New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FAUBOURG

pronunciation: [FOH-boorg]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Usually in place names) A suburb, especially one in Paris.

 

Examples:

"The faubourgs of Paris were absorbed into the metropolis after the city walls expanded outward."

"Much like Paris, Montreal contains many faubourgs that used to be considered distant suburbs, until the city grew to encompass them."

About Faubourg

“Faubourg” is a loanword from French. It was formed in Old French by combining “fors,” meaning “outside,” with “bourg,” meaning “town.”

 

Did you Know?

“Faubourg” is much older than the English word “suburb,” but the ideas are similar. With the Latin roots “forīs,” meaning “out of,” and “burgum,” meaning “town” or “fortress,” “faubourg” traditionally referred to a community or neighborhood located outside the gate or walls of a fortified city. The rise of the term “faubourg” occurred in Paris during the 16th century, at a time when that city was fortified by a wall. The original Parisian faubourgs were architecturally distinct urban areas that bore little resemblance to modern European and North American suburbs. After the demolition of the Parisian city wall in 1701, and the expansion of city borders in 1860, most Parisian faubourgs became a part of the city proper, and today, “faubourg” is a term to describe a longtime residential neighborhood.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ORNITHOPTER

pronunciation: [awr-nə-THOP-tər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A machine designed to achieve flight by means of flapping wings.

 

Examples:

"The historian assured me that several models of ornithopters were flown short distances in the 19th century."

"The flight museum had a display of pre-Wright brothers flying machines, including an actual French ornithopter."

About Ornithopter

“Ornithopter” is based on the French “ornithoptère.” That word was coined by joining the ancient Greek “ὄρνιθ-“ (“órnith-,” meaning “bird”) and “πτερόν” (“pterón,” meaning “wing”).

 

Did you Know?

Today, flight powered by the gliding wings of airplanes or the propellers of helicopters is a reality, but in years past, many people believed the best way to take to the sky would be to mimic a bird. Formed out of the Greek words for “bird” and “wing,” “ornithopter” referred to a type of flying machine that takes flight by flapping wings. The first workable ornithopters were developed in 19th-century France, with a gunpowder-powered model successfully flying 80 meters. Though long eclipsed by airplanes, ornithopters continue to draw fans, many of whom fly radio-controlled ornithopters. These hobby ornithopters strike a markedly antique profile in the sky in contrast to modern drones.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LABELLUM

pronunciation: [lə-BEL-əm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Botany) A central petal at the base of an orchid flower, typically larger than the other petals and of a different shape.

2. (Entomology) Each of a pair of lobes at the tip of the proboscis in some insects.

 

Examples:

"Houseflies have a fused proboscis with a _______ at the end."

"The labellum on certain species of orchids mimic female wasps, encouraging male wasps to visit."

About Labellum

Labellum originated in 19th century Latin, and is thought to be a diminutive of the word “labrum” (lip).

 

Did you Know?

Butterflies, mosquitoes, and houseflies — what do all these insects have in common? Their mouths, for one thing. Many insects with a proboscis (a long syringe-like tube extended to feed from a source) have a specialized labellum, or pair of lobes, at the base, which they use to drink with.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ARRAS

pronunciation: [AR-əs]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Late Middle English, unknown

 

Meaning:

1. A rich tapestry, typically hung on the walls of a room or used to conceal an alcove.

2. A town in northeastern France; population 43,663 (2006). In medieval times it was a center for the manufacture of tapestries.

 

Examples:

"The castle is rumored to conceal secret passageways behind colorful arras."

"While no longer known for tapestries, Arras is still a lovely town to visit in France."

About Arras

This term came from the French town Arras, which was known for specializing in creating tapestries. Over time, the word came to refer to the tapestries themselves.

 

Did you Know?

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the character Polonius conceals himself behind a tapestry, specifically an arras, to listen in on Hamlet and the Queen’s conversation. In more modern times, the cartoon cast of “Scooby Doo” often conceals themselves behind an arras — usually with humorous results, like leaving legs and feet visible.