Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
waggish \WAG-ish\ (adjective)
Meaning: *1. resembling or characteristic of a wag; displaying good-humored mischief
2. done or made for sport; humorous
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Lisa listens to the same waggish DJ every morning, never tiring of his prank phone calls and irreverent impressions of
local politicians."
Did you know?
One who is waggish acts like a wag. What, then, is a wag? Etymologists think "wag" probably came from "waghalter," a word that was once used for a "gallows bird" (that is, a person who was going to be, or deserved to be, hanged). "Waghalter" was apparently shortened to "wag" and used jokingly or affectionately for mischievous pranksters or youths. Hence a wag is a joker, and waggery is merriment or practical joking. "Waggish" can describe the prank itself as well as the prankster type; the class clown might be said to have a "waggish disposition" or might be said to be prone to "waggish antics."
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
February 27, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
apex \AY-peks\ (noun)
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Example Sentence: "Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest, reached the apex of
the great mountain at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953."
Did you know?
"Apex" entered English from Latin, where it originally meant "a small rod at the top of a flamen's cap." What's a flamen's cap? Flamens were priests who devoted themselves to serving just one of the many ancient Roman gods (for instance, just Jupiter or Mars). Those priests wore distinctive conical caps that English speakers dubbed "flamen's caps." Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century dramatist Ben Jonson was one of the few English writers known to have used "apex" in its flamen's-cap sense: "Upon his head a hat of delicate wool, whose top ended in a cone, and was thence called apex."
apex \AY-peks\ (noun)
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Example Sentence: "Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest, reached the apex of
the great mountain at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953."
Did you know?
"Apex" entered English from Latin, where it originally meant "a small rod at the top of a flamen's cap." What's a flamen's cap? Flamens were priests who devoted themselves to serving just one of the many ancient Roman gods (for instance, just Jupiter or Mars). Those priests wore distinctive conical caps that English speakers dubbed "flamen's caps." Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century dramatist Ben Jonson was one of the few English writers known to have used "apex" in its flamen's-cap sense: "Upon his head a hat of delicate wool, whose top ended in a cone, and was thence called apex."
Friday, February 26, 2010
February 26, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
thew \THOO\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a: muscular power or development
b: strength, vitality
*2. muscle, sinew — usually used in plural
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Care I for the limb, the thews, the stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man! Give me the spirit," retorts Falstaff to
Justice Shallow in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 2.
Did you know?
"Thew" has had a long, difficult past during which it discovered its strengths and weaknesses. In Middle English it carried a number of meanings, referring to a custom, habit, personal quality, or virtue. The word began to tire in the 16th century but was soon revitalized with a new meaning: it began to be used specifically for the quality of physical strength and later for the muscles demonstrating that quality. In time, the word buddied up with "sinew" in both literal and figurative turns of phrase, as in "the thews and sinews of my body ached" and "their love affair was the thew and sinew of the story."
thew \THOO\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a: muscular power or development
b: strength, vitality
*2. muscle, sinew — usually used in plural
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Care I for the limb, the thews, the stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man! Give me the spirit," retorts Falstaff to
Justice Shallow in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 2.
Did you know?
"Thew" has had a long, difficult past during which it discovered its strengths and weaknesses. In Middle English it carried a number of meanings, referring to a custom, habit, personal quality, or virtue. The word began to tire in the 16th century but was soon revitalized with a new meaning: it began to be used specifically for the quality of physical strength and later for the muscles demonstrating that quality. In time, the word buddied up with "sinew" in both literal and figurative turns of phrase, as in "the thews and sinews of my body ached" and "their love affair was the thew and sinew of the story."
Thursday, February 25, 2010
February 25, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
proscribe \proh-SCRYBE\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. outlaw
*2. to condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful
(* Indicates sense illustrated in example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "When grammarians began to proscribe ending a sentence with a preposition in the 1700s, one astute personage noted
that it is 'an idiom which our language is strongly inclined to.'"
Did you know?
"Proscribe" and "prescribe" each have a Latin-derived prefix that means "before" attached to the verb "scribe" (from "scribere," meaning "to write"). Yet the two words have very distinct, often nearly opposite meanings. Why? In a way, you could say it's the law. In the 15th and 16th centuries both words had legal implications. To "proscribe" was to publish the name of a person who had been condemned, outlawed, or banished. To "prescribe" meant "to lay down a rule," including legal rules or orders.
proscribe \proh-SCRYBE\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. outlaw
*2. to condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful
(* Indicates sense illustrated in example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "When grammarians began to proscribe ending a sentence with a preposition in the 1700s, one astute personage noted
that it is 'an idiom which our language is strongly inclined to.'"
Did you know?
"Proscribe" and "prescribe" each have a Latin-derived prefix that means "before" attached to the verb "scribe" (from "scribere," meaning "to write"). Yet the two words have very distinct, often nearly opposite meanings. Why? In a way, you could say it's the law. In the 15th and 16th centuries both words had legal implications. To "proscribe" was to publish the name of a person who had been condemned, outlawed, or banished. To "prescribe" meant "to lay down a rule," including legal rules or orders.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
February 24, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
abrupt \uh-BRUPT\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. a: characterized by or involving action or change without preparation or warning; unexpected
*b: unceremoniously curt
c: lacking smoothness or continuity
2: giving the impression of being cut or broken off; especially, involving a sudden steep rise or drop
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Although Kevin liked working at the auto dealership, his abrupt manner of speaking made him a poor match for a job in
customer service."
Did you know?
We’ll break it to you gently: "abrupt" derives from "abruptus," the past participle of the Latin verb "abrumpere," meaning "to break off." "Abrumpere" combines the prefix "ab-" with "rumpere," which means "break" and which forms the basis for several other words in English that suggest a kind of breaking, such as "interrupt," "rupture," and "bankrupt." Whether being used to describe a style of speaking that seems rudely short (as in "gave an abrupt answer"), something with a severe rise or drop ("abrupt climate change"), or something that seems rash and unprecipitated ("made the abrupt decision to quit college"), "abrupt," which first appeared in English in the 16th century, implies a kind of jarring unexpectedness that catches people off guard.
abrupt \uh-BRUPT\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. a: characterized by or involving action or change without preparation or warning; unexpected
*b: unceremoniously curt
c: lacking smoothness or continuity
2: giving the impression of being cut or broken off; especially, involving a sudden steep rise or drop
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Although Kevin liked working at the auto dealership, his abrupt manner of speaking made him a poor match for a job in
customer service."
Did you know?
We’ll break it to you gently: "abrupt" derives from "abruptus," the past participle of the Latin verb "abrumpere," meaning "to break off." "Abrumpere" combines the prefix "ab-" with "rumpere," which means "break" and which forms the basis for several other words in English that suggest a kind of breaking, such as "interrupt," "rupture," and "bankrupt." Whether being used to describe a style of speaking that seems rudely short (as in "gave an abrupt answer"), something with a severe rise or drop ("abrupt climate change"), or something that seems rash and unprecipitated ("made the abrupt decision to quit college"), "abrupt," which first appeared in English in the 16th century, implies a kind of jarring unexpectedness that catches people off guard.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February 23, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
logomachy \loh-GAH-muh-kee\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a dispute over or about words
*2. a controversy marked by verbiage
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The surprising election results have opened the floodgates of logomachy in the political media outlets."
Did you know?
It doesn't take much to start people arguing about words, but there's no quarrel about the origin of "logomachy." It comes from the Greek roots "logos," meaning "word" or "speech," and "machesthai," meaning "to fight," and it entered English in the mid-1500s. If you're a word enthusiast, you probably know that "logos" is the root of many English words ("monologue," "neologism," "logic," and most words ending in "-logy," for example), but what about other derivatives of "machesthai"? Actually, this is a tough one even for word whizzes. Only a few very rare English words come from "machesthai." Here are two of them: "heresimach" ("an active opponent of heresy and heretics") and "naumachia" (an ancient Roman spectacle representing a naval battle").
logomachy \loh-GAH-muh-kee\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a dispute over or about words
*2. a controversy marked by verbiage
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The surprising election results have opened the floodgates of logomachy in the political media outlets."
Did you know?
It doesn't take much to start people arguing about words, but there's no quarrel about the origin of "logomachy." It comes from the Greek roots "logos," meaning "word" or "speech," and "machesthai," meaning "to fight," and it entered English in the mid-1500s. If you're a word enthusiast, you probably know that "logos" is the root of many English words ("monologue," "neologism," "logic," and most words ending in "-logy," for example), but what about other derivatives of "machesthai"? Actually, this is a tough one even for word whizzes. Only a few very rare English words come from "machesthai." Here are two of them: "heresimach" ("an active opponent of heresy and heretics") and "naumachia" (an ancient Roman spectacle representing a naval battle").
Monday, February 22, 2010
February 22, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
thaumaturgy \THAW-muh-ter-jee\ (noun)
Meaning: the performance of miracles; specifically : magic
Example Sentence: "After reading all seven Harry Potter novels in a span of two weeks, Audrey was hungry for more thrilling tales of
mysticism and thaumaturgy."
Did you know?
The magic of "thaumaturgy" is miraculous. The word, from a Greek word meaning "miracle working," is applicable to any performance of miracles, especially by incantation. It can also be used of things that merely seem miraculous and unexplainable, like the thaumaturgy of a motion picture's illusions (aka "movie magic"), or the thaumaturgy at work in an athletic team's "miracle" comeback. In addition to "thaumaturgy," we also have "thaumaturge" and "thaumaturgist," both of which mean "a performer of miracles" or "a magician," and the adjective "thaumaturgic," meaning "performing miracles" or "of, relating to, or dependent on thaumaturgy."
thaumaturgy \THAW-muh-ter-jee\ (noun)
Meaning: the performance of miracles; specifically : magic
Example Sentence: "After reading all seven Harry Potter novels in a span of two weeks, Audrey was hungry for more thrilling tales of
mysticism and thaumaturgy."
Did you know?
The magic of "thaumaturgy" is miraculous. The word, from a Greek word meaning "miracle working," is applicable to any performance of miracles, especially by incantation. It can also be used of things that merely seem miraculous and unexplainable, like the thaumaturgy of a motion picture's illusions (aka "movie magic"), or the thaumaturgy at work in an athletic team's "miracle" comeback. In addition to "thaumaturgy," we also have "thaumaturge" and "thaumaturgist," both of which mean "a performer of miracles" or "a magician," and the adjective "thaumaturgic," meaning "performing miracles" or "of, relating to, or dependent on thaumaturgy."
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February 21, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
chastise \chass-TYZE\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to inflict punishment on (as by whipping)
*2: to censure severely; castigate
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The boss eventually had to chastise certain employees for being consistently late."
Did you know?
"Chastise," "castigate," "chasten," "correct," "discipline," and "punish" all imply the infliction of a penalty in return for wrongdoing. "Chastise" often applies to verbal censure or denunciation ("he chastised his son for neglecting his studies"). "Castigate" usually implies a severe, typically public censure ("an editorial castigating the entire city council"), while "chasten" suggests any affliction or trial that leaves someone humbled or subdued ("chastened by a landslide election defeat"). "Correct" implies punishment aimed at reforming an offender ("the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer"), and "discipline," a punishment or chastisement intended to bring a wrongdoer under control ("parents disciplining their children"). Finally, "punish" implies the imposition of a penalty for a misdeed ("punished for stealing").
chastise \chass-TYZE\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to inflict punishment on (as by whipping)
*2: to censure severely; castigate
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The boss eventually had to chastise certain employees for being consistently late."
Did you know?
"Chastise," "castigate," "chasten," "correct," "discipline," and "punish" all imply the infliction of a penalty in return for wrongdoing. "Chastise" often applies to verbal censure or denunciation ("he chastised his son for neglecting his studies"). "Castigate" usually implies a severe, typically public censure ("an editorial castigating the entire city council"), while "chasten" suggests any affliction or trial that leaves someone humbled or subdued ("chastened by a landslide election defeat"). "Correct" implies punishment aimed at reforming an offender ("the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer"), and "discipline," a punishment or chastisement intended to bring a wrongdoer under control ("parents disciplining their children"). Finally, "punish" implies the imposition of a penalty for a misdeed ("punished for stealing").
February 20, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
saxicolous \sak-SIK-uh-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: inhabiting or growing among rocks
Example Sentence: "As a graduate student, Pam studied saxicolous lichens above the treeline in three different parts of the Canadian
Rockies."
Did you know?
"Saxicolous." It's not a word that exactly rolls off the tongue, but it's a useful designation for botanists. The word is from Latin, naturally. "Saxum" is Latin for "rock," and "colous" (meaning "living or growing in or on") traces back to Latin "-cola" meaning "inhabitant." Other "colous" offspring include "arenicolous" ("living, burrowing, or growing in sand"), "cavernicolous" ("inhabiting caves"), and "nidicolous" ("living in a nest" or "sharing the nest of another kind of animal"). All of these words were coined in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe the flora and fauna of our world.
saxicolous \sak-SIK-uh-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: inhabiting or growing among rocks
Example Sentence: "As a graduate student, Pam studied saxicolous lichens above the treeline in three different parts of the Canadian
Rockies."
Did you know?
"Saxicolous." It's not a word that exactly rolls off the tongue, but it's a useful designation for botanists. The word is from Latin, naturally. "Saxum" is Latin for "rock," and "colous" (meaning "living or growing in or on") traces back to Latin "-cola" meaning "inhabitant." Other "colous" offspring include "arenicolous" ("living, burrowing, or growing in sand"), "cavernicolous" ("inhabiting caves"), and "nidicolous" ("living in a nest" or "sharing the nest of another kind of animal"). All of these words were coined in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe the flora and fauna of our world.
Friday, February 19, 2010
February 19, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
flexuous \FLEK-shuh-wus\ (adjective)
Meaning: *1: having curves, turns, or windings
2 : lithe or fluid in action or movement
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The last leg of the trail is a flexuous path leading up the mountain to a spectacular panoramic view of the valley."
Did you know?
English author Thomas Hardy was fond of the word "flexuous" and described his dark-haired Tess as "the most flexuous and finely-drawn figure." "Flexuous" may be a synonym of "curvy," but it's not the word most likely to be chosen these days to describe a shapely woman. The botanists' use of "flexuous" to describe plant stems that aren't rigid is a more typical use today. But don't let that tendency deflect you from occasionally employing this ultimately quite flexible word. Stemming straight from Latin "flectere," meaning "to bend," it can also mean "undulating" or "fluid." It might, for example, be used of writing or music, or of something or someone that moves with a fluid sort of grace.
flexuous \FLEK-shuh-wus\ (adjective)
Meaning: *1: having curves, turns, or windings
2 : lithe or fluid in action or movement
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The last leg of the trail is a flexuous path leading up the mountain to a spectacular panoramic view of the valley."
Did you know?
English author Thomas Hardy was fond of the word "flexuous" and described his dark-haired Tess as "the most flexuous and finely-drawn figure." "Flexuous" may be a synonym of "curvy," but it's not the word most likely to be chosen these days to describe a shapely woman. The botanists' use of "flexuous" to describe plant stems that aren't rigid is a more typical use today. But don't let that tendency deflect you from occasionally employing this ultimately quite flexible word. Stemming straight from Latin "flectere," meaning "to bend," it can also mean "undulating" or "fluid." It might, for example, be used of writing or music, or of something or someone that moves with a fluid sort of grace.
February 18, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
inane \ih-NAYN\ (noun)
Meaning: void or empty space
Example Sentence: "And thus likewise we sometimes speak of place, distance, or bulk in the great inane beyond the confines of the
world…" (John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding)
Did you know?
The adjective "inane" is now most commonly encountered as a synonym of "shallow" or "silly." But when this word first entered the English language in the early 17th century, it was used to mean "empty" or "insubstantial." It was this older sense that gave rise, in the latter half of the 17th century, to the noun "inane," which often serves as a poetic reference to the void of space ("the illimitable inane," "the limitless inane," "the incomprehensible inane"). This noun usage has not always been viewed in a favorable light. Samuel Johnson, in his Dictionary of the English Language (1755), says of "inane" that "it is used licentiously for a substantive," which in current English means that it is used as a noun without regard to the rules.
inane \ih-NAYN\ (noun)
Meaning: void or empty space
Example Sentence: "And thus likewise we sometimes speak of place, distance, or bulk in the great inane beyond the confines of the
world…" (John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding)
Did you know?
The adjective "inane" is now most commonly encountered as a synonym of "shallow" or "silly." But when this word first entered the English language in the early 17th century, it was used to mean "empty" or "insubstantial." It was this older sense that gave rise, in the latter half of the 17th century, to the noun "inane," which often serves as a poetic reference to the void of space ("the illimitable inane," "the limitless inane," "the incomprehensible inane"). This noun usage has not always been viewed in a favorable light. Samuel Johnson, in his Dictionary of the English Language (1755), says of "inane" that "it is used licentiously for a substantive," which in current English means that it is used as a noun without regard to the rules.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
February 17, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
tare \TAIR\ (noun)
Meaning: *1: a deduction from the gross weight of a substance and its container made in allowance for the weight of the container; also the
weight of the container
2: counterweight
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Before charging us for the blueberries we'd picked, the attendant at Annie's Fields deducted the tare from the weight
of the filled buckets."
Did you know?
"Tare" came to English by way of Middle French from the Old Italian term "tara," which is itself from the Arabic word "tarha," meaning "that which is removed." The first known written record of the word "tare" in English is found in the 1489 naval inventories of Britain's King Henry VII. The records show two barrels of gunpowder weighing, "besides the tare," 500 pounds. When used of vehicles, "tare weight" refers to a vehicle's weight exclusive of any load. The term "tare" is closely tied to "net weight," which is defined as "weight excluding all tare."
tare \TAIR\ (noun)
Meaning: *1: a deduction from the gross weight of a substance and its container made in allowance for the weight of the container; also the
weight of the container
2: counterweight
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Before charging us for the blueberries we'd picked, the attendant at Annie's Fields deducted the tare from the weight
of the filled buckets."
Did you know?
"Tare" came to English by way of Middle French from the Old Italian term "tara," which is itself from the Arabic word "tarha," meaning "that which is removed." The first known written record of the word "tare" in English is found in the 1489 naval inventories of Britain's King Henry VII. The records show two barrels of gunpowder weighing, "besides the tare," 500 pounds. When used of vehicles, "tare weight" refers to a vehicle's weight exclusive of any load. The term "tare" is closely tied to "net weight," which is defined as "weight excluding all tare."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 16, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
parlous \PAR-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: full of danger or risk; hazardous
Example Sentence: “Given the fragile state of the economy, this is a parlous time to be making uncertain investments,” said the financial
advisor.
Did you know?
"Parlous" is both a synonym and a derivative of "perilous"; it came to be as an alteration of "perilous" in Middle English. ("Perilous" is derived from the Anglo-French "perilleus," which ultimately comes from the Latin word for "danger": "periculum.") Both words are documented in use from at least the 14th century, but by the 17th century "parlous" had slipped from common use and was considered more or less archaic. It experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 20th century (although some critics still regarded it as an archaic affectation), and today it appears in fairly common use, often modifying "state" or "times."
parlous \PAR-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: full of danger or risk; hazardous
Example Sentence: “Given the fragile state of the economy, this is a parlous time to be making uncertain investments,” said the financial
advisor.
Did you know?
"Parlous" is both a synonym and a derivative of "perilous"; it came to be as an alteration of "perilous" in Middle English. ("Perilous" is derived from the Anglo-French "perilleus," which ultimately comes from the Latin word for "danger": "periculum.") Both words are documented in use from at least the 14th century, but by the 17th century "parlous" had slipped from common use and was considered more or less archaic. It experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 20th century (although some critics still regarded it as an archaic affectation), and today it appears in fairly common use, often modifying "state" or "times."
Monday, February 15, 2010
February 15, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
astrolabe \A-struh-layb\ (noun)
Meaning: a compact instrument used to observe and calculate the position of celestial bodies before the invention of the sextant
Example Sentence: "With a rotating plate and pointers that marked the positions of stars, the astrolabe could reproduce the daily motions
of the stars on the celestial sphere."
Did you know?
"Thyn Astrolabie hath a ring to putten on the thombe of thi right hond in taking the height of thinges." Thus begins a description of the astrolabe in A Treatise on the Astrolabe, a medieval user's guide penned by the unlikeliest of aspiring astronomers, Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer is best known for his Middle English poetic masterpiece The Canterbury Tales, but when his nose wasn't buried in his writing, Chaucer was stargazing, and some of his passion for the heavens rubbed off on his son Lewis, who, according to his father, had displayed a special "abilite to lerne sciences touching nombres and proporciouns." Chaucer dedicated his treatise to the 10-year-old boy, setting his instructions not in the usual Latin, but in "naked wordes in Englissh" so that little Lewis could understand. When he got older, Lewis may have learned that the word "astrolabe" traces to the Greek name for the instrument.
astrolabe \A-struh-layb\ (noun)
Meaning: a compact instrument used to observe and calculate the position of celestial bodies before the invention of the sextant
Example Sentence: "With a rotating plate and pointers that marked the positions of stars, the astrolabe could reproduce the daily motions
of the stars on the celestial sphere."
Did you know?
"Thyn Astrolabie hath a ring to putten on the thombe of thi right hond in taking the height of thinges." Thus begins a description of the astrolabe in A Treatise on the Astrolabe, a medieval user's guide penned by the unlikeliest of aspiring astronomers, Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer is best known for his Middle English poetic masterpiece The Canterbury Tales, but when his nose wasn't buried in his writing, Chaucer was stargazing, and some of his passion for the heavens rubbed off on his son Lewis, who, according to his father, had displayed a special "abilite to lerne sciences touching nombres and proporciouns." Chaucer dedicated his treatise to the 10-year-old boy, setting his instructions not in the usual Latin, but in "naked wordes in Englissh" so that little Lewis could understand. When he got older, Lewis may have learned that the word "astrolabe" traces to the Greek name for the instrument.
February 14, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
dally \DAL-ee\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: *(a) to act playfully; especially to play amorously
(b) to deal lightly; toy
2: (a) to waste time
(b) linger, dawdle
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "There's nothing like dallying with your sweetie at an exquisite restaurant on Valentine's Day." (Suzanne Podhaizer,
Seven Days [Burlington, Vermont], February 13-20, 2008)
Did you know?
English speakers have been playing with different uses of "dally" since the 14th century. They first started using the word with the meaning "to chat," which was also the meaning of the Anglo-French word from which it was derived, but that meaning fell into disuse by the end of the 15th century. Next, dalliers were amusing themselves by acting playfully with each other especially in amorous and flirtatious ways. Apparently, some dalliers were also a bit derisive, leading "dally" to mean "to deal with lightly or in a way that is not serious." It didn't take long for the fuddy-duddies to criticize all this play as a waste of time. By the mid-16th century, "dally" was weighted down with its "to waste time" and "dawdle" meanings, which, in time, gave way to the word "dillydally," a humorous reduplication of "dally."
dally \DAL-ee\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: *(a) to act playfully; especially to play amorously
(b) to deal lightly; toy
2: (a) to waste time
(b) linger, dawdle
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "There's nothing like dallying with your sweetie at an exquisite restaurant on Valentine's Day." (Suzanne Podhaizer,
Seven Days [Burlington, Vermont], February 13-20, 2008)
Did you know?
English speakers have been playing with different uses of "dally" since the 14th century. They first started using the word with the meaning "to chat," which was also the meaning of the Anglo-French word from which it was derived, but that meaning fell into disuse by the end of the 15th century. Next, dalliers were amusing themselves by acting playfully with each other especially in amorous and flirtatious ways. Apparently, some dalliers were also a bit derisive, leading "dally" to mean "to deal with lightly or in a way that is not serious." It didn't take long for the fuddy-duddies to criticize all this play as a waste of time. By the mid-16th century, "dally" was weighted down with its "to waste time" and "dawdle" meanings, which, in time, gave way to the word "dillydally," a humorous reduplication of "dally."
February 13, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
prescience \PRESH-ee-unss\ (noun)
Meaning: foreknowledge of events: (a) divine omniscience
(*b) human anticipation of the course of events; foresight
(*Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Stacy had the prescience to know that the stock’s value wasn’t going to remain high forever, so she sold it before it
decreased."
Did you know?
If you know the origin of "science," you already know half the story of "prescience." "Science" comes from the Latin verb "scire," which means "to know" and which is the source of many English words ("conscience," "conscious," and "omniscience," just to name a few). "Prescience" comes from the Latin verb "praescire," which means "to know beforehand." "Praescire" joins the verb "scire" with the prefix "prae-," a predecessor of "pre-." A lesser-known "scire"-derived word is "nescience." "Nescience" means "ignorance" and comes from "scire" plus "ne-," which means "not" in Latin.
prescience \PRESH-ee-unss\ (noun)
Meaning: foreknowledge of events: (a) divine omniscience
(*b) human anticipation of the course of events; foresight
(*Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Stacy had the prescience to know that the stock’s value wasn’t going to remain high forever, so she sold it before it
decreased."
Did you know?
If you know the origin of "science," you already know half the story of "prescience." "Science" comes from the Latin verb "scire," which means "to know" and which is the source of many English words ("conscience," "conscious," and "omniscience," just to name a few). "Prescience" comes from the Latin verb "praescire," which means "to know beforehand." "Praescire" joins the verb "scire" with the prefix "prae-," a predecessor of "pre-." A lesser-known "scire"-derived word is "nescience." "Nescience" means "ignorance" and comes from "scire" plus "ne-," which means "not" in Latin.
February 12, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
phony \FOH-nee\ (adjective)
Meaning: not genuine or real as (a) *intended to deceive or mislead; intended to defraud; counterfeit
(b) arousing suspicion; probably dishonest
(c) having no basis in fact; fictitious
(d) false, sham
(e) making a false show; hypocritical; specious
(* Indicates sense illustrated in example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Digital tricksters increasingly place phony footage, facts and press releases on Web sites and video-sharing sites to see
how quickly the falsehoods will spread through traditional and new media alike." (Sandy Cohen, The Associated Press
State and Local Wire, January 1, 2010)
Did you know?
It's the backstory of "phony" that deserves our attention. "Phony" (which dates from the early 1900s) is believed to be an alteration of the British "fawney," the word for a gilded brass ring used in a confidence game called the "fawney rig." In this game, the trickster drops a ring (or a purse with some valuables in it) and runs to pick the item up at the same time as the poor sap who notices it on the ground. The trickster asserts that the found treasure should be split between them. The one who's "found" the item, convinced now of its value, chooses instead to give the con artist some money in order to keep the item, which is, of course, phony.
phony \FOH-nee\ (adjective)
Meaning: not genuine or real as (a) *intended to deceive or mislead; intended to defraud; counterfeit
(b) arousing suspicion; probably dishonest
(c) having no basis in fact; fictitious
(d) false, sham
(e) making a false show; hypocritical; specious
(* Indicates sense illustrated in example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Digital tricksters increasingly place phony footage, facts and press releases on Web sites and video-sharing sites to see
how quickly the falsehoods will spread through traditional and new media alike." (Sandy Cohen, The Associated Press
State and Local Wire, January 1, 2010)
Did you know?
It's the backstory of "phony" that deserves our attention. "Phony" (which dates from the early 1900s) is believed to be an alteration of the British "fawney," the word for a gilded brass ring used in a confidence game called the "fawney rig." In this game, the trickster drops a ring (or a purse with some valuables in it) and runs to pick the item up at the same time as the poor sap who notices it on the ground. The trickster asserts that the found treasure should be split between them. The one who's "found" the item, convinced now of its value, chooses instead to give the con artist some money in order to keep the item, which is, of course, phony.
February 11, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
Panglossian \pan-GLAH-see-un\ (adjective)
Meaning: marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds; excessively optimistic
Example Sentence: "Even the most Panglossian temperament would have had trouble finding the good in this situation."
Did you know?
Dr. Pangloss was the pedantic old tutor in Voltaire's satirical novel Candide. Pangloss was an incurable, albeit misguided, optimist who claimed that "all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds." So persistent was he in his optimism that he kept it even after witnessing and experiencing great cruelty and suffering. The name "Pangloss" comes from Greek "pan," meaning "all," and "glossa," meaning "tongue," suggesting glibness and talkativeness.
Panglossian \pan-GLAH-see-un\ (adjective)
Meaning: marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds; excessively optimistic
Example Sentence: "Even the most Panglossian temperament would have had trouble finding the good in this situation."
Did you know?
Dr. Pangloss was the pedantic old tutor in Voltaire's satirical novel Candide. Pangloss was an incurable, albeit misguided, optimist who claimed that "all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds." So persistent was he in his optimism that he kept it even after witnessing and experiencing great cruelty and suffering. The name "Pangloss" comes from Greek "pan," meaning "all," and "glossa," meaning "tongue," suggesting glibness and talkativeness.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
February 10, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
effulgence \ih-FULL-junss\ (noun)
Meaning: radiant splendor; brilliance
Example Sentence: "The effulgence of the moon in the clear midnight sky provided enough light to help us safely make our way home."
Did you know?
Apparently, English speakers first took a shine to "effulgence" in the middle of the 17th century; that's when the word was first used in print in our language. "Effulgence" derives from the Latin verb "fulgēre," which means "to shine." "Fulgere" is also the root of "fulgent," a synonym of "radiant" that English speakers have used since the 15th century. Another related word, "refulgence," is about 30 years older than "effulgence." "Refulgence" carries a meaning similar to "effulgence" but sometimes goes further by implying reflectivity, as in "the refulgence of the knight’s gleaming armor."
effulgence \ih-FULL-junss\ (noun)
Meaning: radiant splendor; brilliance
Example Sentence: "The effulgence of the moon in the clear midnight sky provided enough light to help us safely make our way home."
Did you know?
Apparently, English speakers first took a shine to "effulgence" in the middle of the 17th century; that's when the word was first used in print in our language. "Effulgence" derives from the Latin verb "fulgēre," which means "to shine." "Fulgere" is also the root of "fulgent," a synonym of "radiant" that English speakers have used since the 15th century. Another related word, "refulgence," is about 30 years older than "effulgence." "Refulgence" carries a meaning similar to "effulgence" but sometimes goes further by implying reflectivity, as in "the refulgence of the knight’s gleaming armor."
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
February 9, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
kapellmeister \kuh-PELL-mye-ster\ (noun)
Meaning: the director of a choir or orchestra
Example Sentence: "From 1717 to 1723, Johann Sebastian Bach served as the Kapellmeister for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen of the Holy
Roman Empire."
Did you know?
As you may have guessed, "Kapellmeister" originated as a German word — and in fact, even in English it is often (though not always) used for the director of a German choir. "Kapelle" once meant "choir" in German, and "Meister" is the German word for "master." The Latin "magister" is an ancestor of both "Meister" and "master," as well as of our "maestro," meaning "an eminent composer or conductor." "Kapelle" comes from "cappella," the Medieval Latin word for "chapel." As it happens, we also borrowed "Kapelle" into English, first to refer to the choir or orchestra of a royal or papal chapel, and later to describe any orchestra. "Kapellmeister" is used somewhat more frequently than "Kapelle" in current English, though neither word is especially common.
kapellmeister \kuh-PELL-mye-ster\ (noun)
Meaning: the director of a choir or orchestra
Example Sentence: "From 1717 to 1723, Johann Sebastian Bach served as the Kapellmeister for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen of the Holy
Roman Empire."
Did you know?
As you may have guessed, "Kapellmeister" originated as a German word — and in fact, even in English it is often (though not always) used for the director of a German choir. "Kapelle" once meant "choir" in German, and "Meister" is the German word for "master." The Latin "magister" is an ancestor of both "Meister" and "master," as well as of our "maestro," meaning "an eminent composer or conductor." "Kapelle" comes from "cappella," the Medieval Latin word for "chapel." As it happens, we also borrowed "Kapelle" into English, first to refer to the choir or orchestra of a royal or papal chapel, and later to describe any orchestra. "Kapellmeister" is used somewhat more frequently than "Kapelle" in current English, though neither word is especially common.
February 8, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
enthrall \in-THRAWL\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to hold in or reduce to slavery
*2 : to hold spellbound : charm
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "For 40 years, the Romero Quartet has enthralled audiences with superb classical guitar playing." (David Stabler, The
Oregonian [Portland, Oregon], January 8, 2010)
Did you know?
In Middle English, "enthrallen" meant "to hold in thrall." "Thrall" then, as now, meant "bondage" or "slavery"; it comes from an Old Norse word, "thraell," which is probably related to an Old High German word for servant. In the 16th century, the first known figurative use of "enthrall" appeared in the following advice, translated from a Latin text by Thomas Newton: "A man should not . . . enthrall his credit and honour to Harlots." But we rarely use even this sense of mental or moral enslavement anymore. Today the word is often used in its participle form, "enthralled," which sometimes means "temporarily spellbound" ("we listened, enthralled, to the old woman's oral history"), but more often suggests a state of being generally captivated, delighted, or taken by some particular thing.
enthrall \in-THRAWL\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to hold in or reduce to slavery
*2 : to hold spellbound : charm
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "For 40 years, the Romero Quartet has enthralled audiences with superb classical guitar playing." (David Stabler, The
Oregonian [Portland, Oregon], January 8, 2010)
Did you know?
In Middle English, "enthrallen" meant "to hold in thrall." "Thrall" then, as now, meant "bondage" or "slavery"; it comes from an Old Norse word, "thraell," which is probably related to an Old High German word for servant. In the 16th century, the first known figurative use of "enthrall" appeared in the following advice, translated from a Latin text by Thomas Newton: "A man should not . . . enthrall his credit and honour to Harlots." But we rarely use even this sense of mental or moral enslavement anymore. Today the word is often used in its participle form, "enthralled," which sometimes means "temporarily spellbound" ("we listened, enthralled, to the old woman's oral history"), but more often suggests a state of being generally captivated, delighted, or taken by some particular thing.
February 7, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
parsnip \PAHR-snip\ (noun)
Meaning: a Eurasian biennial herb (Pastinaca sativa) of the carrot family with large pinnate leaves and yellow flowers that is cultivated for
its long tapered edible root which is cooked as a vegetable; also : the root
Example Sentence: "A sweet tender treat awaits my taste buds whenever I prepare parsnips. Parsnips are truly one of my favorite
vegetables that I first enjoyed as a young child." (Dianne Lamb, Brattleboro Reformer, April 25, 2009)
Did you know?
The word "parsnip" was borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century as a modification of the Old French word "pasnaie," itself derived from the Latin noun "pastinaca," meaning "parsnip" or "carrot." The scientific name for the parsnip, "Pastinaca sativa," still reflects this history. "Pastinaca," in turn, traces back to "pastinum," a Latin word for a small gardening tool used to make holes in the ground for the insertion of plants, seeds, or bulbs. "Parsnip" may also remind you of the name of another edible root, "turnip," and there's a possible explanation for the resemblance. The Middle English spelling of "parsnip" ("passenep") may have been influenced by "nepe," the old form of "turnip."
parsnip \PAHR-snip\ (noun)
Meaning: a Eurasian biennial herb (Pastinaca sativa) of the carrot family with large pinnate leaves and yellow flowers that is cultivated for
its long tapered edible root which is cooked as a vegetable; also : the root
Example Sentence: "A sweet tender treat awaits my taste buds whenever I prepare parsnips. Parsnips are truly one of my favorite
vegetables that I first enjoyed as a young child." (Dianne Lamb, Brattleboro Reformer, April 25, 2009)
Did you know?
The word "parsnip" was borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century as a modification of the Old French word "pasnaie," itself derived from the Latin noun "pastinaca," meaning "parsnip" or "carrot." The scientific name for the parsnip, "Pastinaca sativa," still reflects this history. "Pastinaca," in turn, traces back to "pastinum," a Latin word for a small gardening tool used to make holes in the ground for the insertion of plants, seeds, or bulbs. "Parsnip" may also remind you of the name of another edible root, "turnip," and there's a possible explanation for the resemblance. The Middle English spelling of "parsnip" ("passenep") may have been influenced by "nepe," the old form of "turnip."
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 6, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
comptroller \kun-TROH-ler\ (noun)
Meaning: 1: a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures
2 : a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes supervises expenditures
*3 : the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (as a college)
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The comptroller verified and approved the financial information of the grant proposal."
Did you know?
If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French "contrerolleur") under the influence of the Middle French word "compte" ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well.
comptroller \kun-TROH-ler\ (noun)
Meaning: 1: a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures
2 : a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes supervises expenditures
*3 : the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (as a college)
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The comptroller verified and approved the financial information of the grant proposal."
Did you know?
If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French "contrerolleur") under the influence of the Middle French word "compte" ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well.
February 5, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
alow \uh-LOH\ (adverb)
Meaning: below
Example Sentence: "Then, with all her sails, light and heavy, and studding sails on each side, alow and aloft, she is the most glorious moving
object in the world." (Noel Perrin, The New York Times, May 30, 1982)
Did you know?
In nautical use, "alow" means "in or to a lower part of the vessel," indicating the deck or the area of the rigging closest to the deck, or below-deck as opposed to above-deck. The opposite of "alow" in this sense is "aloft," used to indicate a higher part of the vessel. Yet, while we are still likely to encounter "aloft," in both nautical and non-nautical use, "alow" has become something of a rarity. When encountered, it is usually found in the combination "alow and aloft." This phrase literally refers to the upper and lower parts of a ship or its rigging, but it can also be used to mean "completely" or "throughout" — similar to the more familiar "high and low."
alow \uh-LOH\ (adverb)
Meaning: below
Example Sentence: "Then, with all her sails, light and heavy, and studding sails on each side, alow and aloft, she is the most glorious moving
object in the world." (Noel Perrin, The New York Times, May 30, 1982)
Did you know?
In nautical use, "alow" means "in or to a lower part of the vessel," indicating the deck or the area of the rigging closest to the deck, or below-deck as opposed to above-deck. The opposite of "alow" in this sense is "aloft," used to indicate a higher part of the vessel. Yet, while we are still likely to encounter "aloft," in both nautical and non-nautical use, "alow" has become something of a rarity. When encountered, it is usually found in the combination "alow and aloft." This phrase literally refers to the upper and lower parts of a ship or its rigging, but it can also be used to mean "completely" or "throughout" — similar to the more familiar "high and low."
Thursday, February 4, 2010
February 4, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
vulnerary \VUL-nuh-rair-ee\ (adjective)
Meaning: used for or useful in healing wounds
Example Sentence: "Aloe vera is a vulnerary plant whose extract is widely used to soothe and heal burns."
Did you know?
In Latin, "vulnus" means "wound." You might think, then, that the English adjective "vulnerary" would mean "wounding" or "causing a wound" — and, indeed, "vulnerary" has been used that way, along with two obsolete adjectives, "vulnerative" and "vulnific." But for the lasting and current use of "vulnerary," we took our cue from the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder. In his Natural History, he used the Latin adjective "vulnerarius" to describe a plaster, or dressing, for healing wounds. And that's fine — the suffix "-ary" merely indicates that there is a connection, which, in this case, is to wounds. (As you may have already suspected, "vulnerable" is related; it comes from the Latin verb "vulnerare," which means "to wound.")
vulnerary \VUL-nuh-rair-ee\ (adjective)
Meaning: used for or useful in healing wounds
Example Sentence: "Aloe vera is a vulnerary plant whose extract is widely used to soothe and heal burns."
Did you know?
In Latin, "vulnus" means "wound." You might think, then, that the English adjective "vulnerary" would mean "wounding" or "causing a wound" — and, indeed, "vulnerary" has been used that way, along with two obsolete adjectives, "vulnerative" and "vulnific." But for the lasting and current use of "vulnerary," we took our cue from the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder. In his Natural History, he used the Latin adjective "vulnerarius" to describe a plaster, or dressing, for healing wounds. And that's fine — the suffix "-ary" merely indicates that there is a connection, which, in this case, is to wounds. (As you may have already suspected, "vulnerable" is related; it comes from the Latin verb "vulnerare," which means "to wound.")
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
February 3, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
elicit \ih-LISS-it\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to draw forth or bring out (something latent or potential)
*2 : to call forth or draw out (as information or a response)
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The announcement of the total amount of money that the charity walk raised for the children’s hospital elicited many
cheers from the crowd."
Did you know?
"Elicit" derives from the past participle of the Latin verb "elicere," formed by combining the prefix "e-" with the verb "lacere," meaning "to entice by charm or attraction." It is not related to its near-homophone, the adjective "illicit" — that word, meaning "unlawful," traces back to another Latin verb, "licēre," meaning "to be permitted." Nor is "elicit" related to the verb "solicit," even though it sounds like it should be. "Solicit" derives from Latin "sollicitare" ("to disturb"), formed by combining the adjective "sollus," meaning "whole," with the past participle of the verb "ciēre," meaning "to move."
elicit \ih-LISS-it\ (verb)
Meaning: 1: to draw forth or bring out (something latent or potential)
*2 : to call forth or draw out (as information or a response)
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The announcement of the total amount of money that the charity walk raised for the children’s hospital elicited many
cheers from the crowd."
Did you know?
"Elicit" derives from the past participle of the Latin verb "elicere," formed by combining the prefix "e-" with the verb "lacere," meaning "to entice by charm or attraction." It is not related to its near-homophone, the adjective "illicit" — that word, meaning "unlawful," traces back to another Latin verb, "licēre," meaning "to be permitted." Nor is "elicit" related to the verb "solicit," even though it sounds like it should be. "Solicit" derives from Latin "sollicitare" ("to disturb"), formed by combining the adjective "sollus," meaning "whole," with the past participle of the verb "ciēre," meaning "to move."
February 2, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
evanescent \ev-uh-NESS-unt\ (adjective)
Meaning: tending to vanish like vapor
Example Sentence: "Dance is the most evanescent of the arts, evaporating into memory the instant it's completed." (Jordan Levin, The
Miami Herald, November 13, 2008)
Did you know?
The fragile, airy quality of things evanescent reflects the etymology of the word "evanescent" itself. It derives from a form of the Latin verb "evanescere," which means "to evaporate" or "to vanish." Given the similarity in spelling between the two words, you might expect "evaporate" to come from the same Latin root, but it actually grew out of another steamy Latin root, "evaporare."
evanescent \ev-uh-NESS-unt\ (adjective)
Meaning: tending to vanish like vapor
Example Sentence: "Dance is the most evanescent of the arts, evaporating into memory the instant it's completed." (Jordan Levin, The
Miami Herald, November 13, 2008)
Did you know?
The fragile, airy quality of things evanescent reflects the etymology of the word "evanescent" itself. It derives from a form of the Latin verb "evanescere," which means "to evaporate" or "to vanish." Given the similarity in spelling between the two words, you might expect "evaporate" to come from the same Latin root, but it actually grew out of another steamy Latin root, "evaporare."
Monday, February 1, 2010
February 1, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
raj \RAHJ\ (noun)
Meaning: *1: rule; especially often capitalized : the former British rule of the Indian subcontinent
2: the period of British rule in India
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi launched a spectacular and highly successful campaign against the Raj, but despite all such
efforts, India did not gain independence from British rule until 1947.
Did you know?
When British trading posts were established in the Indian subcontinent in the 17th century, English speakers were immersed in the rich languages of the region, and Europeans quickly began adopting local words into their own vocabularies. By the end of the 1700s, Hindi contributions to our language ran from "ayah" (a term for a nurse or maid) to "zamindar" (a collector of land taxes or revenues). English speakers borrowed "raj" from Hindi around 1800 (the Hindi word in turn traces to an older term that is related to the Sanskrit word for "king"). Other words of Hindi descent that are now common in English include "chintz," "pundit," "bungalow," "veranda," "seersucker," and "bandanna."
raj \RAHJ\ (noun)
Meaning: *1: rule; especially often capitalized : the former British rule of the Indian subcontinent
2: the period of British rule in India
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi launched a spectacular and highly successful campaign against the Raj, but despite all such
efforts, India did not gain independence from British rule until 1947.
Did you know?
When British trading posts were established in the Indian subcontinent in the 17th century, English speakers were immersed in the rich languages of the region, and Europeans quickly began adopting local words into their own vocabularies. By the end of the 1700s, Hindi contributions to our language ran from "ayah" (a term for a nurse or maid) to "zamindar" (a collector of land taxes or revenues). English speakers borrowed "raj" from Hindi around 1800 (the Hindi word in turn traces to an older term that is related to the Sanskrit word for "king"). Other words of Hindi descent that are now common in English include "chintz," "pundit," "bungalow," "veranda," "seersucker," and "bandanna."
January 31, 2010 - Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
coeval \koh-EE-vul\ (adjective)
Meaning: of the same or equal age, antiquity, or duration
Example Sentence: "How old is this ancient town? One guess: It dates to 2600-2500 B.C. — more or less coeval with nearby Stonehenge …
which may date to 3100 B.C." (The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 12, 2007)
Did you know?
"Coeval" comes to English from the Latin word "coaevus," meaning "of the same age." "Coaevus" was formed by combining the "co-" prefix ("in or to the same degree") with Latin "aevum" ("age" or "lifetime"). The root "ev" comes from "aevum," making words such as "longevity," "medieval," and "primeval" all near relations to "coeval." Although "coeval" can technically describe any two or more entities that coexist, it is most typically used to refer to things that have existed together for a very long time (such as galaxies) or that were concurrent with each other in the distant past (parallel historical periods of ancient civilizations, for example).
coeval \koh-EE-vul\ (adjective)
Meaning: of the same or equal age, antiquity, or duration
Example Sentence: "How old is this ancient town? One guess: It dates to 2600-2500 B.C. — more or less coeval with nearby Stonehenge …
which may date to 3100 B.C." (The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 12, 2007)
Did you know?
"Coeval" comes to English from the Latin word "coaevus," meaning "of the same age." "Coaevus" was formed by combining the "co-" prefix ("in or to the same degree") with Latin "aevum" ("age" or "lifetime"). The root "ev" comes from "aevum," making words such as "longevity," "medieval," and "primeval" all near relations to "coeval." Although "coeval" can technically describe any two or more entities that coexist, it is most typically used to refer to things that have existed together for a very long time (such as galaxies) or that were concurrent with each other in the distant past (parallel historical periods of ancient civilizations, for example).
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