DarkRavie Posted October 16 Author Report Share Posted October 16 What's the Word: STEVEDORE pronunciation: [STEE-vi-dohr] Part of speech: noun Origin: Spanish, 18th century Meaning: 1. A person employed or a contractor engaged at a dock to load and unload cargo from ships. Examples: "My cousin works as a stevedore at the Port of Los Angeles." "During my years as a stevedore, I moved cargo from virtually every country on the planet." About Stevedore “Stevedore” is based on the Spanish word “estibador,” based on the Spanish verb “estibar,” meaning “to load.” Did you Know? Stevedores — also called “longshoremen” and “dockworkers” — are not nearly as common as they used to be, as a result of the rise of shipping containers in the 1960s. Prior to that time, every ship arriving in port needed to be carefully loaded and unloaded full of individual pieces of cargo that had to be tied down in place. The emergence of shipping containers changed all that: Virtually all goods today are shipped in standardized, stackable containers that can be easily moved with cranes. As a result, the number of dockworkers has plummeted; there are more than 90% fewer stevedores on the docks today than in the years following World War II. However, somebody must still manage loading and unloading shipping containers, and that remains the job of stevedores. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 17 Author Report Share Posted October 17 What's the Word: FLAMBEAU pronunciation: [FLAM-bo] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, 17th century Meaning: 1. A flaming torch, especially one made of several thick wicks dipped in wax. 2. A large candlestick with several branches. Examples: "Processions illuminated by flambeaus are common during seasonal holidays in both Europe and Asia." "The guides led us down the forest path with a flambeau, instead of a flashlight, to make the adventure feel more authentic." About Flambeau “Flambeau” is taken directly from the French, where it referred originally to a small flame. Did you Know? “Flambeau” is based on the Old French word “flambe,” meaning “a flame,” from the Latin root “flamma,” the basis of the English word “flame.” The French word is also the root of other familiar English words, including “flamboyant,” which was initially used to describe the vivid light of a burning flambeau but today describes anything bright, bold, or audacious. Another related word is “flambé,” once again from the French, meaning “to cook by adding a spirit, like brandy, and setting alight.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 18 Author Report Share Posted October 18 (edited) What's the Word: COMPLEMENT pronunciation: [KAM-plə-mənt] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 14th century Meaning: 1. A thing that completes or brings to perfection. 2. A number or quantity of something, especially that required to make a group complete. Examples: "Sometimes a pinch of salt is the perfect complement to a sweet recipe." "The home’s proximity to the lake is a complement to its beautiful view of the mountains." About Complement “Complement” is taken directly from the Latin “complēmentum,” meaning “that which fills up or completes.” That word’s past participle, “complētus,” meaning “to be finished,” is the root of the English word “complete.” Did you Know? “Complement” is easily confused with its homonym, “compliment,” a noun referring to an expression of praise or admiration, or a verb meaning “to give praise.” Both words are based on the same Latin root, “complēmentum,” meaning “to fill up or complete,” and “complement” remains close to this meaning with its implied completion or perfection. By contrast, in the late 1600s, “compliment” appeared in French and Italian with the specific meaning of completing the courteous actions expected of a well-mannered person. For these reasons, a complement completes, while a compliment expresses politeness. Edited October 19 by DarkRavie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 19 Author Report Share Posted October 19 What's the Word: ACCREDITATION pronunciation: [ə-kred-ə-TEY-shən] Part of speech: noun Origin: English, 19th century Meaning: 1. A thing that completes The action or process of officially recognizing someone as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity.or brings to perfection. 2. Official certification that a school or course has met standards set by external regulators. Examples: "Even the oldest colleges in the U.S. have their accreditation reviewed every few years." "John received his accreditation shortly after graduation and immediately found a job." About Accreditation “Accreditation” was based on the English word “accredit,” meaning “to give [someone or something] credit” or “to confirm as credible.” That word is based on the French “accréditer,” which is derived from the Latin “accreditare,” meaning “to entrust.” Did you Know? Historically, accreditation was the business of renowned organizations confirming that people or organizations rose to their standards, but it’s no longer just professional societies offering accreditation. Today, a person in nearly any field can seek out and gain an accreditation relevant to their interests. For example, computer science experts can receive expensive accreditations confirming expertise in particular technologies and systems. There are also cheaper courses and exams available online for those who want to receive accreditation as a beer judge (less than $50), a baby shower planner (roughly $150), or a Pokémon “professor” ($500 or less). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 What's the Word: PARENTHESIZE pronunciation: [pə-REN-thə-sahyz] Part of speech: verb Origin: English, 18th century Meaning: 1. Put (a word, phrase, or clause) into parentheses. 2. Insert as a parenthesis; express or state in parentheses. Examples: "The front desk clerk said the kitchen closed at 8 p.m. but parenthesized that we could call her if we needed anything." "Harry told us he was on a diet but parenthesized that he made exceptions for fresh pie." About Parenthesize The verb “parenthesize” is a variation on the English noun “parenthesis,” with the suffix “-ize” making the noun a verb. “Parenthesis” is based on the ancient Greek “παρένθεσις” (“parénthesis”), meaning “I put in beside.” Did you Know? In written English, a parenthesis is a secondary idea added to a complete sentence as an afterthought or explanation, usually set off in punctuation by parentheses marks. But even in conversation, any idea that is added to a complete thought as a means of explaining or contextualizing it can be called a “parenthesis.” Therefore, any time a person introduces a secondary idea into a text, they’re parenthesizing, but so is a person who makes a statement and then adds an aside to further contextualize it. For example, a schoolteacher stating the rules for their class may parenthesize vocally by adding a list of the circumstances in which the rules do not apply. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 21 Author Report Share Posted October 21 What's the Word: BUSKIN pronunciation: [BUS-kən] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old French, 16th century Meaning: 1. (Mainly historical) A calf-high or knee-high boot of cloth or leather. 2. A thick-soled laced boot worn by an ancient Athenian tragic actor to gain height. Examples: "Martha dressed in period costume down to her feet, on which she wore leather buskins." "Wearing buskins onstage is generally seen as a nod to classical Greek tragedy." About Buskin Though the etymology of “buskin” is debated, the term bears strong resemblance to the 15th- and 16th-century words “brouzequin” (French), “borsegui” (Catalan), and “borzacchino” (Italian), all of which describe boots of some kind. However, others believe “buskin” is actually a variation on “buckskin,” which describes a kind of leather out of which buskins might have been made. “Buckskin” dates back to the 15th century or earlier. Did you Know? Buskins are so closely associated with Greek tragedy — which includes such famous works as Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” — that “buskins” was a term used between the 16th and 19th centuries as a reference to theatrical tragedies. The expression “to put on the buskins” meant “to act in a tragedy,” or “to behave in a tragic manner.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 22 Author Report Share Posted October 22 What's the Word: HYDROMANCY pronunciation: [HI-drə-man-see] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 14th century Meaning: 1. Divination by means of signs derived from the appearance of water and its movements. Examples: "She was known for her ability to predict a baby's birth date with hydromancy." "The deep crystal bowl was reserved for the practice of hydromancy." About Hydromancy “Hydro” comes from the Greek for water, and “-mancy” refers to divination, or supernatural means of seeing the future. Hydromancy uses water to practice this art, but there are other forms of “-mancy.” Pyromancy uses fire, rhabdomancy uses a wand, and oneiromancy concerns your dreams. Did you Know? Spells and sorcery might not be your thing, but you’ve likely seen an example of hydromancy in a movie. A wizard or magician will cast a spell over a bubbling cauldron, or look into a bowl of water to tell the future. Using water as a form of divination is hydromancy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 23 Author Report Share Posted October 23 What's the Word: BEADLE pronunciation: [BEE-dl] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old English, 16th century Meaning: 1. A ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution. 2. A minor parish officer dealing with petty offenders. Examples: "The award will be presented by the beadle." "As beadle, he was responsible for enforcing the parking regulations in the small town." About Beadle There are a few different definitions of "beadle," but they're all an officer of some sort. A beadle might be an officer of the church or of a learning institution, in a ceremonial sense. In Scotland, the beadle assists the minister. And if you're in a small town, the beadle is in charge of enforcing minor legal offenses. Did you Know? The spelling of this word has been altered over the years. In Old English, a "bydel" was a person making a proclamation. As it shifted to mean an officer of the church, the spelling changed to "bedel" (from Old French influences). Some universities with ceremonial practices still spell it "bedel," but for the most part, "beadle" is the preferred modern spelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 24 Author Report Share Posted October 24 What's the Word: PANTOPHAGOUS pronunciation: [pan-TAH-fə-ɡəs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, mid-19th century Meaning: 1. Eating all kinds or a great variety of food. 2. Omnivorous. Examples: "We promise the wedding reception menu will be pantophagous." "I've always been a pantophagous eater, and I don't have any food aversions." About Pantophagous You might have thought "omnivorous" was a fancy way of saying you eat everything, but we'll give you one level up: "pantophagous." The prefix "panto-" is Greek for "all," and "-phagous" means "subsisting on a specific food." Did you Know? To be pantophagous can mean that you have a preference for a variety of foods, but evolution also has something to do with it. If a carnivorous (meat-eating) species cannot find enough meat in their environment, they might adapt to eat more vegetation. Being pantophagous usually means that a species has more food security during stressful times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 25 Author Report Share Posted October 25 What's the Word: ELFLOCKS pronunciation: [ELF-lahks] Part of speech: plural noun Origin: Old English, late 16th century Meaning: 1. A tangled mass of hair. Examples: "She woke from her nap with a head full of elflocks." "When my hair gets long, it always looks like elflocks." About Elflocks The first appearance of "elflock" is in "Romeo and Juliet," but it has been adopted into folklore and fairy tales. The descriptive word refers not to hair belonging to an elf, but to a tangle of hair. Elves and fairies are known tricksters, so they might play with your hair while you sleep. Did you Know? In Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," Romeo's friend Mercutio delivers an impassioned monologue about Queen Mab. She is a fairy, described as a midwife, but also known as being a nighttime prankster. If she weaves your hair into elflocks during your sleep, Mercutio warns, "Once untangled much misfortune bodes." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 26 Author Report Share Posted October 26 What's the Word: MAGNILOQUENT pronunciation: [mag-NIL-ə-kwənt] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. Using high-flown or bombastic language. Examples: "His speech was so magniloquent, the audience was held in rapt attention." "You might admire magniloquent language, but sometimes plain speaking is best." About Magniloquent In Latin, "magniloquus" combined "magnus," meaning "great," and "loquus," meaning "speaking." Instead of telling someone, "Good job at the speaking thing," you can praise them for their magniloquent oratory. Did you Know? There are a few words that have expanded upon "eloquent" — meaning "fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing." There's "breviloquent," speaking with brevity; "grandiloquent," pompous in language and delivery; and "magniloquent," which describes using high-flown and fancy language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted October 27 Author Report Share Posted October 27 What's the Word: JARGOON pronunciation: [jar-GOON] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, mid-18th century Meaning: 1. A translucent, colorless, or smoky gem variety of zircon. Examples: "I found the vintage jargoon brooch at my favorite antique store." "Even though it's jargoon, it glitters like a diamond." About Jargoon You might occasionally see it spelled "jargon," but this isn't in-the-know slang or business speak. Jargoon is a gemstone in the zircon family. Zircon can be found in a range of colors, but when it is colorless, pale yellow, or slightly smoky, you can call it jargoon. Did you Know? The names might be similar, but a zircon gemstone is not the same as cubic zirconia. Zircon can be colorless (that's the jargoon), but it also ranges in color from blue to green and even red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Tuesday at 05:18 PM Author Report Share Posted Tuesday at 05:18 PM What's the Word: TECHNOMANIA pronunciation: [TEK-no-MAYN-ee-ə] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, 1940s Meaning: 1. Passionate enthusiasm for technology. Examples: "Technomania takes over whenever Apple releases a new iPhone model." "Maybe it's technomania, but I just love all the new smart home devices." About Technomania It's made of ancient components, but the word "technomania" is very modern. The Greek word "tekhnē" means "art or craft," and the suffix "mania" implies a madness. In the 1970s, the word "technomania" came to mean a passion for all of the newly developed technology. Did you Know? The modern evolution of technomania can perhaps be attributed to the launch of the iPhone in 2007. While personal computers and digital organizers like the Palm Pilot were around years before the iPhone, the Apple devices kicked off an era in which almost everyone has a smartphone in their pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Wednesday at 05:13 PM Author Report Share Posted Wednesday at 05:13 PM What's the Word: COUNTERCULTURE pronunciation: [KOWN-tər-kəl-chər] Part of speech: noun Origin: American English, mid-20th century Meaning: 1. A way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm. Examples: "Flower crowns and bell-bottom jeans were the uniform of the hippie counterculture of the 1960s." "Artists, writers, and musicians are often symbols of the counterculture." About Counterculture Counter — "denoting movement or effect in the opposite direction" — pairs with "culture" to describe attitudes, beliefs, or a way of life that runs contradictory to the norm. The term "counterculture" can likely be applied to every youthful generation as they attempt to establish their own identity apart from that of their parents and grandparents. However, the word is specifically shorthand for the hippie generation of the 1960s and 1970s. Did you Know? The counterculture had been brewing for quite a while when American academic Theodore Roszak published "The Making of a Counter Culture" in 1969. He gave name to the generation of Vietnam War protesters and student dropouts who seemed to be rejecting established society. The counterculture of hippies hit its peak in the 1969 "Summer of Love" in San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Thursday at 05:44 PM Author Report Share Posted Thursday at 05:44 PM (edited) What's the Word: SAVANT pronunciation: [sa-VAHNT] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, early 18th century Meaning: 1. A very learned or talented person, especially one distinguished in a particular field of science or the arts. 2. A person who has an exceptional aptitude in one particular field, such as music or mathematics, despite having significant impairment in other areas of intellectual or social functioning. Examples: "We hired him based on his reputation as a savant in the field of biochemistry. " "I was honored to be seated next to the department's savant at the reception." About Savant In French, "savoir" is a verb meaning "to know." English adopted the present participle ("savant") as a noun for "an impressively learned person." The woman who wrote every book on a given subject, and the professor at the top of his field? Both savants. Did you Know? The second definition of the word "savant" applies to a specific medical diagnosis of a condition called "savant syndrome." Savant syndrome occurs in people with mental disabilities who have exceptional skill (or "islands of genius," as experts have come to call it) in certain areas. You might be familiar with the syndrome from the movie "Rain Man," in which Dustin Hoffman plays a man with autism who has incredible skill with numbers and memory. Researchers have found that approximately 50% of people with savant syndrome have autism spectrum disorder, and the remainder have some sort of central nervous system injury or disease. Edited Thursday at 05:46 PM by DarkRavie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Friday at 07:05 PM Author Report Share Posted Friday at 07:05 PM What's the Word: ELDRITCH pronunciation: [EL-driCH] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Scots, early 16th century Meaning: 1. Weird and sinister or ghostly. Examples: "The abandoned house had a creaky, eldritch aura about it." "My mother loves watching eldritch movies that leave her feeling jumpy." About Eldritch This word is possibly related to “elf,” which stems from Old English and is related to the German “Alp,” meaning “nightmare.” It also has been compared to the Scottish variant “elphrish.” Did you Know? Dungeons & Dragons fans should appreciate the “Eldritch Blast” as described on dndbeyond.com: “A beam of crackling energy streaks toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. The spell creates more than one beam when you reach higher levels.” This D&D spell lives up to the reputation of its “weird and sinister” moniker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted yesterday at 08:07 PM Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:07 PM What's the Word: ANALOG pronunciation: [AN-ə-lawg] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, early 19th century Meaning: 1. Relating to or using signals or information represented by a continuously variable physical quantity such as spatial position, voltage, etc. (often contrasted with digital). 2. Not involving or relating to the use of computer technology, as a contrast to a digital counterpart. Examples: "I prefer analog methods of playing music, such as a record player." "People born after 2000 might not even know how to read an analog clock." About Analog The adjective "analog" is most commonly understood when contrasted with "digital." If a clock is not digital, the ticking hands mean it's analog. If email is digital communication, then stamping and sending a postcard is analog. Did you Know? Today's techies know "analog" as an adjective, but you might also see "analog" (or "analogue") used as a noun. In that usage, one thing is comparable to another. Coke is an analogue for Pepsi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted 5 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 5 hours ago What's the Word: EXTEMPORANEOUS pronunciation: [ik-stem-pə-RAY-nee-əs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, late 17th century Meaning: 1. Spoken or done without preparation. Examples: "I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding." "The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day." About Extemporaneous Impromptu, spur of the moment, off the cuff — all casual ways to describe an extemporaneous speech. "Extemporaneous" comes from the Latin "ex tempore," meaning "out of time." There's no time to prepare, but you'll improvise. Did you Know? Members of the high school speech and debate team probably know this word. In an extemporaneous challenge, participants square off in a one-to-one debate on a given topic, with limited time to prepare. "Extemporaneous" means "done without preparation" — the participants don't know the topic ahead of time, so it's a test of their ability to think on their feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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