A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon Nov 2 00:01:04 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sternutate X-Bonus: We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it, chopped down its forests, leveled its hills, muddied its waters, and dirtied its air. That does not fit my definition of a good tenant. If we were here on a month-to-month basis, we would have been evicted long ago. -Rose Bird, Chief Justice of California Supreme Court (2 Nov 1936-1999) What's a synonym for the word synonym? That's not a rhetorical question. There are, in fact, synonyms for the word synonym in the English language: poecilonym and polyonym, from Greek poecilo- (various) and poly- (many) + -onym (name). And a synonym is not an idle curiosity. There are times when a synonym can say the same thing, but in a softer, more oblique way. Think perspire vs sweat. Think copulate or defecate vs their four-letter synonyms. This week we'll see five Latinate synonyms of the more direct Anglo-Saxon acts. sternutate (stuhr-NOO-tayt, -NYOO-) verb intr. To sneeze. [From Latin sternuere (to sneeze). Earliest documented use: 1745.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/sternutate_large.jpg Photo: Leon Molenaar https://www.flickr.com/photos/leendert3/12539238815/ "He sternutated. That broke the spell." Avram Davidson; The Island Under the Earth; Ace; 1969. -------- Date: Tue Nov 3 00:01:05 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--eruct X-Bonus: This is the devilish thing about foreign affairs: they are foreign and will not always conform to our whim. -James Reston, journalist (3 Nov 1909-1995) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms for everyday acts eruct (i-RUKT) verb tr., intr. 1. To belch: to expel gases from the stomach through the mouth. 2. To emit violently, fumes from a volcano, for example. [From Latin eructare (to vomit, belch, discharge). Ultimately from the Indo-European root reug- (to vomit, to belch, smoke, cloud), which also gave us reek and German rauchen (to smoke). Earliest documented use: 1666.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/eruct https://wordsmith.org/words/images/eruct_large.jpg Photo: Helle Jorgensen https://www.flickr.com/photos/hellejorgensen/5117549954/ "When cars behind start flashing and beeping, and he realises that we're eructing huge clouds of choking black smoke as we chug and jerk along, we are forced to pull over." Lucy Caldwell; The Story So Far...; The Independent (London, UK); May 29, 2007. -------- Date: Wed Nov 4 00:01:02 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--flatulate X-Bonus: Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. -Will Rogers, humorist (4 Nov 1879-1935) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms for everyday acts flatulate (FLACH-uh-layt) verb intr. To pass intestinal gas from the anus. [From Latin flare (to blow). Earliest documented use: 1805.] "Greg writes: I think that a gentleman should never flatulate in front of his lady. But my girlfriend believes it is a showing of trust and affection." John Hodgman; The One-Page Magazine; The New York Times Magazine; Apr 28, 2013. While we are on the topic, check out this news story: Donald Trump Fights to Break Wind Farm in Scotland http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/donald-trump-taking-scotland-wind-turbine-battle-uk-supreme-court -------- Date: Thu Nov 5 00:01:02 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ingurgitate X-Bonus: Do you wish the world were happy? / Then remember day by day, / Just to scatter seeds of kindness / As you pass along the way. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox, poet (5 Nov 1850-1919) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms for everyday acts ingurgitate (in-GUHR-ji-tayt) verb tr. To swallow greedily or in large amounts. [From Latin gurgitare (to flood), from gurges (whirlpool). Earliest documented use: 1570.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ingurgitate https://wordsmith.org/words/images/ingurgitate_large.jpg Photo: Phyllis Keating https://www.flickr.com/photos/flipkeat/15490324446/ "Jeremy finally settled down and went back to ingurgitating potato chips." Gord Elliston; The Seagull Wore Glasses; Lulu Press; 2014. -------- Date: Fri Nov 6 00:01:04 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nictitate X-Bonus: I don't think that combat has ever been written about truthfully; it has always been described in terms of bravery and cowardice. I won't even accept these words as terms of human reference any more. And anyway, hell, they don't even apply to what, in actual fact, modern warfare has become. -James Jones, novelist (6 Nov 1921-1977) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms for everyday acts nictitate (NIK-ti-tayt) verb intr. To wink or blink. [From Latin nictitare, frequentative of nictare (to wink). Earliest documented use: 1822.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/nictitate https://wordsmith.org/words/images/nictitate_large.jpg Photo: David Shabun https://www.flickr.com/photos/ir0nz/8658243995/ "'So why don't we tell each other tonight? I'll be playin' at a tango bar.' He nictitated." Isabella and Irena de Wardin; The Humming Bird; Xlibris; 2012. -------- Date: Mon Nov 9 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--affectious X-Bonus: That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be. -P.C. Hodgell, writer and professor (b. 1951) Having all five vowels of the English language in a word would make it a rather unusual and uncommon word. How about all five vowels, once and only once? Wait! How about all five vowels, once and only once, and in order? You'd think it would be something rare, but there are dozens of such words (see here https://wordsmith.org/words/abstentious.html and here https://wordsmith.org/words/abstemious.html ) in the English language. But look another way and you see that only one in 20,000 words in the language has these credentials. So only 0.005% of them make it to this ultra-exclusive language club. On top of that you can even append the suffix -ly to these words to include the "sometime" vowel y. Still these words do not violate any of their club's entry requirements and bylaws. This week we'll look at five such words. affectious (uh-FEK-shuhs) adjective Affectionate or cordial. [Via French, from Latin afficere (to affect or influence). Earliest documented use: 1580.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/affectious_large.jpg Photo: Miguel https://www.flickr.com/photos/capturetheuncapturable/4795675797 "Bob Bevege's affectious manner and wry smile belie the fact that he has the power to evict people from a racecourse or withdraw the licence of a racehorse trainer or jockey." Protecting the Integrity of Racing; Hawkes Bay Today (Hastings, New Zealand); Jan 12, 2006. -------- Date: Tue Nov 10 00:01:02 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--camelious X-Bonus: You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips. -Oliver Goldsmith, writer and physician (10 Nov 1730-1774) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels camelious (kuh-MEE-lee-uhs) adjective Relating to the camel or its hump. [From camel, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamelos. Ultimately from the Semitic root gml (camel), which also gave us jamal and gamal, the Arabic and Hebrew words for camel. Earliest documented use: 1902.] Camel Rock, New Mexico: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/camelious_large.jpg Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronguillen/2840945920/ "It seemed a very Arabian thing to do, to sleep under canvas beneath huge hairy camelious blankets, so heavy that we were scarcely able to roll over in our sleep." A.J. Mackinnon; The Well at the World's End; Skyhorse Publishing; 2011. -------- Date: Wed Nov 11 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--adventious X-Bonus: I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center. -Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., writer (11 Nov 1922-2007) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels adventious (ad-VEN-shuhs) adjective 1. Coming from outside: not inherent or native. 2. Happening by chance. 3. Appearing in an unusual or abnormal place. [A variant spelling of adventitious, from Latin adventicius (coming from without), from advenire (to arrive), from ad- (toward) + venire (to come). Earliest documented use: 1633.] Adventious roots in a bonsai: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/adventious_large.jpg Photo: Emmanuelm/Wikimedia "For the Greenies, the arrival of Musketaquid was almost adventious; they had never known Allston Brighton to have a visitor." Randy Steinberg; Concord; AuthorHouse; 2001. -------- Date: Thu Nov 12 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--majestious X-Bonus: To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature. -Auguste Rodin, sculptor (12 Nov 1840-1917) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels majestious (muh-JUHS-shus) adjective Impressive in a dignified or inspiring manner; stately; grand. [From Latin major (greater), comparative of magnus (large). Ultimately from the Indo-European root meg- (great), which also gave us magnificent, maharajah, mahatma, master, mayor, maestro, magnate, magistrate, maximum, magnify, hermetic https://wordsmith.org/words/hermetic.html , magisterial https://wordsmith.org/words/magisterial.html , magnanimous https://wordsmith.org/words/magnanimous.html , magnifico https://wordsmith.org/words/magnifico.html , mahatma https://wordsmith.org/words/mahatma.html , megalopolis https://wordsmith.org/words/megalopolis.html , and mickle https://wordsmith.org/words/mickle.html . Earliest documented use: 1685.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/majestious_large.jpg Photo: Stuart Atkins https://www.flickr.com/photos/v1ctory_1s_m1ne/3802473312 "His majestious sepulcher can be visited in the garden of his villa, where, also, are displayed his battle trophies." Anita Daniel; I Am Going to Italy; Coward-McCann; 1955. -------- Date: Fri Nov 13 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--quodlibetal X-Bonus: I know what I have given you. I do not know what you have received. -Antonio Porchia, poet (13 Nov 1886-1968) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels quodlibetal (kwod-LIB-uh-tuhl) adjective Relating to a question or topic for debate or discussion. [From Latin quodlibetum, from Latin quod (what) + libet (it pleases), meaning "whatever pleases". Earlier the term referred to a mock exercise in discussion or debate. Earliest documented use: 1581.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/quodlibetal_large.jpg Photo: Erin Reidy https://www.flickr.com/photos/ebreidy/3366361920 "All these examples are taken from William of Ockham's quodlibetal questions." Alastair Minnis; Fallible Authors; University of Pennsylvania Press; 2008. https://wordsmith.org/words/ockhams_razor.html -------- Date: Mon Nov 16 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sitzmark X-Bonus: It has always seemed to me that the test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised. -Chinua Achebe, writer and professor (16 Nov 1930-2013) Every new word comes with the message that humanity hasn't yet given up. It tells us we are still hopeful. We are still trying to make sense of the world around us. We want to find words that help us describe our thoughts, ideas, inventions, and whatever new comes up. There are many ways we bring a new word into the language: by borrowing, by coining, by adapting an existing word in a new sense, and more. This week we'll see some of the words that got added to the English language in various ways. sitzmark (SITZ-mark, SITS-) noun A mark made by someone falling backward in the snow. [From German sitzen (to sit) + mark. Earliest documented use: 1935. Two related words are sitzfleisch https://wordsmith.org/words/sitzfleisch.html and sitzkrieg https://wordsmith.org/words/sitzkrieg.html .] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/sitzmark_large.jpg Photo: creative_soul/Shutterstock "He'd practically worn a sitzmark in the concrete there, so fond was he of that particular fishing hole." Marthanne Shubert; A Woman to Blame; Uncial Press; 2009. -------- Date: Tue Nov 17 00:01:02 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--outro X-Bonus: If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don't particularly like. -Soichiro Honda, industrialist (17 Nov 1906-1991) This week's theme: There's a word for it outro (OU-tro) noun The concluding part of a piece of music, program, etc. [Modeled after intro. Earliest documented use: 1967.] "Bassist John Deacon is not credited with vocals on any of the albums, the rock section, and finally, the tapering down of the song with the outro." Aparna Narrain; 40 years of Bo Rhap; The Hindu (Chennai, India); Nov 2, 2015. -------- Date: Wed Nov 18 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--solipsism X-Bonus: Does feminist mean large unpleasant person who'll shout at you or someone who believes women are human beings? To me it's the latter, so I sign up. -Margaret Atwood, novelist and poet (b. 18 Nov 1939) This week's theme: There's a word for it solipsism (SOL-ip-siz-uhm) noun 1. The view or theory that the self is all that exists or can be known to exist. 2. Self-absorption or self-centeredness. [From Latin solus (alone) + ipse (self). Earliest documented use: 1836.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/solipsism https://wordsmith.org/words/images/solipsism_large.jpg Cartoon: Baloo "These feckless fudgewits who think the world stops when they close their eyes and only becomes real once they open them again. That kind of solipsism is part of the joy of being young, of course." Meet the Exiles on Vain Street; Irish Independent (Dublin); Jun 5, 2015. -------- Date: Thu Nov 19 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--intrapreneur X-Bonus: One cannot hire a hand; the whole man always comes with it. -Peter Drucker, management consultant, professor, and writer (19 Nov 1909-2005) This week's theme: There's a word for it intrapreneur (in-truh-pruh-NUHR, -NOOR, -NYOOR) noun An employee who works as an entrepreneur within an established company, having the freedom to take risks and act independently. [A blend of intra- (within) + entrepreneur, from French entreprendre (to undertake), from Latin inter- (between) + prendere (to take). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ghend-/ghed- (to seize or to take), which also gave us pry, prey, spree, reprise, surprise, osprey, prison, impregnable https://wordsmith.org/words/impregnable.html , impresa https://wordsmith.org/words/impresa.html , pernancy https://wordsmith.org/words/pernancy.html , and prise https://wordsmith.org/words/prise.html . Earliest documented use: 1978.] "'Don't change companies, change the company you're in,' advises one social intrapreneur." Stefan Stern; How to Build a Better World from Inside Business; Financial Times (London, UK); Apr 24, 2014. -------- Date: Fri Nov 20 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bathos X-Bonus: If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag, wash it. -Norman Thomas, socialist and social reformer (20 Nov 1884-1968) This week's theme: There's a word for it bathos (BAY-thas, -thos) noun An abrupt descent from lofty or sublime to the commonplace; anticlimax. [From Greek bathos (depth). Earliest documented use: 1638.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/bathos "Yet still there is a notion that real space exploration needs real people. And so we are forced to witness, on the one hand, the bathos of astronauts taking pizza deliveries on the International Space Station, a mere 400km from Earth's surface -- and on the other, the genuine tragedies of men and women dying in our attempts to put them in space." Philip Ball; Philae is Boldly Going Where No Man Should Go -- Let's Leave Space to the Robots; The Guardian (London, UK); Jun 15, 2015. -------- Date: Mon Nov 23 00:01:02 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--stridulous X-Bonus: Poetry is a sort of homecoming. -Paul Celan, poet and translator (23 Nov 1920-1970) Canadians elected their new prime minister last month. It was a long election campaign (78 days!). Here in the US, the presidential election campaign lasts just two years. As the election day is known in advance (it's always the same, the first Tuesday after Nov 1), you can start your engines as early as you want and get a headstart in campaigning and courting special interest groups. We still have a year till we vote for our next president (Nov 8, 2016) and during all this time there will be plenty of debates, television ads, robocalls, and more. One candidate https://berniesanders.com/ in this race has ruled out negative campaigning (and raising money from special interests). But others may not be opposed to a little name-calling if they believe it would get them an inch closer to the White House. If they have to go negative, we hope they will use some unusual words to describe their opponents, instead of the tired old words (and tired old politics). This week we'll feature five words that presidential hopefuls may find handy to describe their rivals for the big office. stridulous (STRIJ-uh-luhs) adjective 1. Having or making a harsh grating sound. 2. Shrill or grating. [From Latin stridere (to make a harsh sound). Earliest documented use: 1611.] "Two weeks ago, bankers testifying before a Senate committee were treated with such uncharacteristic sympathy that their lobbyists felt compelled to gloat. ... There were no protesting community groups bringing bus loads of little, old men and ladies who had lost their homes in unscrupulous loan hustles; no stridulous lawmakers blasting the bankers about alleged redlining and other antidemocratic behavior." Jim McTague; Front Row on Washington; American Banker (New York); Mar 15, 1993. -------- Date: Tue Nov 24 00:01:04 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--torpid X-Bonus: There's really no such thing as the 'voiceless'. There are only the deliberately silenced or the preferably unheard. -Arundhati Roy, author (b. 24 Nov 1961) This week's theme: Words to describe people torpid (TOR-pid) adjective 1. Sluggish or inactive. 2. Apathetic. 3. Dormant as when hibernating. [From Latin torpidus (numb), from torpere (to be stiff or numb). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ster- (stiff), which also gave us starch, stare, stork, starve, cholesterol, and torpedo. Earliest documented use: 1613.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/torpid Torpid Hazel Dormouse https://wordsmith.org/words/images/torpid_large.jpg Photo: Adrian Hinchliffe https://www.flickr.com/photos/hinch69/5478703935 "Gary is a torpid man who works as a translator for the CIA in the Washington area. He's neither shaken nor stirred." Ron Charles; Life of a Spy Doomed to Rot in Place; The Washington Post; Nov 19, 2014. -------- Date: Wed Nov 25 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--fastuous X-Bonus: We haven't yet learned how to stay human when assembled in masses. -Lewis Thomas, physician and author (25 Nov 1913-1993) This week's theme: Words to describe people fastuous (FAS-choo-uhs) adjective 1. Haughty; arrogant. 2. Pretentious. [From Latin fastuosus, from fastus (arrogance). Earliest documented use: 1638.] "Here the gentry live a fastuous life and wear chic clothes." Edwin Jahiel; Brotherhood of Wolf Stylish, Confused Mess; News Gazette (Champaign, Illinois); Feb 14, 2002. -------- Date: Thu Nov 26 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--impertinent X-Bonus: The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26 Nov 1922-2000) This week's theme: Words to describe people impertinent (im-PURT-nuhnt) adjective 1. Presumptuous or rude. 2. Irrelevant. [From in- (not) + pertinere (to pertain), from per- (through) + tenere (to hold). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ten- (to stretch), which also gave us tense, tenet, tendon, tent, tenor, tender, pretend, extend, tenure, tetanus, hypotenuse, tenuous https://wordsmith.org/words/tenuous.html , tenable https://wordsmith.org/words/tenable.html , extenuate https://wordsmith.org/words/extenuate.html , distend https://wordsmith.org/words/distend.html , detente https://wordsmith.org/words/detente.html , countenance https://wordsmith.org/words/countenance.html , and abstentious https://wordsmith.org/words/abstentious.html . Earliest documented use: 1380.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/impertinent "Colin Firth stars as the stuttering king, while Geoffrey Rush is the impertinent Aussie who attempts to cure him." Satellite Choice; Daily Mail (London, UK); Jul 31, 2015. -------- Date: Fri Nov 27 00:01:04 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bibulous X-Bonus: When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. -Jimi Hendrix, musician, singer, and songwriter (27 Nov 1942-1970) This week's theme: Words to describe people bibulous (BIB-yuh-luhs) adjective 1. Excessively fond of drinking. 2. Highly absorbent. [From Latin bibere (to drink). Ultimately from the Indo-European root poi- (to drink), which also gave us potion, poison, potable, beverage, and Sanskrit paatram (pot). Earliest documented use: 1676.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/bibulous "Sherlockians have always been a bibulous sort; one early gathering, as Dundas reports, saw the consumption of '96 cocktails, 243 scotches, 98 ryes, and 2 beers.'" Daniel Stashower; Why Sherlock Holmes Endures; The Washington Post; Jul 10, 2015. -------- Date: Mon Nov 30 00:01:03 EST 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gramarye X-Bonus: An old miser kept a tame jackdaw, that used to steal pieces of money, and hide them in a hole, which a cat observing, asked, "Why he would hoard up those round shining things that he could make no use of?" "Why," said the jackdaw, "my master has a whole chestful, and makes no more use of them than I do." -Jonathan Swift, satirist (30 Nov 1667-1745) A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, but in the case of the artist Leah Palmer Preiss's illustrations it's worth a million, or more. As in previous years, I gave her five words and she used the gramarye of her colors to make a painting illustrating each word as you'll see this week. Also, this year, Leah has completed painting words from all 26 letters of the alphabet. Look for them at the end of the week. Reach her at (curiouser AT mindspring.com) or at her website http://www.leahpalmerpreiss.com/ . gramarye (GRAM-uh-ree) noun Occult learning; magic. [From Old French gramaire (grammar, book of magic), from Greek gramma (letter). Ultimately from the Indo-European root gerbh- (to scratch), which also gave us crab, crayfish, carve, crawl, grammar, program, graphite, glamor, anagram https://wordsmith.org/anagram/ , paraph https://wordsmith.org/words/paraph.html , and graffiti https://wordsmith.org/words/graffiti.html . Earliest documented use: 1320.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/gramarye_large.jpg Art: Leah Palmer Preiss http://www.leahpalmerpreiss.com/ "There is naught of the power of gramarye in you. If there were, you would know it." Cecilia Dart-Thornton; The Lady of the Sorrows; Pan Macmillan; 2003.