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Aug 8, 2022
This week’s themeWords coined after animals This week’s words cynical lemming serpentine jackrabbit chevachee 
Diogenes, Sinope, Turkey
Photo: Memet Rifatovic Previous week’s theme Verbs 
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargAt the entrance of a Whole Foods store, I noticed an LCD screen advertising “Animal Welfare Certified” steaks.  
The absurdity of words in the ad brought a smile. You’d think anyone who raises a sentient being for the sole purpose of killing her and selling her for parts is probably not out for her welfare. It doesn’t fare well for the cow, no matter how you slice it. Incongruity in words and action creates violence. Another example is wearing ribbons with the words “Support Our Troops” while dispatching them to die in manufactured wars. Wow! I must be good with words -- today I have managed to alienate two groups of people in one write-up. What are your thoughts? Share below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state). Meanwhile let’s get back to where we started. This week we’ll feature five words made with animals, but no animals were harmed in the making of these words. Animal Welfare Certified, for real! cynical
PRONUNCIATION:
(SIN-i-kuhl)
MEANING:
adjective: 1. Believing that people are motivated primarily by self-interest. 2. Behaving in a selfish manner, callously violating accepted standards. 3. Pessimistic; jaded; negative. 4. Contemptuous; mocking. ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin cynicus, from Greek kynikos (like a dog), from kyon (dog).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root kwon- (dog), which is also the
source of canine, chenille (from French chenille: caterpillar, literally,
little dog), kennel, canary, hound, dachshund, corgi, and cynosure
cynophilist,
cynophobia,
philocynic,
cynegetic, and
cynosure.
Earliest documented use: 1588.
NOTES:
Cynics was the name given to the ancient Greek philosophers who
believed in self-control, austerity, and moral virtue. The movement was
founded by Antisthenes (c. 444-365 BCE) and perfected by Diogenes
(c. 412-323 BCE). It’s not clear why they were labeled cynics or dog-like,
but as often happens with such epithets, they appropriated it. Some believe
the name was given because Antisthenes taught in a gymnasium nicknamed White
Dog, but it’s more likely that they were given the insulting moniker for
their rejection of society’s conventions.
USAGE:
“‘Fairy tales look great on paper. In real life, not so much.’ ‘Cynical.’” Jill Kemerer; Small-Town Bachelor; Harlequin; 2015. See more usage examples of cynical in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
No one worth possessing / Can be quite possessed. -Sara Teasdale, poet (8
Aug 1884-1933)
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