This week’s theme
Eponyms

This week’s words
Machiavellianism
Don Quixote
thespian
epicure
Momus


This week’s comments
AWADmail 1126

Next week’s theme
There’s a word for it

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(MOH-muhs)

MEANING:

noun: A carping critic.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin Momus, from Greek Momos, the god of censure and ridicule in Greek mythology. He was expelled from Mount Olympus for mocking other gods. In Greek, the word momos literally means blame or ridicule. Earliest documented use: 1563.

USAGE:

“Haigh’s music is optimistic and light-hearted. ... But Mozart is much more of a Momus, delighting in pointed, intentional mockery.”
Benjamin Katz; HAIGH: 6 Harpsichord Concertos; American Record Guide (Washington, DC); Jul/Aug 2013.

See more usage examples of Momus in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: