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A.Word.A.Day--operose

operose (OP-uh-roas) adjective

1. Tedious; diligent.

2. Requiring great effort.

[From Latin operosus (laborious, painstaking; active), from oper-, from opus (work). Ultimately from the Indo-European root op- (to work, produce) that is also the ancestor of words such as opera, opulent, optimum, maneuver, and manure.]

"He (David Brown) is an operose Bachelor of Music, with a reading knowledge of Russian acquired in the national service, who has never been to Russia."
Richard Taruskin; Tchaikovsky: The Quest for the Inner Man; The New Republic (Washington, DC); Feb 6, 1995.

"'How do you feel?' asked Carol. 'Old, operose and obese,' he said pointing to his paunchy stomach."
Linda Varsell Smith; With a Human Touch: Karen Harmony Rainbow; Rainbow Communications; 2003.

From the most noble soul to the most dastardly individual, we all share traits that extend over the spectrum. It would be rare to find a person who can be completely characterized by a single word. This week AWAD discusses five adjectives that will help you describe people you may encounter. Can you see the face of a friend, relative, neighbor or co-worker in these assorted arrangements of the alphabet?

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