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Sep 21, 2025
This week’s themeWords that aren’t what they appear to be This week’s words corroboree monomachy verisimilar polystyle doctor’s mandate How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Words with Seattle connections 
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AWADmail Issue 1212A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and LanguageSponsor’s Message: ONEUPMANSHIP 3.0 is more wicked smart money board game fun for the whole family. “The components are better. The mechanics are better. The game is just monumentally better in every way.” -- KamSandwich. A fabulous gift. Shop now. From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: Misleading words This week I invited our readers to share their favorite misleading words. Here’s a selection:
My favorite misleading word is enormity, which is widely misused. Many
writers think it means largeness, when it really means wickedness or
awfulness. While reading, I’ve yelled at many books over this word.
-Linda Laddin, Normandy, France (lelhk yahoo.com) The notice warns Road Works. But the road is shut -- definitely not working. -Lynda Lunn, Berkshire, UK (lyndalunn8 gmail.com) My favorite misleading word? Dapper. In the Netherlands dapper means valiant/brave, while in English it is trim/stylish/spruce. In Old High German, Tapfer was an adjective applied to knights. Over the years, Dutch knights, possibly rating courage more than other cultures, retained the fighter part of the original meaning; while English knights concentrated on merely looking the part. -Andrew Lloyd, Borris, Ireland (knockroe gmail.com) A cardiologist does not deal cards at the casino. Should be called a heartist. -Lawrence Bricker, Silver Spring, Maryland (brickerl1 gmail.com) Rehearsal: I don’t think anyone is confused or thrown off track, but there is no initial hearsal before subsequent rehearsals. -Tom Reel, Norfolk, Virginia (tom.reel cox.net) I frequently read misled as the past participle of that never-used verb misle. -Elaine McCall, Portland, Oregon (elainemccall34 hotmail.com) What does gubernatorial mean? A peanut in the swimming pool. This is from my friend and former colleague Earl Higgins. -Kevin Horne, New Orleans, Louisiana (kevin.kphorne gmail.com) To me, the most misleading word is facts. It implies that truth is truth, which we know from Rudy Giuliani is not the case. What is true is what we choose to believe without regard to that pernicious word. He is even being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for, of course, freeing us from objective reality. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) The most misleading word to me is dearth. It always seems to mean “a lot” to me. And I always struggle with its meaning when someone uses it. Definitely not a dearth of struggles! -Cheryl Nangeroni, McMinnville, Oregon (cherylnangeroni gmail.com) Your comments on the word committee remind me of the classic line (video, 13 sec.) from Empire Strikes Back. Han Solo recognizes that the Millennium Falcon is inside a space slug. He tells Princess Leia that they are taking off. She tries to argue against that and Han cuts her off, “No time to discuss this as a committee.” To which she replies, “I am not a committee.” -Adam Horne, Ringgold, Georgia (kiddocmd hotmail.com) From: Tom Furgas (tofu4879 gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--corroboree The American contemporary composer Earle Brown created a work for piano entitled “Corroboree” (description; video, 12 min.). Tom Furgas, Youngstown, Ohio From: Joel Mabus (jmabusguitar sbcglobal.net) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--corroboree It sounds to me like a co-robbery. Like the stroll of the duly elected Walrus and his friend the Carpenter, who steal the youngest and tenderest oysters from the beach to fill their swollen bellies. Joel Mabus, Portage, Michigan From: David Santangelo (dcsantangelo2005 comcast.net) Subject: Monomachy This word makes me think of Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes, where the brothers Polynices and Eteocles and sons of Oedipus fight and kill each other in single combat over the kingship of Thebes. Feels appropriate given its Greek etymological origins. David Santangelo, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
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From: Brenda J. Gannam (gannamconsulting earthlink.net) Subject: monomachy My favorite monomachy (albeit apocryphal) took place between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin during the Crusades. The two men came face to face to negotiate terms and demonstrate their respective strength. To begin the contest, Richard wields an enormous axe, raises it overhead, and in one fell swoop, splits a giant tree trunk cleanly in two. He then looks smugly at Saladin, not saying a word. Saladin reaches inside his robe and pulls out a large silk scarf. He rolls it into a ball and tosses it into the air. As the scarf unfurls, Saladin draws his sword, executes a few masterful strokes, and when the scarf lands on the ground it has been transformed into a magnificently intricate sheet of lace. Saladin turns and walks away, leaving Richard stunned. Brenda J. Gannam, Brooklyn, New York From: Douglas Bietsch (adbietsch comcast.net) Subject: Verisimilar Verisimilar reminds me of Stephen Colbert’s word truthiness. Things that have truthiness have the quality of seeming or being felt to be true, even if they are not necessarily true. Like “alternative facts”, truthiness is based on intuition, a feeling that something must be true. Generally speaking, a concept that projects truthiness is an idea that is fact- and evidence-free, a kind of junk food for the mind. Just as we should avoid consuming junk food for our physical health, we should avoid ideas with truthiness for our moral and mental health. Douglas Bietsch, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania From: Sandeep Sawant (sandy2604 gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--verisimilar The word verisimilar instantly brought my thoughts to the digital social world. WhatsApp forwards with fake but verisimilar news, hallucinations of Gen AI tools providing verisimilar answers. I smiled when I read that the word’s first documented usage was way back in 1681. Sandeep Sawant, Pune, India From: Rob Wunar (rjwmaps gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--polystyle Can you use polystyle to describe an Excel spreadsheet? It’s got columns and a complex spreadsheet model could be said to have an architect. Rob Wunar, Portland, Oregon  
Subject: corroboree and monomachy In this scenario, I’ve opted to take the literal route regarding our word “corroboree”, underlining the fact that this Australian Aboriginal-coined word was used in naming two species of tiny indigenous frogs, whose distinctive black-on-yellow stripes mimic the striped body-paint patterning associated with their corroboree ritual. Let the corroboree begin! 
Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams
Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks Corroboree There’s something I really must say: I’ve not wanted to go, to this day, To an outback corroboree -- Not because of my snobbery; But because it’s just too far away. -Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com) A corroboree’s like a convention. It has Down Under roots, I should mention. I’d be most delighted If I were invited -- To attend one someday’s my intention. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) A great celebration is planned. The birthday of our wondrous land. But Trump in his snobbery Will say, “This corroboree Glorifies me, and it’s grand.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) At the cabinet’s weekly corroboree, The ministers practice idolatry. “We worship thy cankles, Dear Leader. It rankles That heathens disdain them with mockery.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Monomachy A monomachy always takes place, When two guys wearing shorts have to face One another to play On a court made of clay; And they hope that their serve is an ace. -Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com) When two enemies fight one-on-one, Monomachy’s what’s being done. It’s a spectator sport Of a violent sort, Though some people think that it’s fun. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The monomachy’s starting at dawn. But myself, I’m quite sure I’ll be gone. Chess isn’t for me. It goes on endlessly, And I think it’s one long-lasting yawn! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) Said Euclid, “I fathered geometry; You don’t like it? Let’s have a monomachy! This is Greece, where we fight Till our foe sees the light; But we all pretty much enjoy sodomy.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Verisimilar On the Web please beware of some tricks. You will see verisimilar pics. Do not make the mistake Of believing what’s fake -- You’ll wind up in a terrible fix. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) From Pam Bondi, no words verisimilar Can be heard; we have all had our fill of her. “I’ve got Jeff Epstein’s list!” “There is none, I insist!” You can trust her about like John Dillinger. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Polystyle There’s no need that you travel to Rome To see polystyles having a dome. Just go to DC And there you will see The Capitol closer to home. -Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com) Please travel to Athens with me! Some polystyle buildings we’ll see We’ll eat lots of feta, And what could be bettah? For Greece is a great place to be! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Said Samson, “This whole polystyle I’ll pull down with a wink and a smile. In an intimate bond I was thoroughly conned By Delilah. Oy vey, she had guile!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Doctor’s mandate Though in governing Trump’s not been schooled, With a firm doctor’s mandate he’s ruled. All those voters with hopes That he’d learn the ropes, Have sadly, but surely been fooled. -Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com) With the broad doctor’s mandate he’s got, Trump can sure get away with a lot. I’d like to expect He’ll somehow be checked, But it certainly seems he will not. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) “I won! It’s a true doctor’s mandate! I’ll send troops to each blue not-a-fan state!” Said Donald. “What fear I’ll spread year after year, Young forever -- just like Peter Pan’s fate!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “Let’s join forces and do a corroboree,” said John Dillinger to Al Capone. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Her front door was left open, and she gasped at the empty rooms inside. It was a dé-corroboree. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “All your scheming doesn’t work against microbes. You’ve got monomachy-avelli,” said the doctor. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “We could take turns playing the same girl. We look verisimilar,” said Mary-Kate_and_Ashley to the casting director. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) In her salon, Polystyle-s hair in all the popular cuts, but her own is a mess. -Janice Power, Cleveland, Ohio (powerjanice782 gmail.com) “I wear my feathers Polystyle,” said the parrot about her favorite fashion influencer. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “We believe in loving one another polystyle,” said the president of the Organization for Ethical Non-Monogamy. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) The gay dentist went on a lovely doctor’s mandate with the dermatologist in the next office. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future
of the human race. -H.G. Wells, writer (21 Sep 1866-1946)
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