itself with the five most common. (Words get distinct entries in our dictionaries when they have different etymologies or different parts of speech.) Today's "pink," the only verb of the five, is from a Middle English word meaning "to thrust." Of the remaining four, the only "pink" older than the verb (which datesreferred to 1503)to isaagenus 15th century noun to a kind ship. The next-oldest noun adjective has since 1573 of herbs. Thereferring noun referring to of the color pink and its related date to 1678 and 1720, respectively. Evidence suggests that a new verb "pink" — a synonym of the verb "pink-slip" — is also emerging.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------sternutation
\ster-nyuh-TAY-shun\ noun noun Meaning
: the act, fact, or noise n oise of sneezing Example Sentence
Ju Juli liee kn knew ew that that sh shee ha had d pu putt on too too much much pe perf rfum umee when when sh shee en ente tere red d th thee car and immediately heard a chorus of sternutation from the passengers. Did you know?
"Sternutation" comes from Latin and is a descendant of the verb "sternuere," meaning "to sneeze." One of the earliest known English uses occurred in a 16th-century edition of a book on midwifery, in a passage about infants suffering from frequent "sternutation and sneesy sne esynge. nge."" The term has long been been used used in seriou seriouss medica medicall context contexts, s, but also on occasion for humorous effect. In 1850, for example, author Grace Greenwood observed that U.S. senators from opposing political parties would often come together to share sn snuf uff: f: "And "And all all thre threee forg forget et thei theirr sect sectio ional nal di diff ffer eren ence cess in a de deli ligh ghtf tful ul conce concert rt of sternutation. No business is too grave, no speaker too eloquent, to be 'sneezed at.'" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------intestate
\in-TESS-tayt\ adjective Meaning
*1 : having made no valid will 2 : not disposed of by will Example Sentence
Mark and Joan worried about what would happen to their child if they died intestate, so they hired a lawyer to draw up a will soon after the baby was bo born. rn. Did you know?
"Intestate" was borrowed into English in the 14th century from Latin "intestatus," which was itself formed by combining the prefix "in-" ("not") and the adjective "testatus," meaning "having left a valid will." "Testatus," in turn, derives from the past participle of the verb "testari," meaning "to make a will." Approximately a century later, English speakers returned to "testatus" to coin the word "testate," which also means "having left a valid will." Other descendants of "testari" in English include "detest," "protest," and
"testament," as well as "testator" ("a person who dies leaving a will or testament in force"). The antonym of "testator" is the noun "intestate," meaning "one who dies without a will." peregrination
\pair-uh-gruh-NAY-shun\ noun noun Meaning
: an excursion especially on foot or o r to a foreign country : journey Example Sentence
The eccentric millionaire set out on a peregrination around the world, in search of the perfect wine to complement his favorite meal. Did you know?
We begin our narrative of the linguistic travels of "peregrination" with the Latin word "peregrinus," which means "foreign" or "foreigner." That term also gave us the words "pilgrim" and "peregrine," the latter of which once meant "alien" but is now used as an adjec adj ecti tive ve mean meanin ing g "tend "tendin ing g to wande wander" r" an and d a no noun un na nami ming ng a ki kind nd of fa falc lcon. on. (T (The he peregrine falcon is so named because it was traditionally captured during its first flight — or pilg pilgri rima mage ge — from from the the ne nest st.) .) From From "per "peregr egrin inus us"" we tr trav avel el to th thee La Lati tin n ve verb rb "peregrinari" ("to travel in foreign lands") and its past participle "peregrinatus." Our final destination is the adoption into English in the 16th century of both "peregrination" and the verb "peregrinate" ("to travel especially on foot" or "to traverse"). -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------proffer \PRAH-fer\ verb verb Meaning
: to present for acceptance : tender, offer Example Sentence
Several recommendations were proffered by the financial board on how to reduce the city's debt without making drastic cuts in department budgets. bu dgets.
Did you know?
You may notice a striking similarity between "proffer" and "offer." Are the two words connected by etymology? Yes, indeed. "Proffer" comes from Anglo-French "profrer," which itself is an alteration of the earlier "porofrir." That word in turn combines "por-" (which means "forth" and is related to our "pro-") and "offrir" (which means "to offer" and is an ancestor of our word "offer"). "Proffer" entered English in the 14th century. A more literary literary word than plain "offer," it adds or puts stress on the idea of voluntariness, voluntariness, spontaneity, or courtesy on the part of the one doing the tendering. qua
\KWAH\ preposition preposition Meaning
: in the capacity or character of : as Example Sentence
The school gym qua dance floor was where Oscar and Nanette fell in love. Did you know?
Which way? Who? No, we’re not paraphrasing lines from the old Abbott and Costello routine "Who’s on First?"; we’re referring to the etymology of "qua," a term that comes to us from Latin. It can be translated as "which way" or "as," and it is a derivative of the La Lati tin n "qui "qui," ," meani meaning ng "who "who." ." "Qua "Qua"" ha hass be been en se serv rvin ing g Engl Englis ish h in th thee ca capac pacit ity y of a preposition since the 17th century. It’s a learned but handy little word that led one 20thcentury usage writer to comment: "Qua is sometimes thought affected or pretentious, but it does convey meaning economically." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------animadversion \an-uh-mad-VER-zhun\ noun noun Meaning
*1 : a critical and usually censorious remark — often used with "on" 2 : adverse criticism
Example Sentence
The film critic seems to have offered animadversions on nearly every movie made this year. Did you know?
"Animadversion" "Animadvers ion" comes ultimatel ultimately y from the Latin phrase "animum "animum advertere," advertere,"meaning meaning "to turn the mind to." It is easy to see how we also get "adverse" and "adversary" from "advertere," especially when we remember that "to turn to" easily becomes "to turn against." Other English words descended from "advertere" include "advert," meaning "to turn the attention (to)" or "to make reference (to)," and "advertise." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------spear-carrier
\SPEER-kair-ee-er\ noun
Meaning
1 a : a member of an opera chorus b : a bit actor in a play *2 : a person whose actions are of little significance or value in an event or organization
Example Sentence
Although the former aide was only a spear-carrier in the then-President's administration, his recently published memoir, which points an accusatory accu satory finger at several key players, is causing quite a stir. Did you know?
"Spear-carrier" began to be used for a person having a non-speaking or supernumerary role in opera or theater in the 1950s. The name likely came from the nondescript, often spear-carrying soldiers who appear in the background or as walk-ons in plays about ancient Rome or Greece. Off-stage, "spear-carrier" refers to a person having a minimal role in the undertaking of some major event or in the wo workings rkings of some major organization. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------stanch
\STAUNCH\ \STAUNCH\ verb
Meaning
1 : to check or stop the flowing of; also : to stop the flow of blood from (a wound) 2 *a : to stop or check in its courseb : to make watertight : stop up
Example Sentence
The company's CEO gave keynote address he was not recovering wellthe from his surgery. at the convention, stanching rumors that Did you know?
The verb "stanch" has a lot in common with the adjective "staunch," meaning "steadfast." Not only do both words derive from the Anglo-French word "estancher" (which has the same meaning as "stanch"), but the spelling "s-t-a-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the adjective, and the spelling "s-t-a-u-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the verb. Although both spelling variants have been in reputable use for centuries and both are perfectly standard for either the verb or adjective, "stanch" is the form used most often for the verb and "staunch" is the most common variant for the adjective.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------spindrift
\SPIN-drift\ \SPIN-drift\ noun noun
Meaning
1 : sea spray; especially : spray blown from waves during a gale *2 : fine wind-borne snow or sand
Example Sentence
"The winds around the mountain were fierce and a long white plume of spindrift trailed from the summit." (Michael Palin, [London]Sunday [London]Sunday Times, Times, September 26, 2004) Did you know?
"Spindrift" first set sail in the mid-18th century under Scottish command. During its first voyage, it was known by the Scottish moniker "speendrift." "Speen" meant "to drive before a strong wind," so a "speendrift" was a drift of spray during such action. In 1823, English speakers recruited the word, but signed it up as "spindrift." At that time, its sole duty was to describe the driving sprays at sea. However, English speakers soon realized that "spindrift" had potential to serve on land as well, and the wo word rd was sent ashore to describe driving snow and sand. Today, "spindrift" still serves us commendably at sea and on land. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------avuncular
\uh-VUNK-yuh-ler\ adjective adjective
Meaning
1 : of or relating to an uncle *2 : suggestive of an uncle u ncle especially in kindliness or geniality
Example Sentence
The avuncular orthodontist joked with his young patient, attempting to set her mind at ease about getting fitted for braces. Did you know?
Not all uncles are likeable fellows (Hamlet's murderous Uncle Claudius, for example, isn't exactly Mr. Nice Guy in Shakespeare's tragedy), but "avuncular" "avu ncular" reveals that, as a group, uncles are generally seen as affable and benevolent, if at times a bit patronizing. "Avuncular" derives from the Latin noun "avunculus," which translates as "maternal uncle," but since at least the 1830s English speakers have used "avuncular" to refer to uncles from either side of the family or even to individuals who are simply uncle-like in character or behavior. And in case you were wondering, "avunculus" is also an ancestor of the word "uncle" itself. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------terreplein
\TAIR-uh-playn\ \TAIR-uh-playn\ noun noun
Meaning
: the level space behind a parapet of a rampart where guns are mounted
Example Sentence
Children love to climb on the defunct canons that sit at each of the old fort's terrepleins, creating a perfect photo op for parents. Did you know?
Like "parapet" and "rampart," "terreplein" dates back to the 16th century. "Rampart" is the oldest of this trio; earliest evidence of the word in English is from 1536. From the Middle French word "ramparer," meaning "to fortify," it refers specifically to the broad embankment that forms the main part of a fort. The word for the protective wall on top of the rampart, "parapet," dates to 1590 1 590 and comes from Italian "parare" ("to shield") and "petto" ("chest"). The earliest evidence for today's word, "terreplein," is from only a year later. It comes (by way of Middle French) from Old Italian "terrapieno," which traces to Medieval Latin "terra plenus," meaning "filled with earth." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------contemn
\kun-TEM\ verb
Meaning
: to view or treat with contempt : scorn
Example Sentence
Jacob believes that any rational scientist must contemn theories of magic and the supernatural. Did you know?
"Contemn" is derived from the Latin verb v erb "contemnere," a word formed by combining "con-" and "temnere" ("to despise"). Surprisingly, our verb may have come within a hair's breadth of being spelled "contempn." The Middle French word "contempner" arrived in Middle English as "contempnen," but that extra "p" disappeared, leaving us with "contemn." You may be wondering about the connection between "contemn" and "contempt," and not surprisingly, they are related. "Contempt" comes from Latin "contemptus," which comes from "contemnere." "Contemn" first turned up in print in the 15th century; "contempt" dates from the 14th century. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------inordinate
\in-OR-dun-ut\ adjective adjective
Meaning
: exceeding reasonable limits : immoderate
Example Sentence
Mary complained that she had to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning up after her two sloppy roommates. Did you know?
At one time if something was "inordinate," it did not conform to the expected or desired order of things. That sense, synonymous with "disorderly" or "unregulated," is now archaic, but it offers a hint at the origins of "inordinate." The word traces back to the Latin verb "ordinare," meaning "to arrange," combined with the negative prefix "in-." "Ordinare" is also the ancestor of such English words as "coordination," "subordinate," "ordination," and "ordain." "Ordinare" did d id not give us "order," "orderly," or ""disorderly," disorderly," but the root of those words is the same Latin noun ("ordo") from which "ordinare" itself derives.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------canicular
\kuh-NIK-yuh-ler\ adjective adjective
Meaning
: of or relating to the dog days (the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere)
Example Sentence
During the canicular heat of August, many of the town's residents venture to the local swimming hole in search of a way to stay cool. Did you know?
The Latin word "canicula," meaning "small dog," is the diminutive form of "ca "canis," nis," source of the English word "canine." "Canicula" is also the Latin name for Sirius, the star that represents the hound of Orion in the constellation named for that hunter from Roman and Greek mythology. Because the first visible rising of Sirius occurs during the summer, the hot sultry days that occur from early July to early September came to be associated with the Dog Star. The Greeks called this time of year "hemerai kynades," which the Romans translated into Latin as "dies caniculares," or as we know them in Eng English, lish, "the dog days." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------trichologist
\trih-KAH-luh-jist\ \trih-KAH-luh-jist\ noun noun
Meaning
: a person who specializes in hair and scalp care; broadly : a person whose occupation is the dressing or cutting of hair
Example Sentence
"You don't need to pay a trichologist or rely on hair-loss cure advertisements in magazines: your GP can conduct a series of blood tests to locate the problem." (David Fentonis, The Times [London], July 4, 2009) Did you know?
Although you can accurately call the person who cuts your hair your "trichologist" if you want to, the term is usually applied as it is in our example sentence: to someone who studies and treats hair and scalp ailments. The "trich" in "trichologist" is the Greek "trich-," stem of "thrix," meaning "hair." This root makes an appearance in a number of other similarly technical-sounding words, such as "trichiasis" ("a turning inward of the eyelashes often causing irritation of the eyeball"), "trichome" ("an epidermal ep idermal hair structure on a plant"), and "trichotillomania" ("an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair"). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------abstemious
\ab-STEE-mee-us\ adjective adjective
Meaning
: marked by restraint especially in the consumption of food or alcohol; also : reflecting such restraint
Example Sentence
Anthony's midlife heart attack opened his eyes to the importance of taking care of his body and turned him to a more abstemious and healthful lifestyle. Did you know?
"Abstemious" and "abstain" look alike, and both have meanings involving self-restraint or self-denial. So they must both come from the same root, right? Yes and no. Both get their start from the Latin prefix "abs-," meaning "from" or "away," but "abstain" traces to "abs-" plus the Latin verb "tenēre" (meaning "to hold"), while "abstemious" gets its "temious" from a suffix akin to the Latin noun "temetum," meaning "intoxicating drink." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------chorography
\kuh-RAH-gruh-fee\ noun noun
Meaning
*1 : the art of describing d escribing or mapping a region or district 2 : a description or map of a region; also : the physical conformation and features of such a region
Example Sentence
This highly detailed and embellished perspective drawing of the city and the surrounding lands is a fine example of 16th-century chorography.
Did you know?
The word "chorography" was borrowed in the 16th century from Latin "chorographia," which in turn comes from Greek "chōrographia," a combination of "chōros" ("place") and "graphia" ("writing"). Chorography was distinguished from geography in that the former was concerned with smaller regions and specific locations whereas the latter was concerned with larger regions or with the world in general. The maps and the art of mapping that once were the field of chorography have since passed into the spheres of geography and topography. As with the art it names, the word "chorography" is now primarily encountered in historical discussions of geography and cartography. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------El Dorado
\el-duh-RAH-doh\ noun noun
Meaning
1 : a city or country of fabulous riches held by 16th century explorers to exist in South America 2 : a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity
Example Sentence
"To outsiders, California’s Silicon Valley looks like a contemporary El Dorado." (TimeMagazine TimeMagazine,, Sept. 3, 1984) Did you know?
In the early 1500s, Spanish conquistadores heard tales of an Amazonian king who regularly coated his body with gold dust, then plunged into a nearby lake to wash it off while being showered with gold and jewels thrown by his subjects. The Spaniards called the city ruled by this flamboyant monarch "El Dorado," Spanish for “gilded one,” and the
story of the gold-covered king eventually grew into a legend of a whole country paved with gold. These days, “El Dorado” can also used generically for any place of va vast st riches, abundance, or opportunity. It is also the name of actual cities in Arkansas an and d Kansas. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ingratiate
\in-GRAY-shee-ayt\ verb verb
Meaning
: to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort — usually used with "with"
Example Sentence
Even though the candidate is doing everything he can to ingratiate himself with voters, he still finds himself trailing in the polls. Did you know?
Seventeeth-century English speakers combined the Latin noun "gratia," meaning "grace" or "favor," with the English prefix "in-" to create the verb "ingratiate." When you ingratiate yourself, you are putting yourself in someone's good graces to gain their approval or favor. English words related to "ingratiate" include "gratis" and "gratuity." Both of these reflect something done or given as a favor through the good graces of the giver. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------florilegium
\flor-uh-LEE-jee-um\ noun noun
Meaning
: a volume of writings : anthology
Example Sentence
This florilegium of British poetry up to 1760 includes the classics that we have all come to love along with a few relatively unknown gems that are sure to delight and inspire. Did you know?
Editors who compile florilegia (to use the plural form of today's word) wo rd) can be thought of as gathering a bouquet of sweet literary blossoms. English speakers picked up "florilegium" from a New Latin word that derives from Latin "florilegus," which can be translated as "culling flowers." In fact, "florilegium" initially applied to a collection of o f flowers, and later to books about flowers, but it wasn't long before the word began to be used for (as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it) "a collection co llection of the flowers of literature." And "florilegium" isn't the only English collecting term with a floral heritage; its synonym "anthology" comes from the Greek word for "flower gathering." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------dernier cri
\dairn-yay-KREE\ noun noun
Meaning
: the newest fashion
Example Sentence
When came shopping forpick a new wardrobe for school, Jacqueline dernieritcri andto would instead clothes that suited her own tastes. tended to ignore the Did you know?
Paris has long been the last word in fashion, but hot designer clothes from the city's renowned runways aren’t the only stylish French exports. Words, too, sometimes come with a French label. "Dernier cri," literally "last cry," is one such chic French borrowing. The word is no trendy fad, however. More than a century has passed since "dernier cri" was the latest thing on the English language scene (and cut-steel jewelry was declared the dernier cri by the Westminster Gazette of December 10, 1896), but the term (unlike cutsteel) remains as modish as ever. Other fashionable French words have walked the runways of the English language since then: "blouson" (1904); "couture" (1908); "culotte" (1911); "lame" (a clothing fabric, 1922); and "bikini" (1947), to name a few. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------expatiate
\ek-SPAY-shee-ayt\ verb
Meaning
1 : to move about a bout freely or at will : wander *2 : to speak or write at length or in detail
Example Sentence
The middle schoolers grew restless as Mr. Donald expatiated on Pluto's classification as a dwarf planet. Did you know?
The Latin antecedent of "expatiate" is "exspatiari," which combines the prefix "ex-" ("out of") with "spatiari" ("to take a walk"), itself from "spatium" ("space" or o r "course"). "Exspatiari" means "to wander from a course" cou rse" and, in the figurative sense, "to digress." But when English speakers began using "expatiate" in 1538, we took "wander" as simply "to move about freely." In a similar digression from the original Latin, we began using "expatiate" in a figurative sense of "to speak at length." That's the sense of the word most often used these days, usually in combination with "on" or "upon." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------cantankerous
\kan-TANK-uh-rus\ adjective adjective
Meaning
: difficult or irritating to deal with
Example Sentence
The workers were glad when their cantankerous old boss finally retired, and they have not missed his browbeating criticisms and endless complaints. Did you know?
It's irritating, but we're not absolutely sure where "cantankerous" comes from. Etymologists think it probably derived from the Middle English word "contack" (or "contek"), which meant "contention" "con tention" or "strife." Their idea is that "cantankerous" may have started out as "contackerous" but was later modified as a result of association o or r confusion with "rancorous" (meaning "spiteful") and "cankerous" (which describes something that spreads corruption of the mind or o r spirit). Considering that a cantankerous person generally has the spite associated with "contack" and "rancor," and the noxious and sometimes painful effects of a "canker," that theory seems plausible. What we can say with conviction is that "cantankerous" has been used in English since at least the late 1700s. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------sparge
\SPAHRJ\ verb verb
Meaning
1 : sprinkle, bespatter; especially : spray *2 : to agitate (a liquid) by b y means of compressed air or gas entering through a pipe
Example Sentence
Part of the disinfecting process at the new water treatment plant may involve sparging the water with ozone bubbles. Did you know?
Etymologists think that "sparge" likely came to English by way of the Middle French word "espargier," itself from Latin "spargere," meaning "to scatter." ("Spargere" is also the source of "disperse," "intersperse," and "sparse," among a mong others.) Although "sparge" has been a synonym for "sprinkle" since the late 16th century, you're now most likely to come across this word in one of two contexts. The first is a process called "air sparging,"
in which air is injected into groundwater to help remediate contamination. The second is the process of beer making, during which mash is sparged — that is, sprayed with hot water to extract the wort. In The New World Guide to Beer , author Michael Jackson describes the process by which one particular beer is made, saying that "it is brewed only from first running, without sparging...." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------smithereens
\smih-thuh-REENZ\ noun noun
Meaning
: fragments, bits
Example Sentence
Had the ceramic vase fallen off the mantel, it would have smashed into smithereens. Did you know?
Despite its American sound and its common use u se by the fiery animated cartoon character Yosemite Sam, "smithereens" did not originate in American slang. Although no one is entirely positive about its precise origins, scholars think that "smithereens" likely developed from the Irish word "smidiríní," which means "little " little bits." That Irish word is the diminutive of "smiodar," meaning "fragment." Written record of the use of "smithereen" dates back to 1829. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------demean
\dih-MEEN\ verb verb
Meaning
: to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner
Example Sentence
Sylvia was proud of the polite way her young children demeaned themselves in front of the dinner guests. Did you know?
There are two words spelled "demean" in English. The more familiar "demean" — "to lower in character, status, or reputation" — comes straight from "mean," the adjective that means "spiteful." Today's featured word, on the other hand, comes from the AngloFrench verb "demener" ("to conduct"), condu ct"), which in turn comes from Latin "minare," meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun "demeanor," meaning "behavior," comes from this "demean." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------philoprogenitive
\fill-uh-proh-JEN-uh-tiv\ adjective adjective
Meaning
*1 : tending to produce produc e offspring : prolific 2 : of, relating to, or characterized cha racterized by love of offspring
Example Sentence
"As the multitudes born in the philoprogenitive years following World War II leave the labor force after 2010, the retired population will mushroom." (A.F. Ehrbar, Ehrbar, Fortune Fortune,, August 1980) Did you know?
"Philoprogenitive" (a combination of "phil-," meaning "loving" or "having an affinity for," and Latin "progenitus," meaning "begot" or "begotten") can refer to the production of offspring or to the loving of them. Nineteenth-century phrenologists used the word to designate the "bump" or "organ" of the brain believed to be the seat of a parent's instinctual love for his or her children. Despite the word's scientific look and sound, however, it appears, albeit not very ve ry frequently, in all types of writing — technical, literary, informal, and otherwise. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------tantivy
\tan-TIV-ee\ adverb adverb
Meaning
: in a headlong dash : at a gallop
Example Sentence
Once the school bell sounded sound ed signaling dismissal, the children rose from their desks and headed tantivy for the exits. Did you know?
"Tantivy" is also a noun meaning "a rapid gallop" or "an impetuous rush." Although its precise origin isn't known, one theory has it that "tantivy" represents the sound of a galloping horse's hooves. The noun does double duty as a word meaning "the blare of a trumpet or horn." The second use probably evolved from confusion with "tantara," a word for the sound of a trumpet that came about as an imitation of that sound. Both "tantivy" and "tantara" were used during foxhunts; in the heat of the chase people may have jumbled the two. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------daymare
\DAY-mair\ noun noun
Meaning
: a nightmarish fantasy experienced while awake
Example Sentence
Through therapy, the patient has begun be gun to experience some relief from the daymares she's been having since the traumatic event. Did you know?
Long ago, the word "nightmare" designated an evil spirit that made its victims feel like they were suffocating in their sleep (prompting physician-botanist William Turner to introduce "a good remedy agaynst the stranglyng of the nyght mare" in 1562). By the early theanalogous Age of Reason arrived, nightmares bada word dreams, "daymare" was a1700s, logically choicehad when English speakerswere sought forand a frightening
and uncontrollable fantasy, a run-away daydream. And since the 1800s, when Charles Dickens wrote "a monstrous load that I was w as obliged to bear, a d daymare aymare that there was no possibility of breaking in, a weight that brooded on my wits" in David in David Copperfield , we’ve been using "daymare" figuratively. For example, today we might refer to "a logistical daymare." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------levigate
\LEV-uh-gayt\ verb verb
Meaning
1 : polish, smooth 2 *a : to grind to a fine smooth powder while in moist conditionb : to separate (fine powder) from coarser material by suspending in a liquid
Example Sentence
The formula in the old pharmacopoeia p harmacopoeia first instructs the reader to levigate zinc oxide and calcium carbonate with linseed oil. Did you know?
"Levigate" comes from Latin "levigatus," the past participle of the verb "levigare" ("to make smooth"). "Levigare" is derived in part from "levis," the Latin word for "smooth." "Alleviate" and "levity" can also be traced back to a Latin "levis," and the "levi-" root in both words might suggest a close relationship with "levigate." This is not the case, however. The Latin "levis" that gives us "alleviate" and "levity" does not mean "smooth," but "light" (in the sense of having little weight). One possible relative of "levigate" in English is "oblivion," which comes from the Latin "oblivisci" ("to forget"), a word which may be a combination of "ob-" ("in the way") and the "levis" that means "smooth."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------gallimaufry
\gal-uh-MAW-free\ noun
Meaning
: hodgepodge
Example Sentence
I was ready to leave the flea market, when, on one table, among a gallimaufry of undistinguished objects, I caught sight of an exquisite silver spoon engraved with my initials. Did you know?
If the word "gallimaufry" doesn't make your mouth water, it may be because you don't know its history. In the 16th century, Middle-French speaking cooks made a meat stew called "galimafree." It must have been a varied dish, because English speakers chose its name for any mix or jumble of things. If "gallimaufry" isn't to your taste, season your speech with one of its synonyms: "hash" (which can be a muddle or chopped meat and potatoes), "hotchpotch" (a stew or a hodgepodge), or "potpourri" (another stew turned medley). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vitiate
\VISH-ee-ayt\
verb
Meaning
1 : to make faulty or defective d efective : impair 2 : to debase in moral or aesthetic status *3 : to make ineffective
Example Sentence
Some feared that the superintendent’s decision to reinstate the students would vitiate the authority of the principal who suspended them in the first place. Did you know?
Here's one for word puzzle lovers — and anyone else allured by alliteration. The sentence "Vivian vituperated the vicious villain for valuing vice over virtue" contains three words that derive from the same Latin source as "vitiate." Can you identify all three? If you picked "vituperate" (a verb meaning "to scold"), "vicious," and "vice," your puzzle prowess is beyond reproach. Like "vitiate," all three descend from the Latin noun "vitium," meaning "fault" or "vice." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------baroque
\buh-ROHK\ adjective, often capitalized
Meaning
1 : of or relating to a style of art and music marked by complex forms and bold ornamentation *2 : characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance 3 : irregularly shaped
Example Sentence
She’s an immensely talented writer, but her baroque prose style is too grandiose for my taste. Did you know?
"Baroque" came to English from a French word meaning "irregularly shaped." At first, the word in French was used mostly to refer to pearls. Eventually, it came to describe an extravagant style of art characterized by curving lines, gilt, and gold. This type of art, which was prevalent especially in the 17th 1 7th century, was sometimes considered to be excessively decorated and overly complicated. It makes sense, therefore, that the meaning of the word "baroque" has broadened to include anything that seems excessively ornate or elaborate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------polemic
\puh-LEM-ik\ \puh-LEM-ik\ noun noun
Meaning
1 *a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of anotherb : the art or practice of disputation 2 : disputant
Example Sentence
"He isn't striving for objectivity; this book is part history, part polemic." (Carmela Christian Science Monitor, June 16, 2009) Ciuraru,Christian Ciuraru, Did you know?
When "polemic" was borrowed into English from French "polémique" in the mid-17th century, it referred (as it still can) to a type of hostile attack on someone's ideas. The word traces back to Greek "polemikos," which means "warlike" or "hostile" and in turn comes from the Greek noun "polemos," meaning "war." Other, considerably less common descendants of "polemos" in English include "polemarch" ("a chieftain or military commander in ancient Greece"), "polemoscope" (a kind of binoculars with an oblique mirror), and "polemology" ("the study of war"). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------tribulation
\trib-yuh-LAY-shun\ noun noun
Meaning
: distress or suffering resulting from oppression o ppression or persecution; also also : a trying experience
Example Sentence
Over the past year, Sara and Brian have experienced all the trials and tribulations that come with owning one’s first home. Did you know?
The writer and Christian scholar Thomas More, in his 1534 work "A dialoge of comforte against tribulation," defined the title word as "euery such thing as troubleth and greueth [grieveth] a man either in bodye or mynde."These days, however, the word ""tribulation" tribulation" is typically used as a plural count noun, noun , paired with its alliterative partner "trial," and relates less to oppression and more to any kind of uphill struggle. "Tribulation" derives via Middle English and Old French from the Latin verb "tribulare" (to oppress or afflict), related to "tribulum," a noun meaning "threshing board." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- jackleg
\JACK-leg\ \JACK-leg\ adjective adjective
Meaning
1 a : characterized by unscrupulousness, dishonesty, or lack of professional standards *b : lacking skill or training : amateur 2 : designed as a temporary expedient : makeshift
Example Sentence
"Ted Dawson was a pretty good jackleg carpenter." (Stephen King, It King, It ) Did you know?
Don't call someone "jackleg" unless you're prepared for that person to get angry with you. Throughout its more than 150-year-old history in English, "jackleg" has most often been used as a term of contempt and deprecation, particularly in reference to lawyers and preachers. Its form echoes that of the similar "blackleg," an older term for a cheating gambler or a worker opposed to union policies. Etymologists know that "blackleg" appeared over a hundred years before "jackleg," but they don't have any verifiable theories about the origin of either term.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------con amore
\kahn-uh-MOR-ee\ adverb adverb
Meaning
*1 : with love, devotion, or zest 2 : in a tender manner — used as a direction in music
Example Sentence
I'm not usually one to cry at weddings, but I found myself dabbing my eyes with a tissue as bride and groom recited their vows, con amore. Did you know?
"No matter what the object is, whether wh ether business, pleasures, or the fine arts; whoever pursues them to any purpose must do so con amore." Wise words — and the 18th-century Englishman who wrote them under the pseudonym Sir Thomas Fitzosborne may have been drawing on his own o wn experience. At the time those words were written (around 1740), the author, whose real name was William Melmoth, had recently abandoned the practice of law to pursue his interest in writing and classical scholarship, which were apparently his true loves. In any case, by making use of "con amore," a term borrowed from Italian, Melmoth gave us the first known use of the word in English prose. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------mohair
\MOH-hair\ \MOH-hair\ noun noun
Meaning
: a fabric or yarn made wholly or in part of the long silky hair of the Angora goat; also : this hair
Example Sentence
This year's product line includes coats and sweaters made from mohair produced in Texas. Did you know?
"Mohair" entered the English language in the 16th century, spelled variously as "mocayare," "mockaire," "mokayre," and "moochary." It was borrowed from Italian "mocaiarro," a word which itself was borrowed from Arabic "mukhayyar." The adjective "mukhayyar" meant "select" or "choice." How this Arabic adjective came to be the English noun "mohair" is a bit of a mystery. It is possible that "mukhayyar" was used as a colloquial noun in the sense of "wool of prime quality" (that is, "choice wool"). In English, the shift from "mocayare" and similar spellings to "mohair" was likely influenced by the more familiar English word "hair." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------quaff
\KWAHF\ verb verb
Meaning
: to drink deeply
Example Sentence
"'Respite from/thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, (Edgar oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forgetand thisnepenthe lost Lenore!' Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'" Allan Poe, nep Theenthe Raven)) Raven Did you know?
Nowadays, "quaff" has an old-fashioned, literary sound to it. For more contemporary words that suggest drinking a lot of something, especially in big gulps and in large quantity, you might try "drain," "pound," or "slug." If you are a daintier drinker, you might say that you prefer to "sip," "imbibe" or "partake in" the beverage of your choice. "Quaff" is by no means the oldest o ldest of these terms — earliest evidence of it in use is from the early 1500s, whereas "sip" dates to the 14th century — but it is the only one with the mysterious "origin unknown" etymology. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------verbatim
\ver-BAY-tim\ \ver-BAY-tim\ adverb adverb
Meaning
: in the exact words : word for word
Example Sentence
Irene used a tape recorder during her interviews so that she could quote her subjects verbatim.
Did you know?
Latin has a phrase for "exactly as written": "verbatim ac litteratim," which literally means "word for word and letter for letter." Like the "verbatim" in that Latin phrase, the English "verbatim" means "word for word." As you may have noticed, there's a "verb" in "verbatim" — and that's no mere coincidence. Both "verb" and "verbatim" are derived from the word for"adverb," "word," which is "verbum." Other common wordsitself that is share thisLatin root include "proverb," and "verbose." Even the English word "word" related. "Verbatim" can also be an adjective meaning "being in or following the exact words" (as in "a verbatim report") and a rarer noun referring to an account, translation, or report that follows the original word for word. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------hyperbole
\hye-PER-buh-lee\ noun noun
Meaning
: extravagant exaggeration
Example Sentence
The food in the restaurant was quite good, but it couldn't live up to the hyperbole that had been used to describe it in the advertisement. Did you know?
In the 5th century B.C. there was a rabble-rousing Athenian, a politician named Hyperbolus, who often made exaggerated promises and claims that whipped people into a frenzy. But even though it sounds appropriate, Hyperbolus' name did not play a role in the development of the modern English word "hyperbole." That noun does come to us from Greek way Latin), but Athenian from the Greek verb "hyperballein , "hyperballein ,"" meaning "to exceed," not(by from theofname of the demagogue.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------lanuginous
\luh-NOO-juh-nus\ adjective adjective Meanin g : covered with down or fine soft hair : downy Example Sentence
"The Leaves of the young Branches are like those of the Quince, green without, and white and lanuginous underneath, and serve for Food for the Elephants." (Monfieur Druggs, 1709) Pomet, "Figs," History "Figs," History of Druggs, Did you know?
You're likely to come across "lanuginous" in only a few contexts, botany and spelling bees being the best candidates. In other contexts, the more common term is "downy." "Lanuginous" has an unsurprising un surprising pedigree. It's from the Latin word "lanuginosus," which is in turn from "lanugo," the Latin word for "down." ("Lanugo" is also an English word used especially to refer to the soft woolly woo lly hair that covers the fetus of some mammals.) "Lanugo" itself is from "lana," meaning "wool," a root also at work in "lanolin," the term for wool grease that's refined for use in ointments and cosmetics. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------skosh
\SKOHSH\ noun noun
Meaning
: a small amount : bit, smidgen
Example Sentence
The barista sprinkled a skosh of fresh ginger onto the milky surface of the latte. Did you know?
The word "skosh" comes from the Japanese word "sukoshi," which is pronounced "skoh shee" and means "a tiny bit" or "a small amount." The Japanese word was shortened by U.S. servicemen stationed in Japan after World War II. Later, in the Korean War, a small soldier was often nicknamed "Skosh." In civilian-speak, "skosh" can be used as a noun (as in our example sentence) or adverbially (as in "I'm a skosh tired"). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pachydermatous
\pack-ih-DER-muh-tuss\ adjective adjective
Meaning
1 : of or relating to the pachyderms 2 *a : thick, thickenedb : callous, insensitive
Example Sentence
With 18 eventful years in office behind him, h im, the senator has developed a pachydermatous layer of self-protection that the latest media attacks cannot penetrate. Did you know?
Elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses — it was a French zoologist named Georges Cuvier who in the late 1700s first called these and other thick-skinned, hoofed mammals "Pachydermata." The word, from Greek roots, means "thick-skinned" in New Latin (the Latin used in scientific description and classification). In the 19th century, we began calling such animals "pachyderms," and we also began using the adjective "pachydermatous" to refer, both literally and figuratively, to the characteristics and qualities of pachyderms — especially their thick skin. American poet James Russell Lowell first employed "pachydermatous" with the figurative "thick-skinned" sense in the mid-1800s: "A man cannot have a sensuous nature and be pachydermatous at the same time." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------nyctalopia
\nik-tuh-LOH-pee-uh\ noun noun Meaning
:reduced visual capacity in faint light (as at night) : night blindness Example Sentence
Bernard suffers from progressive nyctalopia; as a result, he can no longer drive at night. Did you know?
"Nyctalopia" comes to us from the Latin word "nyctalops," which means "suffering from night blindness." It is ultimately derived from the Greek word "nyktalops," " nyktalops," which was formed by combining the word for "night" ("nyx") with the words for "blind" and "eye" ("alaos" and "ōps," respectively). English speakers have been using "nyctalopia" to refer to reduced vision in faint light or at night since the 17th cen century. tury. We added the somewhat more pedestrian "night blindness" to the lexicon in the 18th century. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------adust
\uh-DUST\ adjective
Meaning
: scorched, burned Example Sentence
The adust landscape of volcanic rock and sand can be particularly beautiful at sunset. Did you know?
"Adust" comes from Latin "adustus," the past participle of "adurere"("to "ad urere"("to set fire to"), a verb formed from the Latin prefix "ad-"and the verb "urere" ("to burn"). It entered the English language in the early 15th century as a medical term related to the four bodily humors — black bile, blood, phlegm, and yellow bile — which were believed at the time to determine a person's health and temperament. "Adust" was used to describe a condition of the humors in which they supposedly became heated or combusted. Adust black bile in particular was believed to be a source of melancholy. The association with melancholy gave rise to an adjectival sense of "adust" meaning "of a gloomy appearance or disposition," but that sense is now considered archaic.
bardolater
\bar-DAH-luh-ter\ noun noun
Meaning
: a person who idolizes Shakespeare
Example Sentence
"[Abraham] Lincoln was a lifelong Bardolater and serial Shakespeare-quoter, as Mr. [Barack] Obama noted in remarks at the recent reopening of Ford's Theater." (Barry Edelstein, The New York Times, Times, April 26, 2009) Did you know?
George Bernard Shaw once described a Shakespeare play as "stagy trash." Another time, Shaw said he'd like to dig Shakespeare from the grave and throw stones at him. Shaw could be equally scathing toward Shakespeare's adoring fans. He called them "foolish Bardolaters," wrote of "Bardolatrous" ignoramuses, and called blind Shakespeare worship "Bardolatry." Oddly enough, Shaw didn't despise Shakespeare or his work (on the contrary, he was, by his own admission, an admirer), but he disdained those who placed the man beyond reproach. The word "bardolater," which Shaw coined by blending Shakespeare's epithet — "the Bard" — with an affix that calls to mind "idolater," has stuck with us to this day, though it has lost some of its original critical sting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------reiterate
\ree-IT-uh-rayt\ verb verb Meaning
: to state or do over again or repeatedly sometimes with wearying effect Example Sentence
Megan rolled her eyes as her mother reiterated the rules for the umpteenth time. Did you know?
Can you guess the meaning of "iterate," a less common relative of "reiterate"? It must mean simply "to state or do," right? Nope. Actually, "iterate" also means "to state or do again." It's no surprise, then, that some usage commentators have insisted that "reiterate" must always mean "to say or do again AND AGAIN." No such nice distinction exists in actual usage, however. Both "reiterate" and "iterate" can convey the idea of a single repetition or of many repetitions. "Reiterate" is the older of the two words -- it first appeared in the 15th century, whereas "iterate" turned up around 1533. Both stem from the Latin verb "iterare," which is itself from "iterum" ("again"), but "reiterate" took an extra step, through Latin "reiterare"("to repeat"). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------omnibus
\AHM-nih-bus\
adjective adjective Meaning
*1 : of, relating to, or providing p roviding for many things at once 2 : containing or including many items Example Sentence
At the beginning of the school year, teachers held an omnibus meeting to tie up many of the loose ends that were left unaddressed u naddressed over the summer. Did you know?
The adjective "omnibus" may not have much to do with public transportation, but the noun "omnibus" certainly does — it not only means "bus,"but it's also the word English speakers shortened to form "bus." The noun "omnibus" originated in the 1820s as a French Fre nch word word for long, long, horsehorse-dra drawn wn vehicl vehicles es that that transp transport orted ed people people along along the main main thoroughfares of Paris. Shortly thereafter, omnibuses — and the noun "omnibus" — arrived in New York. But in Latin, "omnibus" simply means "for all." Our adjective "omnibus," which arrived in the mid-1800s, seems to hark back to that Latin "omnibus ," ," though it may also have been at least partially influenced by the English noun. An "omnibus bill" containing numerous provisions, for example, could be likened to a bus loaded with people. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------etiquette
\ET-ih-kut\ noun noun
Meaning
: the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life
Example Sentence
According to Miss Manners, it is a myth that newlyweds have up to a year to write thank-you notes for wedding gifts; rather, etiquette dictates that the notes should be sent as soon as possible. Did you know?
One definition of the French word "étiquette" is "ticket" or "label attached to something for identification." In 16th-century Spain, the French word was borrowed (and altered to "etiqueta") to refer to the written protocols describing orders of precedence and behavior demanded of those who appeared in court. Eventually, "etiqueta" came to be applied to the court ceremonies themselves as well as the documents which outlined the requirements for them. Interestingly, this then led to French speakers of the time attributing the second sense of "proper behavior" to their "étiquette," and in the middle of the 18th century English speakers finally adopted both b oth the word and the second secon d meaning from the French. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------fractious
\FRAK-shus\ adjective adjective Meaning
*1 : tending to be troublesome : unruly 2 : quarrelsome, irritable
Example Sentence
The class was fractious and uncontrollable when Mr. Douglas first took over as teacher, but he now has the students disciplined, focused, and ready to learn. Did you know?
The Latin verb "frangere" ("to break or shatter") has many modern English relations. Dishes that are "fragile" can break easily. A person whose health is easily broken might be described as "frail." A "fraction" is one of the many pieces into which a whole can be broken. But "fraction" also once meant "disharmony" or "discord" — that is, a "rupture in relations." From this noun sense came the adjective ad jective "fractious," meaning "unruly" or
"quarrelsome." Though the "disharmony" sense of o f the noun is now obsolete, "fractious" is still common today. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------natant
\NAY-tunt\ adjective adjective Meaning
: swimming or floating in water Example Sentence
"Before me natant birds hunker against the teeth of a northerly breeze." (Kevin J. Cook, Fort Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 29, 2002) Did you know?
"Natant"" and the smatte "Natant smatterin ring g of other other words words birthe birthed d in the waters of Latin Latin "natar "natare," e," meaning "to swim," sound unnecessarily formal in most contexts. We could say "The natant athletes who've done their time at the local natatorium are easily distinguished by their the ir natato natatoria riall skills skills;; the their ir natati natation on is marked markedly ly better better than than that that of those those who have practiced less." Most of us, however, would prefer "The swimmers who've done their time at the local indoor swimming pool are easily distinguished by their swimming skills; their swimming is markedly better than that of those who have practiced less." The common German-derived word "swimming" suits most of us just fine. Science, though, often prefers Latin, which is why you're most likely to encounter "natare" words in scientific contexts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------gruntle
\GRUN-tul\ verb verb Meaning
: to put in a good humor
Example Sentence
The hour wait irked us, but once we were seated, we were immediately gruntled by an amiable waiter. Did you know?
The verb "disgruntle," which has been around since 1682, means "to make ill-humored or discontented." The prefix "dis-" often means "to do the opposite of," so people might naturally assume that if there is a "disgruntle," there must have first been a "gruntle" with exactly the opposite meaning. But actually, "dis-" doesn’t always work that way — in some rare cases it functions instead as an intensifier. "Disgruntle" developed from this intensifying sense of "dis-" plus "gruntle," an old word meaning "to grumble." In the 1920s, a writer humorously used "gruntle" to mean "to make happy" — in other words, as an antonym of "disgruntle." The use caught on. At first "gruntle" was used only in humorous ways, but people eventually began beg an to use it seriously as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------rebus
\REE-bus\ noun noun Meaning
: a representation of syllables or words by means of pictures p ictures or symbols; also : a riddle made up of such pictures or symbols
Example Sentence
The answer to yesterday’s rebus, which showed a man on an Ark, a spider web, and a spoon stirring coffee, was "Noah Webster." Did you know?
A rebus communicates its message by means of pictures or symbols whose names sound like various parts of a word, phrase, or sentence. For example, a picture of a can of tomatoes, tomat oes, followed followed by the letters letters UC and a picture picture of a well means "Can you see well? well?"" In Latin, the word "rebus" means "by things"; "rebus" is a form of the Latin word "res," which means "thing." English speakers started using the word "rebus" for picture writing in the early 1600s.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------sacerdotal
\sass-er-DOH-tul\ adjective adjective Meaning
*1 : of or relating to priests or a priesthood : priestly 2 : of, relating to, or suggesting religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and mankind Example Sentence
It surprised Jim whenever Father Thomas would shed his sacerdotal role to take up a secular topic of conversation such as contemporary rock music. Did you know?
"Sacerdotal" is one of a host of English words derived from the Latin adjective "sacer," meaning "sacred." Other words derived from "sacer" include "desecrate," "sacrifice," "sacrilege," "sacri lege," "consecrate," "consecrate," "sacrament, "sacrament,"" and even "execrable" "execrable" (developed (developed from the Latin word "exsecrari," meaning "to put under a curse"). One unlikely "sacer" descendant is "sacrum," referring to the series of five vertebrae in the lower back connected to the pelvis. In Latin this bone was called the "os sacrum," or "holy bone," a translation of the Greek "hieron osteon." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------bastion
\BAS-chun\ noun noun Meaning
1 : a projecting part of a fortification 2 : a fortified area or position
3 a : a place of security security or survival survival *b : a place dominated do minated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic
Example Sentence
The university's economics department was considered the last bastion of political conservatism within an otherwise liberal campus. Did you know?
"Bastion" is constructed of etymological building blocks that are very similar to those of "bastille" (a word now used as a general term for a prison, but probably best known as the name of the Parisian fortress-turned-prison stormed by an angry mob at the start of the French Revolution). The history of "bastion" can be traced through Middle French to the Old Italian verb "bastire," which means "to build." "Bastille" descends from the Old Occitan verb "bastir," which also means "to build." "Bastir" and "bastire" are themselves of Germanic origin and akin to the Old High German word "besten," meaning "to patch." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------nudnik
\NOOD-nik (the "OO" is as in "good")\ noun noun
Meaning
: a person who is a bore or nuisance Example Sentence
James worried that he would never finish his work if the office nudnik didn't quit hanging around his cubicle. Did you know?
The suffix "-nik" came to English through Yiddish (and ultimately from Polish and Ukrainian). It means "one connected with or characterized by being." You might be familiar with "beatnik," "computernik," or "neatnik," but what about "no-goodnik" or
"allrightnik"? "allrightni k"? The suffix "-nik" is frequently frequently used in English English to create nonce words that are often jocular or slightly derogatory. Some theorize that the popularity of the suffix was enhanced by Russian "Sputnik," as well as Al Capp's frequent use of "-nik" words in his "L'il Abner" cartoons. The "nud-" of the Yiddish borrowing "nudnik" ultimately comes from the Polish word "nuda," meaning "boredom." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------arbitrary
\AHR-buh-trair-ee\ adjective adjective Meaning
1 : autocratic, despotic *2 : determined by whim or caprice : existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance Example Sentence
The 10 p.m. deadline dead line is arbitrary — we could have easily selected ano another ther time for the contest to end — but we had to pick a cutoff, and now it is set. Did you know?
"Arbitrary" is derived from the same source as "arbiter." The Latin word "arbiter" means "judge," and English adopted it, via Anglo-French, with the meaning "one who judges a dispute"; it can now also be used for anyone whose judgment is respected. "Arbitrary" traces back to the Latin adjective "arbitrarius" ("done by way of legal arbitration"), which itself comes from "arbiter." In English "arbitrary" first meant "depending upon choice or discretion" and was specifically used to indicate the sort of decision (as for punishment) left up to the expert determination of a judge rather than defined by law. Today, it can also be used for anything determined by b y or as if by a personal choice or whim. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------groundling
\GROUND-ling\ noun noun
Meaning
1 a : a spectator who stood in the pit of an Elizabethan theater *b : a person of unsophisticated taste 2 : one that lives or works on or near the ground Example Sentence
The movie was panned as mindless fodder for the groundlings. Did you know?
In Elizabethan times, play-going audiences were a diverse bunch. In the upper gallery, the wealthier patrons fanned themselves and looked with disdain at those who could only afford the penny admission to the pit below. Pit spectators had to sit or stand in close proximity on the bare floor, exposed to the sweltering sun or the dampening rain. At times, they behaved less than decorously, and they reportedly emitted a less than pleasant odor. The pit was also called the "ground"; those in it were "groundlings." Today, we use "groundlings" to refer not only to the less than couth among us, but also (often with some facetiousness) to ordinary Janes or Joes. amicable
\AM-ih-kuh-bul\ adjective adjective Meaning
: characterized by friendly goodwill : peaceable Example Sentence
“About a million couples divorce each year in the United States, and most, like my ex Family Circle, Circle, and me, start out striving to keep the split amicable.” (Annie Finnigan, Finnigan, Family October 17, 2008) Did you know?
"Amicable," which derives from Late Latin "amicabilis," meaning "friendly," is one of a set of English words used to suggest cordial relationships. "Amicable," "neighborly," "compani "com panionab onable, le,"" and "frien "friendly dly"" all mean mean marked marked by or exhibit exhibiting ing goodwi goodwill ll and an absence of antagonism. "Amicable" implies a state of peace and a desire on the part of the parties not to quarrel ("they maintained amicable relations"; "the amicable process of bargai bargainin ning") g").. "Neigh "Neighbor borly" ly" implie impliess a dispos disposit ition ion to live live on good ter terms ms with with others others,,
particularly those who are nearby, and to be helpful on principle ("neighborly concern"). "Companionable" suggests sociability and companionship ("a companionable dinner with friend fri ends") s").. "Frien "Friendly dly"" stress stresses es cordia cordiali lity ty and often often warmth warmth or intima intimacy cy of person personal al relations ("a friendly correspondence"). magnanimous
\mag-NAN-uh-mus\ adjective adjective Meaning
1 : showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit *2 : showing or suggesting nobility no bility of feeling and generosity of mind Example Sentence
Rather than gloat about her victory in the race, Michelle chose to be magnanimous and congratulated her opponents on their strong showings. Did you know?
When you see "anima," "animus," or a similar formation in a word, it's an indicator of something alive, lively, or spirited. Something "animated" is full of life, for example, and an "animal" is a living, breathing thing. The Latin word "animus" means "soul" or "spirit." In "magnanimous," that "animus" is joined by Latin "magnus," meaning "great." Basically meaning "greatness of spirit," "magnanimity" is the opposite of pettiness. A truly tru ly magnani magnanimou mouss person person can lose lose without without compla complaini ining ng and win withou withoutt gloati gloating. ng. Angry disputes can sometimes be resolved when one side makes a magnanimous gesture toward another. chapel
\CHAP-ul\ noun noun Meaning
1 : a private or subordinate subo rdinate place of worship *2 : an assembly at an educational institution usually including devotional exercises 3 : a place of worship used by a Christian group other than an established church
Example Sentence
The school required all of its students to attend chapel daily. Did you know?
"Chapel" is ultimately derived from the Late Latin word "cappa," meaning "cloak." How did we get from a garment to a building? The answer to this question has to do with a shrine created to hold the sacred cloak of St. Martin of Tours. In Medieval Latin, this shrine was called "cappella" (from a diminutive of "cappa" meaning "short cloak or cape") in reference to the relic it contained. Later, the meaning of "cappella" broadened to include any building that housed a sacred relic, and eventually to a place of worship. Old French picked up the term as "chapele," which in turn passed into English as "chapel" in the 13th century. In case you are wondering, the term "a cappella," meaning "without instrumental accompaniment," entered English from Italian, where it literally means "in chapel style." myrmidon
\'MER-muh-dahn\ noun noun Meaning
: a loyal follower; especially : a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously Example Sentence
The boss was more likely to offer promotions to her myrmidons than to those workers who occasionally questioned her tactics or proposed p roposed alternate solutions. Did you know?
The Myrmidons, legendary inhabitants of Thessaly in Greece, were known for their fierce devotion to their king, Achilles, who led them in the Trojan War. "Myrmex" means "ant" in Greek, an image that evokes small and insignificant workers mindlessly fulfilling their duty. Whether the original Myrmidons were given their name for that reason is open to quest que stio ion. n. The The "a "ant nt"" as asso soci ciat atio ion n is stro strong ng,, howev however er.. So Some me sa say y th thee na name me is fr from om a legendary ancestor who once had the form of an ant; others say the Myrmidons were actua act uall lly y tr tran ansf sfor orme med d from from ants. ants. In an any y ca case se,, si since nce th thee 1400s 1400s,, we'v we'vee empl employ oyed ed "myrmidon" in its not-always-complimentary, ant-evoking, figurative sense.
felicitous
\fih-LISS-uh-tus\ adjective adjective Meaning
*1 : very well suited or expressed : apt 2 : pleasant, delightful Example Sentence
The film’s score, at least, is felicitous, as it lends emotional intensity to the otherwise wooden acting. Did you know?
The adjective "felicitous" has been a part of our language since the late 18th century, but "felicity "feli city," ," the noun meaning meaning "great happiness," happiness," and later, later, "aptness," "aptness," was around even in Middle English (as "felicite," a borrowing from Anglo-French). Both words ultimately derive from the Latin adjective "felix," meaning "fruitful" or "happy." The connection between betwe en "happy" "happy" and "felicitous" "felicitous" continues today in that both words can mean "notably "notably fitting, effective, or well adapted." "Happy" typically suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate (as in "a happy choice of words"), and "felicitous" often implies an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful (as in "a felicitous phrase"). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------gloze
\GLOHZ\ verb Meaning
*1 : to mask the true nature of : give a deceptively attractive appearance to — often used with "over" 2 : to deal with (a subject or problem) too lightly or not at all — often used with "over" Example Sentence
"His modesty and shyness were at any rate proverbial, and it does seem that he went out of his way to conceal or gloze over certain aspects of his career, his military exploits in Thoughts) particular." (Eleanor Perenyi, Green Thoughts) Did you know?
"Gloze" and its synonym "gloss" have "flattery," long, intertwined histories. "Gloze," which comes from Middle English "glose," meaning "plausible pretext," or "explanation of a difficult word," is the older of the two; it has been used as both a verb and noun since the 14th 14t h centur century. y. The noun "gloss "gloss," ," referr referring ing to an explana explanatio tion n or interp interpret retati ation, on, fir first st appeare appe ared d in the mid-16th mid-16th century century as an altera alteratio tion n of "gl "gloze, oze,"" and the verb "gloss "gloss"" followed about a century later." During the 19th century, "gloze" briefly took on the additional meaning "to brighten" (adapting the meaning of another, unrelated "gloss" referring to luster or brightness), but by the end of that century all uses of "gloze" had faded into relative obscurity. obscurity. "Gloss," "Gloss," on the other hand, flourished flourished and continues continues to be the more common term by far today. embargo
\im-BAHR-goh\ noun noun Meaning
1 : an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports *2 : a legal prohibition on commerce 3 : stoppage, impediment; especially : prohibition
Example Sentence
Because of the trade embargo against Cuba, certain items, such as Cuban cigars, are illegal in the United States. Did you know?
Embargoes may be put in place for any number of reasons. For instance, a government may place a trade embargo against another country to express its disapproval with that country’s policies. But governments are not the only bodies that can place embargoes. A publisher, for example, could place an embargo on a highly anticipated book to prevent stores from selling it before its official release date. The word "embargo," dating from the
late 16th century, derives via Spanish "embargar"from Vulgar Latin "imbarricare," formed from the prefix "in-" and the noun "barra" ("bar"). beatific
\bee-uh-TIFF-ik\ adjective adjective Meaning
1 : of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss *2 : having a blissful appearance Example Sentence
A beatific smile spread across Grandmother’s face as she reminisced about abo ut her wedding day. Did you know?
"Beatific," from Latin "beatificus" ("making happy"), first occurred in English in the phrase "beatific vision," a theological allusion to the direct sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven. Although "beatific" originally meant "conferring happiness," the word now more more fr freque equentl ntly y means means "expre "expressi ssing ng happin happiness ess," ," and a blissf blissfull ully y joyful joyful look look or appearance may be called "beatific." A closely related word is "beatitude," which can refer to a state of utmost bliss. (You may also know "the beatitudes" as a series of blessings from Jesus in the Bible.) homogeneous
\hoh-muh-JEEN-yus\ adjective adjective Meaning
1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature *2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout Example Sentence
"In my opinion the solar system is a solid homogeneous homogeneou s body; the planets which compose it are in actual contact with each other." (Jules Verne, From Verne, From the Earth to the Moon) Moon)
Did you know?
The scientific theories of Jules Verne's bold French adventurer, Michel Ardan, might have been a bit flawed (it's more accurate to classify the solar system as "heterogenous" — that is, consisting of dissimilar ingredients or constituents), but the use of the English word "homogeneous" was perfectly correct. "Homogeneous," which derives from the Greek meaning "same," "genos," meaning(originally "kind," hascreated been used in Englishroots since"homos," the mid-1600s. The similarand word "homogenous" for the science of genetics and used with the meaning "of, relating to, or derived from another individual of the same species") can also be a synonym of "homogeneous." The words need not be used exclusively in scientific contexts — one can speak of, for example, "a homogenous/homogeneous community." canaille
\kuh-NYE\ noun noun Meaning *1: rabble, riffraff 2: proletarian Example Sentence
"I am not going to write for [the New [the New York Weekly] Weekly] — like all other papers that pay one splendidly, it circulates among stupid people & the canaille." (Mark Twain, letter, June 1, 1867) Did you know?
For a creature said to be man’s best friend, the dog doesn’t get a whole lot of respect in the English language. Something that has "gone to the dogs," for example, has gone to ruin, and the Britishism "dog’s breakfast" means a confused mess of something. The word "canaille," which debuted in English in the 17th century, shows that we have no qualms about associating dogs with the lower levels of human society; it derives via French from Italian "canaglia," and ultimately from "canis," the Latin word for "dog." "Canis," of course, is also the source of "canine," meaning "of or relating to dogs or to the family to which they belong." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ominous
\AH-muh-nus\ adjective adjective Meaning
: being or exhibiting an omen : portentous;especially portentous; especially : foreboding or foreshadowing evil : inauspicious Example Sentence
Our fears about the picnic being cancelled were heightened by the sight of dark, ominous clouds appearing over the horizon. Did you know?
"Ominous" didn't always mean "foreshadowing evil." If you look closely, you can see the "omen" in "ominous," which gave it the original meaning of "presaging events to come" — whether good or bad. It is ultimately derived from the Latin word "omen," which is both an ancestor and a synonym of our "omen." Today, however, "ominous" tends to suggest a menacing or threatening aspect. Its synonyms "portentous" and "fateful" are used similarly, but "ominous" is the most menacing of the three. It implies an alarming character that foreshadows evil or disaster. "Portentous" suggests being frighteningly big or impressive, but seldom gives a definite forewarning of calamity. "Fateful" implies that something is of momentous or decisive importance.
ergogenic
\ur-guh-JEN-ik\ adjective adjective Meaning
: enhancing physical performance Example Sentence
"New to this edition are chapters for rowers and a review of ergogenic aids, such as Tribune, June 3, 2007) protein supplements and otherproducts…." (Anne Stein, Chicago Tribune, Did you know?
No matter your profession — be it office worker, athlete, physicist, or poet — "ergon," the Greek word for "work," "work," has generated generated a word for you to work into your vocabulary. vocabulary. There is "ergonomics," which concerns efficiently and safely designing things that people use — for example, office equipment. Then there is our featured word, "ergogenic," which whi ch mi might ght cr crop op up in a disc discus ussi sion on ab about out im impr prov ovin ing g at athl hlet etic ic perfo perform rman ance ce.. The The physicist's mind is likely to think in "ergs," or centimeter-gram-second units of work. And for those ofwith the Greek litera literary, ry, or even eve n agricu agricultu ltural ral,, and bent, benrefers t, the there re "georgi "georgic," c," which whi ch combines "ergon" "geō-," meaning "earth," to is a poem dealing with agriculture or to the activity of agriculture itself. The most common derivative, however, is "energy," which adds Greek "en," meaning "in," to "ergon." Sturm und Drang
\shtoorm-unt-DRAHNG\ noun noun Meaning
: turmoil Example Sentence
The new film deftly captures the Sturm und Drang of growing up as it chronicles the turbulent lives of two teens in postwar Germany.
Did you know?
“Sturm und Drang” comes from German, where it literally means “storm and stress.” Although it’s now a generic synonym of “turmoil,” the term was originally used in English to identify a late 18th-century German literary movement whose works were filled with rousing action and high emotionalism, and often dealt with an individual rebelling against the injustices of society. The movement took its name from the 1776 playSturm play Sturm und Drang , a work by one of its proponents, dramatist and novelist Friedrich von Klinger. Although the literary movement was well known in Germany in the late 1700s, the term “Sturm und Drang” didn’t appear a ppear in English prose until the mid-1800s. two-bit
\TOO-BIT\ adjective adjective
Meaning
1 : of the value of two bits *2 : cheap or trivial of its kind : petty, small-time Example Sentence
Eliana had only a two-bit role in the musical, but her enchanting voice and beauty magnified her presence on stage. Did you know?
The first definition of "two-bit" makes its etymology obvious: it is derived from the noun "two bits." However, "two bits" is an interesting phrase because it actually means "the value of a quarter of a dollar." There is no such thing as a single bit, at least not anymore. The now obsolete Spanish dollar was composed of eight reals, or eight bits, so a quarter of the dollar equaled two bits. The phrase "two bits" carried over into U.S. usage, though there's no bit coin in U.S. currency. "Two bits" first appeared in print in English in 1730 (and later developed developed the figurative figurative sense of "something "something of small small worth worth or importance"), importance"), followed in 1802 by its adjectival relative. These days, the adjective has far surpassed the noun in popularity. wassail
\WAH-sul\ verb verb Meaning
1 : to indulge in riotous drinking 2 dialect England : England : to sing carols from house to house hou se at Christmas
*3 : to drink to the health or thriving of Example Sentence
The farmer and his revelers wassailed the apple orchard, hoping for another fruitful season, and then merrily poured cider around the trees. Did you know?
The salu The saluta tati tion on "was "wassa sail il," ," from from the the Ol Old d Norse Norse to toas astt "ves "ves heill heill"" (" ("be be well well") "),, ha hass accompanied English toast-making since the 12th century. By the 13th century, "wassail"
was being used for the drink itself itself,, and it eventually eventually came to be used especially of a hot drink (of wine, beer, or cider with spices, sugar, and usually baked apples) drunk around Christ Chr istmas masti time. me. This This beverag beveragee warmed warmed the stomac stomachs hs and hearts hearts of many many Christ Christmas mas revelers and was often shared with Christmas carolers. The verb "wassail" was first used in the 14th century to describe the carousing associated with indulgence in the drink; later, it was used of other activities associated with wassail and the holiday season, like caroling. Seventeenth-century farmers cattlefestivities. and trees to the wassail tradition by drinking to their health h ealth or vitality duringadded wintertime funicular
\fyoo-NIK-yuh-ler\ noun noun Meaning
: a cable railway ascending a mountain;especially mountain;especially : one in which an ascending car counterbalances a descending car Example Sentence
"Situated in a gated community reachable by funicular, the resort's 181 guest rooms come with flat-screen TVs, nightly turndown service and, in suites, even a butler." (The ( The New York Times, Times, December 13, 2009) Did you know?
You may have fun on a funicular, but the word is not related to "fun" (which comes to us from an English dialect verb meaning "to hoax"). The noun "funicular" descends from an earlier adjective "funicular," meaning "relating to a cord under tension." It was also influenced by "funiculaire," a French word used for a type of railway that is dependent upon cables (or on "cords under tension"). Ultimately, these terms trace back to the Latin noun "funic "funiculu ulus," s," meanin meaning g "small "small rope." rope." "Funic "Funicula ular" r" fir first st appeare appeared d in print print as an adjective in English in 1664; the noun has been with us since the early 20th century. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mrs. Grundy \MISS-uz-GRUN-dee\ noun noun Meaning
: one marked by prudish conventionality in personal conduct
Example Sentence
After a barrage of complaints from Mrs. Grundys, the Web site's managers decided to remove the "objectionable" photos. Did you know?
"What would Mrs. Grundy say?" Dame Ashfield, Ashfield, a character in Thomas Morton's Morton's 1798 play Speed the Plough, Plough, was continually asking that question and worrying about invoking the sneering condemnation of her prudish neighbor, Mrs. Grundy. Although Mrs. Grundy never actually appeared on stage during the play, her critical attitude exerted a significant influence on the actions of other characters, and ultimately on the English language. By 1813, English speakers had adopted her name as a byword for anyone with extremely rigid standards of propriety that he or she applied in judging the actions of others. o thers. colubrine
\KAHL-yuh-bryne\ adjective adjective Meaning
*1 : of, relating to, or resembling a snake 2 : of or relating to a large cosmopolitan family (Colubridae ( Colubridae)) of chiefly nonvenomous snakes Example Sentence
"By the time the music starts throbbing at 9, there will undoubtedly be a colubrine line Globe, March 2002) slithering down Mass. Ave." (Christopher Muther, The Boston Globe, Did you know? "Colubrine" may be less common than other animal words, such as "canine," "feline," and "bovine," but it has been around for a good long while. Ultimately derived from the Latin "colubra" ("snake"), it slithered into the English Eng lish language in the 16th century. ce ntury. ("Cobra," by the way, comes from the same Latin word, but entered English through Portuguese.) Some other words for "snakelike" are "serpentine" (a more common alternative) and "ophidian" (from the Greek word for snake: "ophis").
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Augean stable
\aw-JEE-un-STAY-bul\ noun noun
Meaning : a condition or place marked by great accumulation of filth or co corruption rruption
Example Sentence The presidency of Ulysses S. Grant was marred by his refusal to clean out the Augean stables of his own administration. Did you know? "Augean stable" most often appears in the phrase "clean the Augean stable," which usually means awayAugeas, corruption" or "perform large unpleasant taskthat thatheld h has as long called for "clear attention." the mythical kinga of Elis,and kept great stables 3,000 oxen and had not been cleaned for thirty years — until Hercules was assigned the job. Hercules accomplished this task by causing two rivers to run through the stables. The word "Augean" is sometimes used by itself, too — it has come to mean "extremely difficult and usually distasteful." We can refer to "Augean tasks," "Augean labor," or even "Augean clutter." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------conquian
\KONK-ee-un\ noun noun
Meaning : a card game for two played with 40 cards from which all games of rummy developed
Example Sentence The two friends whiled away the long summer days with endless games of conquian. Did you know? Conquian is a very old card game, played more frequently in the past than now. Based on the "draw and discard" principle that forms the basis for all modern games of rummy, it's played with 40 cards of a 52-card deck. (The most common variations involve the removal of either all face cards, or the tens, nines, and eights.) The goal of the game is to form three or four of a kind, or sequences. "Conquian" comes to us from Mexican Spanish, but the word is ultimately derived from the Spanish "¿con quién?" meaning "with whom?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------refurbish
\rih-FER-bish\ verb verb
Meaning : to brighten or freshen up : renovate
Example Sentence Bill and Marie bought the historic h istoric house with the intent of refurbishing it. Did you know? If you're wondering if "refurbish" implies the existence of an earlier "furbish," you are on the right track. "Furbish" was borrowed into English in the 14th century from AngloFrench "furbiss-," a distant relative of an Old High German word meaning "to polish." In its earliest uses "furbish" also meant "to polish," but it developed an extended sense of "renovate" shortly before English speakers created "refurbish" with the same meaning in the 17th century. These days "refurbish" is the more common of the two words, although "furbish" does continue to be used. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------noetic
\noh-ET-ik\ adjective adjective
Meaning : of, relating to, or based on the intellect
Example Sentence
Among the events sponsored by the neighborhood bar were monthly quiz nights, which Jeanne enjoyed attending because they satisfied her thirst for noetic stimulation. Did you know? "Noetic" derives from the Greek adjective "noētikos," meaning "intellectual," from the verb "noein" ("to think") and ultimately from the noun "nous," meaning "mind." ("Nous" also gave English the word "paranoia" by joining with a prefix meaning "faulty" or "abnormal.") "Noetic" is related to "noesis," a rare noun that turns up in the field of philosophy and refers to the action of perceiving or thinking. The most notable use of "noetic" might be in the name of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a research organization based in California that is devoted to studies of consciousness and the mind. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Danelaw
\DAYN-law\ noun noun
Meaning 1 : the law in force in the part of England held by the Danes before the Norman Conquest *2 : the part of England under the Danelaw
Example Sentence In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Danelaw between the Rivers Tees and Thames was governed much differently than areas to the south and west. Did you know?
When the Vikings invaded the east coast of England in the late 800s, their conquests reached as far as the southern kingdom of Wessex, where they were halted by the army of Alfred the Great. The invaders, many of whom were Danish, retreated back north and east to the lands they had conquered, and settled there. This region — stretching from Essex, just above London, through East Anglia and the eastern Midlands, all the way up to Northumbria — was distinguished from the surrounding territory by its unique legal practices, which, because they were decidedly Danish in influence, made up what Old English folks down south called the "Dena lagu" or, in today's English, the "Danes' law." Historians later applied the term "Danelaw" not only to the legal system of the region but to that geographical area itself. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------interdigitate
\in-ter-DIJ-uh-tayt\ verb verb
Meaning : to become interlocked like the fingers of folded hands
Example Sentence "The edges [of bridge expansion joints] often are shaped like combs, the teeth of one interdigitating with teeth of the other." (The ( The Washington Post , January 14, 1998) Did you know? It probably won’t surprise you to learn that "interdigitate" comes from the prefix p refix "inter-," as in "interlock," and the Latin word "digitus," meaning "finger." "Digitus" also gave us "digit," which is used in English today to refer to (among other things) the finger or toe of any animal. "Interdigitate" usually suggests an interlocking of things with fingerlike projections, such as muscle fibers or the teeth of an old-fashioned bear trap. The word
can also be used figuratively to imply a smooth interweaving of disparate things, such as the blending of two cultures within a shared region. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------incoherent
\in-koh-HEER-unt\ adjective adjective
Meaning : lacking coherence: asa : lacking cohesion : loose*b : lacking orderly continuity, arrangement, or relevance : inconsistentc : lacking normal clarity or intelligibility in speech or thought
Example Sentence I found myself unable to follow the movie’s rambling and incoherent plot. Did you know? Something that is coherent holds or sticks together firmly, with resistance to separation (that is, it coheres). “Coherent,” ultimately from the Latin “co-” (“together”) and “haerēre” (“to stick or cling”), entered English in the 16th century and almost from the beginning was used both of physical things (“coherent stone”) and of things which hold together in a much less palpable way (“coherent thoughts”). Its antonym, “incoherent,” entered the language about a bout three-quarters of a century later. Like “coherent,” “incoherent” can be applied to both the tangible and the intangible. But, whether we are speaking of sand or logic, all things incoherent have one thing in common: they do not hold together, literally or figuratively, in a unified or intelligible whole.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------doldrums
\DOHL-drumz\ noun noun
Meaning *1 : a spell of listlessness or despondency 2 often capitalized : a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms, squalls, and light shifting winds 3 : a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump
Example Sentence "A vacation on a tropical island could be just the thing you need to fight against the winter doldrums," said Christine as she handed me the resort's brochure. Did you know? Everyone gets the doldrums — a feeling of low spirits and lack of energy — ev every ery once in a while. The doldrums experienced by sailors, however, are usually of a different variety. In the mid-19th century, the word once reserved for a feeling of despondency came to be applied to certain tropical regions of the ocean marked by the absence of strong winds. Sailing vessels, reliant on wind propulsion, struggled to make headway in these regions, leading to long, arduous journeys. The exact etymology of "doldrums" is not certain, though it is believed to be related to the Old English "dol," meaning "foolish" — a history it shares with our adjective "dull." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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