A.Word.A.Day --folderol

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Jul 16, 2010

This week's theme
Miscellaneous words

This week's words
paean
mephitic
equipoise
risible
folderol

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AWADmail 420

Next week's theme
Words that look one part of speech but are other

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

folderol

PRONUNCIATION:

(FOL-duh-rol)

MEANING:

noun:
1. Nonsense; foolishness.
2. A trifle; gewgaw.

ETYMOLOGY:

From a nonsense refrain in some old songs. The word is also spelled as falderal.

USAGE:

"Canonisation is a slow business in the Catholic church: all that folderol about miracles and devil's advocates."
John Sutherland; What's Wrong With Teaching Rap in Schools?; The Guardian (London, UK); Jul 5, 2004.

See more usage examples of folderol in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

"Faith" is a fine invention / For gentlemen who see -- / But microscopes are prudent / In an emergency. -Emily Dickinson, poet (1830-1886)

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