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A.Word.A.Day--trochal

trochal (TRO-kuhl) adjective

Resembling or revolving like a wheel.

[From Greek trokhos (wheel), from trekhein (to run).]

"Consider this unexpected similarity between Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump: as Pulp Fiction breaks tradition with its trochal form, so Gump breaks the contemporary rules."
John H. Richardson; Dumb And Dumber; The New Republic (Washington, DC); Apr 10, 1995.

"It's trochal, as Malcolm Lowry says. Reiterative, as John Dos Passos said."
Jack Saunders; Forty; Illuminet Press; 1988.

The grand spectacle of the 28th Olympic Games continues in Greece, birthplace of that ancient celebration. Athens, the capital city, and site of the current games, is where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896. It was named to honor Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, arts, and warfare. Besides the city, Athena's name also gave us the English word athenaeum meaning a library, a reading room or a literary/scientific club.

The Greek language has been a rich source of many colorful words in English. Why say 'library' when you can say 'athenaeum'? As the saying goes, "The Greeks had a word for it." This week we feature five words derived from Greek, so you'll no longer have to say, "It's Greek to me."

-Anu Garg

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