DarkRavie Posted November 5 Author Report Share Posted November 5 What's the Word: VERSO pronunciation: [vər-soh] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, mid-19th century Meaning: 1. A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document. 2. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting. Examples: "Every new chapter begins on the verso." "This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso." About Verso Verso is a traditional printing term for the left-hand side of an open book, but it can also be the back side of a single piece of paper. It's a handy term that has been adopted by the arts and collectibles community to refer to the back or reverse side of a painting or coin. Did you Know? Open up a book and take a look at the pages in front of you. The right-hand side is called "recto," from the Latin for "on the right leaf." Conversely, "verso" means "on the left leaf." Using these terms is a fancy way to let someone know that you know your books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 6 Author Report Share Posted November 6 What's the Word: APHYLLOUS pronunciation: [ey-FIL-əs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, early 19th century Meaning: 1. (Botany) Having no leaves. Examples: "The aphyllous trees wrapped in bright holiday lights brought cheer to the street." "The aphyllous branches looked menacing silhouetted against the sky at night." About Aphyllous Aphyllous developed from the Latin word "aphyllus," via the Greek word "áphyllos." All of these words mean "leafless." Did you Know? While lights draped over aphyllous trees make a cheery sight, they also have a practical purpose — for certain cold-sensitive plants, these lights may provide just enough warmth for the fall and winter seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 7 Author Report Share Posted November 7 What's the Word: MERINGUE pronunciation: [mə-RANG] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, early 18th century Meaning: 1. An item of sweet food made by baking a mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar until crisp. 2. A light mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, baked until crisp or used as a topping for desserts. Examples: "Follow this recipe to produce a perfect meringue." "We need to get more eggs for the meringue." About Meringue A pastry chef can tell you there are three different types of meringue. The most commonly known is the French meringue, made with fine sugar beaten into egg whites. Italian meringue is made with heated sugar syrup instead of granular sugar, and Swiss meringue is made by combining the sugar and egg whites over a pot of simmering water. Did you Know? The two-syllable "meringue" (mə-RANG) is the dessert treat. Add another syllable (mə-RENG-geh) and you have a variant spelling of the Latin dance merengue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 8 Author Report Share Posted November 8 What's the Word: EDIFICE pronunciation: [ED-ə-fəs] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 14th century Meaning: 1. A building, especially a large, imposing one. 2. A complex system of beliefs. Examples: "The edifice at the center of campus holds the business school classes." "The first task of the new government is to establish a constitutional edifice." About Edifice An imposing word comes with imposing roots. In Latin, "aedis" means "dwelling" and "facere" means "to make." The first definition of "edifice" retains the idea of building construction, but sense number two is more figurative. A figurative edifice is built of a complex set of beliefs. Did you Know? The largest edifice in the United States is the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington. This facility was built in the 1960s for the manufacturing of the 747. The edifice is still used for the construction of some of the Boeing company's largest aircrafts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 9 Author Report Share Posted November 9 What's the Word: MIRTH pronunciation: [mərTH] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old English, pre-12th century Meaning: 1. Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter. Examples: "I was full of mirth while watching the parade." "The silly cartoons inspired chuckles of mirth from the kids." About Mirth The noun "mirth" comes from the Old English word "myrgth," which is of Germanic origin. The original meaning is related to the adjective "merry," meaning "cheerful and lively." Use "mirth" when you're so amused that you can't control your laughter. Did you Know? Look up "mirth" in the dictionary, and you'll also find an entry for "mirthquake." This punny portmanteau means "an extremely funny play, film, or other entertainment" — essentially something that inspires body-shaking chuckles of mirth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 10 Author Report Share Posted November 10 What's the Word: CODEX pronunciation: [KOH-deks] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. An ancient manuscript text in book form. 2. An official list of medicines, chemicals, etc. Examples: "The library has a prize collection of ancient books, including a codex that can't be found anywhere else." "This codex will serve as an inventory for the storeroom." About Codex While a physical codex can be millennia old, the word comes from 16th-century Latin. It translates literally as "a block of wood," but it came to describe a block split into tablets for writing. Now it's used to refer to a very old manuscript, or possibly an official inventory of chemicals and medicines. Did you Know? Indiana Jones might treasure a codex. It's an ancient manuscript in book form, and any archaeologist would love to discover a new specimen. The Codex Sinaiticus, from the fourth century CE, is the earliest known version of the Christian Bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 11 Author Report Share Posted November 11 What's the Word: DAUNTLESS pronunciation: [DAHNT-ləs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. Showing fearlessness and determination. Examples: "Ride that zip line and show that you're dauntless." "Finishing this job will require someone dauntless and dedicated." About Dauntless If a new piece of technology intimidates you, you might be feeling daunted. Add a "-less" to that root word, and now you're dauntless, or feeling brave and determined. Did you Know? If you're dauntless, you can't be tamed. The verb "daunt" can be traced back to the Latin "domare," meaning "to tame." The adjective "dauntless" can show off how you overcome obstacles and face your fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 12 Author Report Share Posted November 12 What's the Word: ACROLOGICAL pronunciation: [AK-rə-LAH-dji-kəl] Part of speech: adjective Origin: French, early 19th century Meaning: 1. Relating to or based on initial letters or sounds. Examples: "My daughter wrote an acrological poem of the word 'mother' for my wife's birthday." "The ordering isn't alphabetical, but it is acrological. About Acrological If something is alphabetical, then it must be acrological. But not everything acrological is always alphabetical. "Acrological" means concerning the first letter or sound, and "alphabetical" means the first letters are arranged in a specific order dictated by the alphabet. Did you Know? An acronym is pronounced as a word — for example, NASA, SCUBA, SWAT. A lot of other abbreviations that people call acronyms are actually initialisms. These are pronounced by saying the first letters of the words they stand for individually. CNN, IRS, DKNY — all acrological initialisms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 13 Author Report Share Posted November 13 What's the Word: TRICHROMATIC pronunciation: [tri-kro-MAD-ik] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, early 17th century Meaning: 1. Having or using three colors. 2. Having normal color vision, which is sensitive to all three primary colors. Examples: "Have you noticed that most flags are trichromatic?" "My brother is colorblind, but I'm lucky to be trichromatic." About Trichromatic What's black, white, and red all over? A newspaper! This punny joke is also trichromatic — that is, using three colors. "Chromatic" comes from the Greek "khrōma," meaning "color." Did you Know? Most humans have trichromatic vision. There are three types of cone cells in the eye, which interpret different colors. These three colors are then transmitted to the brain to produce the vast array of colors you see. People with colorblindness cannot see one or more of these three colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 14 Author Report Share Posted November 14 What's the Word: MAUNDER pronunciation: [MAWN-dər] Part of speech: verb Origin: Unknown, early 17th century Meaning: 1. Talk in a rambling manner. 2. Move or act in a dreamy or idle manner. Examples: "Don't get him started on his favorite movies, or he will maunder forever." "The blooming trees inspired me to maunder all afternoon in the garden." About Maunder They're not etymologically related, but "maunder" and "meander" have similar spellings and meanings. To meander means "to wander at random," and to maunder means "to speak in a rambling way." Did you Know? Sometimes a word doesn't have a traceable origin. It had to come from somewhere, but etymologists can't pin it down. "Maunder" is one such word. An obsolete usage of "maunder" meant "to beg," but that definition dropped away. Today's "maunder" concerns how someone speaks or moves about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted November 15 Author Report Share Posted November 15 What's the Word: MICROCLIMATE pronunciation: [MY-kro-kli-mət] Part of speech: noun Origin: International Scientific Vocabulary, 1918 Meaning: 1. The climate of a very small or restricted area, especially when this differs from the climate of the surrounding area. Examples: "My neighborhood's microclimate gets plenty of sun in the afternoon, even when it's raining just a few streets over." "The waterfall produces a very lush microclimate full of vegetation." About Microclimate It's a pretty self-explanatory term — "microclimate" refers to the weather in a small area. These mini weather patterns exist because of both human-made and natural influences that change the wind, precipitation, or other weather elements. Did you Know? Due to the steep changes in elevation and the effects of the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean, the weather of San Francisco can be changeable. With the microclimates prevalent across the city, it may be cold and foggy in one neighborhood, when it's sunny less than a mile away. The locals have even nicknamed the thick fog that rolls across much of the city "Karl." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Sunday at 05:58 PM Author Report Share Posted Sunday at 05:58 PM What's the Word: SONIFEROUS pronunciation: [sə-NIF-ə-rəs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, early 18th century Meaning: 1. That conveys or bears sound. 2. That produces (a lot of) sound. Examples: "The bell is so soniferous, it can be heard from the edge of town." "We need a more soniferous system to reach the full crowd." About Soniferous This is a pretty fancy way to say "loud." In Latin, "son" words have to do with sound, and "ifer" means "bearing" or "carrying." Add an "-ous" in English and you have an adjective describing something carrying sound. It could be any old sound, but it's most often loud. Did you Know? If you followed the Grateful Dead in the 1970s, you would have witnessed the soniferous display of "The Wall of Sound," a massive PA system thought to be the largest of its time. This system of amps, speakers, subwoofers, and tweeters stood over three stories tall and 100 feet wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Monday at 03:23 PM Author Report Share Posted Monday at 03:23 PM What's the Word: BERGAMOT pronunciation: [BER-gə-mot] Part of speech: noun Origin: Italian, late 17th century Meaning: 1. An oily substance extracted from the rind of the fruit of a dwarf variety of the Seville orange tree. It is used in cosmetics and as flavoring in tea. 2. (Also bergamot orange) The tree which bears a variety of Seville orange from which bergamot is extracted. Examples: "The house tea blend has strong notes of bergamot." "Your grandmother's farm used to have a grove of bergamot orange trees." About Bergamot In Northern Italy, there's a city and province called Bergamo. But there's also a Turkish word, "begarmudu,” that means "prince's pear." "Bergamot" is likely a mix of these origins. Did you Know? A Seville orange tree produces the fruit from which the citrusy bergamot oil is extracted for Earl Grey tea and fragrances. The herb bergamot is a different plant, but it has a similar citrus aroma. It's a member of the mint family, and the plants are known to attract pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. The plant is sometimes called bee balm or lemon bergamot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Tuesday at 04:18 PM Author Report Share Posted Tuesday at 04:18 PM What's the Word: HARDSCAPE pronunciation: [HARD-skayp] Part of speech: noun Origin: American English Meaning: 1. The human-made features used in landscape architecture, e.g., paths or walls, as contrasted with vegetation. Examples: "I would like some hardscape, but my husband wants only greenery in the yard." "The garden will feature a fountain and some additional hardscape." About Hardscape Hardscape is the name for the human-made elements you'll find in landscaping, such as paved paths, statues, or a gazebo. Your landscape architect will consider the hardscape just as much as the natural environment. Did you Know? Xeriscape is a type of landscaping that requires little to no water. It features rocks and drought-resistant plants to make a beautiful landscape in a dry climate, possibly with some hardscape as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Wednesday at 02:36 PM Author Report Share Posted Wednesday at 02:36 PM What's the Word: MISCELLANY pronunciation: [MIH-sə-leh-nee] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. A group or collection of different items; a mixture. 2. A book containing a collection of pieces of writing by different authors. Examples: "There's just a bunch of miscellany in the attic — nothing valuable." "My poem will be published in an upcoming volume of miscellany." About Miscellany From Latin, "miscellanea" is the plural noun for miscellaneous items. French borrowed it for "miscellanées," and English uses "miscellany" as a charming description for a collection of items that don't deserve to be called junk. Did you Know? As a publishing term, "miscellany" describes a volume that collects work from different authors or sources. It could even be a novelty book gathering trivia or bits of memorabilia. Miscellaneous writing and knowledge can be gathered in a miscellany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted Thursday at 06:03 PM Author Report Share Posted Thursday at 06:03 PM What's the Word: BENEFIC pronunciation: [bə-NEH-fik] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, early 17th century Meaning: 1. Beneficent or kindly. 2. (Astrology) Relating to or denoting the planets Jupiter and Venus, traditionally considered to have a favorable influence. Examples: "Our benefic neighbor is always kind when the children lose their balls in his yard." "I don't usually believe in astrology, but my sister says my horoscope is benefic, and I should expect good things." About Benefic In Latin, the verb phrase "bene facere" means "to do good to." The adjective "benefic" is taken from Latin to describe a kind and good person. We should all try to be a little more benefic to one another. Did you Know? Before science was the law of the land, great power was attributed to the stars and planets. When Jupiter or Venus are aligned in your astrological charts, it's believed there will be a benefic or positive influence. Other planets can have the opposite effect — Mars and Saturn are considered to be malefic planets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted 20 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 20 hours ago What's the Word: FORFEND pronunciation: [for-FEND] Part of speech: verb Origin: Middle English, 14th century Meaning: 1. Avert, keep away, or prevent (something evil or unpleasant). 2. Protect (something) by precautionary measures. Examples: "The fence should forfend rabbits getting into the garden." "We need to rent a tent to forfend against any showers during the reception." About Forfend You're more likely to hear the second half of this word in modern conversation. One might fend against sunburn by wearing a hat and long-sleeved shirt. "Defend" has come to serve the purpose of "forfend," but the older term, with a connotation of preventative action, still deserves a place in your vocabulary. Did you Know? You might have heard someone exclaim, "Heaven forbid!" to express mock horror, but the original version of this phrase was "Heaven forfend." The intention is quite tongue-in-cheek with dismay at the thought of some ill-advised activity taking place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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