A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Wed Jun 1 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--fetid X-Bonus: A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night. -Marilyn Monroe, actress (1 Jun 1926-1962) Miscellaneous words fetid (FET-tid, FEE-TID) adjective Having a strong unpleasant odor. [From Latin fetere (to stink). Earliest documented use: 1599.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/fetid "The more Trump ratchets up the demented rhetoric, the higher his polls go, so he is content to ride the fetid wave of a campaign based chiefly on blind bigotry and unapologetic stupidity." Trump's Latest Bigotry is Pure Fantasy. But it Works; Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey); Nov 23, 2015. http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/11/trumps_new_tool_to_promote_his_bigoted_campaign_fa.html http://www.webcitation.org/6hoATa8z5 -------- Date: Thu Jun 2 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--prowess X-Bonus: If Galileo had said in verse that the world moved, the Inquisition might have let him alone. -Thomas Hardy, novelist and poet (2 Jun 1840-1928) Miscellaneous words prowess (PROU-is) noun Superior skill, ability, strength, etc. [From Middle French prou (valiant), from Old English prud. Earliest documented use: 1300.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/prowess "[Trump] liked to brag about his sexual prowess and his desirability as a date, no matter who was around." Michael Barbaro & Megan Twohey; Crossing the Line: Trump's Private Conduct With Women; The New York Times; May 15, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html http://www.webcitation.org/6hoAqdZM7 -------- Date: Fri Jun 3 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--condign X-Bonus: 'Writing' is the Latin of our times. The modern language of the people is video and sound. -Lawrence Lessig, professor and political activist (b. 3 Jun 1961) Miscellaneous words condign (kuhn-DYN) adjective Well-deserved, appropriate. [From Middle English condigne, from Anglo French, from Latin condignus, from com- (completely) + dignus (worthy). Ultimately from Indo-European root dek- (to take, accept), which is the ancestor of other words such as dignity, discipline, doctor, decorate, docile, and deign https://wordsmith.org/words/deign.html . Earliest documented use: 1413.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/condign "Were [Trump] to be nominated, conservatives would have two tasks. One would be to help him lose 50 states -- condign punishment for his comprehensive disdain for conservative essentials, including the manners and grace that should lubricate the nation's civic life." George F. Will; If Trump is Nominated, the GOP Must Keep Him Out of the White House; The Washington Post; Apr 29, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-trump-is-nominated-the-gop-must-keep-him-out-of-the-white-house/2016/04/29/293f7f94-0d9d-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html http://www.webcitation.org/6hoB7WxmA -------- Date: Mon Jun 6 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ingenuous X-Bonus: Fearing no insult, asking for no crown, receive with indifference both flattery and slander, and do not argue with a fool. -Aleksandr Pushkin, poet, novelist, and playwright (6 Jun 1799-1837) This year marks the centennial of the birth of Claude Shannon, the man known as the father of information theory. His contributions in the field laid the groundwork for the modern computer. But did you know he married a computer? A computer named Betty Moore? Well, in those days a computer was a human and so was a calculator. If you wanted to use a fancy term, you might call them a numerical analyst. The world changes and language changes with it. This week we'll see five words that have changed. Over time all words change to some degree, but the words featured this week have taken remarkable turns. ingenuous (in-JEN-yoo-uhs) adjective Guileless; innocent; frank; naive. [The word literally means free-born. The earlier meaning of the word was noble or honorable as a free-born or native person was supposed to be. Over time the word shifted to its current meaning. From Latin ingenuus (native, free-born), from in- (into) + gignere (to beget). Earliest documented use: 1598. A related word is ingenue https://wordsmith.org/words/ingenue.html .] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ingenuous "Clementine is an ingenuous third-grader with a good heart and a particular talent for finding herself in trouble." Sarah Hunter; Ramona Quimby's Cousins; The Booklist (Chicago); Jul 2014. -------- Date: Tue Jun 7 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--specious X-Bonus: There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don't expect you to save the world, I do think it's not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary, and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair, and disrespect. -Nikki Giovanni, poet and professor (b. 7 Jun 1943) This week's theme: Words that have changed specious (SPEE-shuhs) adjective Superficially true, but actually wrong. [Originally, the word meant beautiful or pleasing to the sight. Over the centuries the meaning shifted to describe something that is deceptively appealing. The word is from Latin speciosus (fair, beautiful), from specere (to look). Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe), which also gave us speculum https://wordsmith.org/words/speculum.html , speciesism https://wordsmith.org/words/speciesism.html , soupcon https://wordsmith.org/words/soupcon.html , prospicient https://wordsmith.org/words/prospicient.html , perspicuous https://wordsmith.org/words/perspicuous.html , omphaloskepsis https://wordsmith.org/words/omphaloskepsis.html , and conspectus https://wordsmith.org/words/conspectus.html . Earliest documented use: 1400.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/specious "As always, exchange officials will make the final judgment and, we assume, reject specious claims." Health Care Caricature; The New York Times; Mar 22, 2014. -------- Date: Wed Jun 8 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--purblind X-Bonus: The true birthplace is that wherein for the first time one looks intelligently upon oneself; my first homelands have been books, and to a lesser degree schools. -Marguerite Yourcenar, novelist (8 Jun 1903-1987) This week's theme: Words that have changed purblind (PUHR-blynd) adjective 1. Partially blind. 2. Lacking in understanding, insight, or vision. [From pure + blind, meaning completely blind. Over time, the sense shifted to partially blind. Earliest documented use: 1300.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/purblind "Robots themselves cannot see very well. And people are understandably wary of purblind contraptions bumping into them willy-nilly in the street or at home." Eye Robot; The Economist (London, UK); Oct 23, 2010. "The Administration had wanted to arm, and a purblind Congress wouldn't vote the money." Upton Sinclair; A World to Win; Viking; 1946. -------- Date: Thu Jun 9 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--feisty X-Bonus: Ethics, decency, and morality are the real soldiers. -Kiran Bedi, police officer and social activist (b. 9 Jun 1949) This week's theme: Words that have changed feisty (FY-stee) adjective 1. Spirited; full of courage, spunk, or energy. 2. Touchy, irritable, or ill-tempered. [From feist, variant of obsolete fist, short for fisting cur, a contemptuous term for a dog, from fist, from Middle English fisten (to break wind). The word fizzle is ultimately derived from the same source. Earliest documented use: 1896.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/feisty "When did our national temperament get so feisty, so pugnacious?" Jim Coyle; Sorry, Canadians Just Aren't So Nice Anymore; The Toronto Star (Canada); May 29, 2016. -------- Date: Fri Jun 10 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--officious X-Bonus: [Destroying rain forest for economic gain] is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal. -E.O. Wilson, biologist, naturalist, and author (b. 10 Jun 1929) This week's theme: Words that have changed officious (o-FISH-uhs) adjective 1. Excessively eager in offering unwanted or unneeded advice or help. 2. Acting in pompous or domineering manner, especially in trivial matters. [Earlier, someone officious was dutiful or helpful. Over time, the word acquired a negative sense. From Latin officiosus (dutiful), from officium (service). Earliest documented use: 1487.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/officious "Zimmerman, wearing a banker's collar and projecting an officious air into the room, continued." Sonia Smith; Unfriendly Climate; Texas Monthly (Austin); May 2016. http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/katharine-hayhoe-lubbock-climate-change-evangelist/ -------- Date: Mon Jun 13 00:45:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hugger-mugger X-Bonus: Out of the quarrel with others we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with ourselves we make poetry. -William Butler Yeats, writer, Nobel laureate (13 Jun 1865-1939) Some call them ricochet words, others clone words, but linguists call them reduplicatives. I'm talking about terms such as blah-blah or mishmash. Sometimes a word is repeated exactly (pooh-pooh, blah-blah), other times with a change in a letter (itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie). From chit-chat to flip-flop and bye-bye to zig-zag, we use such terms every day. This week we'll look at some of the more uncommon reduplicatives. hugger-mugger (HUHG-uhr MUHG-uhr) noun: 1. Confusion. 2. Secrecy. adjective: 1. Confused. 2. Secret. verb tr., intr.: To keep secret or act in a secretive manner. adverb: 1. Secretly. 2. Confusingly. [Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from reduplication of Middle English mokeren (to hoard or conceal). Earliest documented use: 1529.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hugger-mugger "The ancient mud-brick flanks of the Red Fort rose from a hugger-mugger of chai stalls, around which cycle rickshaws and tuk-tuks jockeyed for a functionally useless position." Will Self; Real Meals; New Statesman (London, UK); Jan 22, 2016. "Mark Rylance [is] a Russian spy at the center of all the Cold War hugger-mugger in 'Bridge of Spies'." Steven Rea; So, Who Did Get the Nod?; Philadelphia Daily News (Pennsylvania); Jan 15, 2016. -------- Date: Tue Jun 14 00:45:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--argle-bargle X-Bonus: I look at myself in the first grade and I look at myself now, I'm basically the same. The temperament is not that different. -Donald Trump, Republican nominee for the US president (b. 14 Jun 1946) reference: http://theweek.com/speedreads/575962/donald-trump-tells-biographer-hes-same-now-first-grade This week's theme: Reduplicatives argle-bargle (AHR-guhl BAHR-guhl) noun 1. A vigorous discussion or noisy dispute. 2. Nonsense. [From reduplication of argle, alteration of argue. Earliest documented use: 1872.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/argle-bargle "We have already decided on that, so let me have no argle-bargle from you!" Georgette Heyer; The Toll-Gate; William Heinemann; 1954. "This week's big business argle-bargle is the decision whether or not to bail out Bombardier." Brendan McAleer; Ski-Doos Live on Even as Company Crumbles; North Shore News (North Vancouver, Canada); Feb 19, 2016. -------- Date: Wed Jun 15 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hoity-toity X-Bonus: Of all nature's gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man than his children? -Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman, orator, writer (106-43 BCE) This week's theme: Reduplicatives hoity-toity (HOI-tee TOI-tee) adjective Haughty; pretentious; huffy. [From reduplication of hoit (to romp). Earliest documented use: 1668.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hoity-toity "Now, Liz lives in a very hoity-toity part of town and rubs shoulders with the rich and famous." Marla Jo Fisher; Frumpy Middle-Aged Mom; McClatchy-Tribune News Service (Washington, DC); Feb 15, 2016. -------- Date: Thu Jun 16 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tussie-mussie X-Bonus: H. sapiens is the species that invents symbols in which to invest passion and authority, then forgets that symbols are inventions. -Joyce Carol Oates, writer (b. 16 Jun 1938) This week's theme: Reduplicatives tussie-mussie (TUS-ee-MUS-ee) or tuzzy-muzzy (TUZ-ee-MUZ-ee) noun A small bouquet of flowers. Also known as a posy or a nosegay. [Probably a reduplication of tussy (a small bunch of flowers). Earliest documented use: 1440.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/tussie-mussie_large.jpg Photo: Diane Phillips https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkdesigns/509810339/ "There were several tussie-mussies on display in the Mixsell House parlor, each with a card indicating the message such a bouquet would have sent." Christy Potter; Love in the Time of Cholera; Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania); Feb 14, 2016. -------- Date: Fri Jun 17 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hurly-burly X-Bonus: The ultimate sense of security will be when we come to recognize that we are all part of one human race. Our primary allegiance is to the human race and not to one particular color or border. I think the sooner we renounce the sanctity of these many identities and try to identify ourselves with the human race the sooner we will get a better world and a safer world. -Mohamed ElBaradei, diplomat, Nobel laureate (b. 17 Jun 1942) This week's theme: Reduplicatives hurly-burly (HUHR-lee BUHR-lee) noun: Disorder; confusion; commotion; uproar. adjective: Characterized by disorder, confusion, commotion, uproar, etc. [A reduplication of hurling, from hurl (to toss). Earliest documented use: 1440.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hurly-burly "You won't have a minute to spare as you find yourself caught up in the hurly-burly of a sporting and social event." Golden Rules of Successful Punting at the Cheltenham Festival; Beverley Guardian (Driffield, UK); Feb 29, 2016. -------- Date: Mon Jun 20 00:01:05 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--poecilonym X-Bonus: Since when do we have to agree with people to defend them from injustice? -Lillian Hellman, playwright (20 Jun 1905-1984) In the past we have had many weeks of words with the theme: There's a word for it (see, for example, this https://wordsmith.org/words/sinecure.html and this https://wordsmith.org/words/sitzmark.html ). Well, it's nice to have a word for something, nearly everything, but have you ever wondered if there's *another* word for it? This week's A.Word.A.Day answers that question. We'll feature five words that make you say: There's a synonym for it (or, a poecilonym for it). poecilonym (PEE-sil-uh-nim) noun A synonym. [From Greek poikilos (various) + -onym (name). Earliest documented use: 1890.] "Billy Dorminy was perspicuous, talking about poecilonyms on television." James Barron; A Contest Where the Competitors Flex Their Lexicons; The New York Times; Mar 6, 2007. https://wordsmith.org/words/perspicuous.html -------- Date: Tue Jun 21 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nephalism X-Bonus: Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat. -Jean-Paul Sartre, writer and philosopher (21 Jun 1905-1980) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms nephalism (NEE-fuh-liz-uhm) noun Teetotalism: abstinence from alcohol. [From Greek nephalios (sober). Earliest documented use: 1860.] "Which, though not entirely teetotal, is next door to nephalism." Jack McLean's; We'll All Be Beeping About from Bar to Bar; The Herald (Glasgow, UK); Apr 21, 2001. -------- Date: Wed Jun 22 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tachyphylaxis X-Bonus: I feel we are all islands -- in a common sea. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writer (22 Jun 1906-2001) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms tachyphylaxis (tak-uh-fi-LAK-sis) noun Mithridatism: Successively decreased response to a drug or a toxin over time. https://wordsmith.org/words/mithridatism.html [From Greek tachy- (swift) + phylaxis (protection). Earliest documented use: 1911.] "However, tachyphylaxis and skin atrophy associated with long-term use make steroids unsuitable for lengthy treatment." The Psoriasis Curse; New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Mar 2, 1999. -------- Date: Thu Jun 23 00:01:01 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nullifidian X-Bonus: Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't. -Richard Bach, writer (b. 23 Jun 1936) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms nullifidian (nuhl-uh-FID-ee-uhn) noun: An atheist: a person who has no religious faith or belief in god(s). adjective: Having no faith or belief. [From Latin nullus (no) + fides (faith). Earliest documented use: 1564.] "Riding a backlash against centuries of Puritanism and uptight strictures, we've turned nullifidian." Royson James; On Casino Question, Let the People Decide; Toronto Star (Canada); Apr 23, 2013. "This [the Internet] is where like-minded folk of a nullifidian bent come together, as demonstrated by the extraordinary success of a campaign to raise money for Britain's first atheist advertisements." Jemima Lewis; Thank Heaven for a British Faith in Bet-Hedging; The Sunday Telegraph (London, UK); Oct 26, 2008. -------- Date: Fri Jun 24 00:01:04 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--marrowsky X-Bonus: History is a vast early warning system. -Norman Cousins, editor and author (24 Jun 1915-1990) This week's theme: Unusual synonyms marrowsky (MUH-rau-ski) noun Spoonerism: the transposition of (usually) the initial sounds of words producing a humorous result. For example, "Runny Babbit" instead of "Bunny Rabbit". https://wordsmith.org/words/spoonerism.html [Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from the name of a Polish count who was prone to this phenomenon. Earliest documented use: 1863.] "I remember one perfect evening when my friend sparkled with quips, and marrowskies, and anecdotes." Vladimir Nabokov; Pale Fire; Putnam; 1962. -------- Date: Mon Jun 27 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--vermeil X-Bonus: There is no greater fallacy than the belief that aims and purposes are one thing, while methods and tactics are another. -Emma Goldman, social activist (27 Jun 1869-1940) Natural is good. Usually. Arsenic can be natural too. This appearance of natural becoming synonymous with goodness has resulted in some unfortunate side effects. Some food manufacturers use crushed insects to color the food (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YzM1Edb6mo , wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal ) so that they can label their food as "all natural". Many animals have given their names to colors in the English language. This week we'll review five such words. Other animals that make appearances this week are duck, peacock, mole, and cuttlefish. vermeil (VUHR-mil, -mayl) noun: 1. Vermilion color: bright orange-red. 2. Metal, such as silver, bronze, or copper that has been gilded. adjective: Bright red in color. [The word is coined after insects (of genus Kermes) that are used to make red dye. From Latin vermiculus (little worm, kermes), diminutive of vermis (worm). Ultimately from Indo-European root wer- (to turn or bend), which also gave us wring, weird, writhe, worth, revert, universe, conversazione, divers https://wordsmith.org/words/divers.html , malversation https://wordsmith.org/words/malversation.html , prosaic https://wordsmith.org/words/prosaic.html , versal https://wordsmith.org/words/versal.html , verso https://wordsmith.org/words/verso.html , and wroth https://wordsmith.org/words/wroth.html . Earliest documented use: 1400.] Vermeil color: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/vermeil1.jpg Photo: McKay Savage https://www.flickr.com/photos/mckaysavage/2097589294/ A vermeil wine cooler made by Paul Storr in 1810, located in the Vermeil Room of the White House: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/vermeil2.jpg Photo: White House "What grabs your attention are the four big Chinese characters in vermeil red." Jurie Hwang; Keeping Hanbok Traditional But Trendy: McClatchy-Tribune Business News (Washington, DC); Jan 19, 2011. -------- Date: Tue Jun 28 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--teal X-Bonus: What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness? -Jean Jacques Rousseau, philosopher and author (28 Jun 1712-1778) Color words derived from animals teal (teel) noun: 1. Any of the various species of small dabbling ducks. 2. Greenish blue color. adjective: Of greenish blue color. [From Middle English tele. The color is named after the patches of this shade on the teal. Earliest documented use: 1314.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/teal https://wordsmith.org/words/images/teal_large.jpg Photo: Beth Fishkind https://www.flickr.com/photos/bcfoto/15929402482/ "My particular favourite combination is with a soft dull teal, which is almost grey, but warmed through with blue-green." Tickled Pink; The Dover Express (Dover, UK); Jun 16, 2016. -------- Date: Wed Jun 29 00:01:02 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ponceau X-Bonus: Transport of the mails, transport of the human voice, transport of flickering pictures -- in this century, as in others, our highest accomplishments still have the single aim of bringing men together. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (29 Jun 1900-1944) Color words derived from animals ponceau (pon-SO) noun: A bright red color. adjective: Of bright red color. [From Old French pouncel (poppy), diminutive of paon (peacock), from Latin pavo (peacock). Peacocks are not red, so why this word after a peacock? The poppy flower got this name because its vivid red color was compared to the bright colors of a peacock. A related word is pavonine https://wordsmith.org/words/pavonine.html . Earliest documented use: 1774.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/ponceau_large.jpg Photo: Marina del Castell https://www.flickr.com/photos/marinadelcastell/8692777167 "Eternal alliances which ordinarily terminate in a quarrel about the shade of a ponceau ribbon ..." Ouida; Beatrice Boville and Other Stories; J.B. Lippincott Company; 1905. -------- Date: Thu Jun 30 00:01:03 EDT 2016 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--taupe X-Bonus: Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree, grow for ages, not hurt anyone. -Czeslaw Milosz, poet and novelist (30 Jun 1911-2004) Color words derived from animals taupe (toap, rhymes with rope) noun: A brownish gray, similar to the color of moleskin. adjective: Of a brownish gray color. [From French taupe (mole), from Latin talpa (mole). Earliest documented use: 1911.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/taupe_large.jpg Photo: Didier Descouens/Wikimedia See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/taupe "White and taupe are ideal for any space in which you wish to create a neutral palette or soothing atmosphere." Cathy Hobbs; Clearing Up Gray Areas About the Use of White; Orlando Sentinel (Florida); Jun 18, 2016.