New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FLITCH

pronunciation: [fliCH]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old English, unknown

 

Meaning:

1. A slab of timber cut from a tree trunk, usually from the outside.

2. A side of bacon.

 

Examples:

"Landon cut several flitches of wood to add to the fire."

"I love having a flitch with my eggs and toast."

About Flitch

The word "flitch" developed from the Middle English word "flicce" (which was the salted and cured side of any meat product), but originally came from German.

 

Did you Know?

While enjoying eggs with a flitch seems timeless, bacon as part of a hearty breakfast is less than a century old and the result of really good PR. To sell more pork products, one company reached out to doctors, asking them to cosign the idea that a heavier breakfast is a healthier one. The rest is history.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: KVELL

pronunciation: [fliCH]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Yiddish, 1960s

 

Meaning:

1. Feel happy and proud.

 

Examples:

"The best part of award shows is seeing recipients’ families kvelling over their success."

"Even as conversations quieted, the winning team continued to kvell over their victory."

About Kvell

“Kvell” comes from the Yiddish word “kveln,” a word that developed from the Middle High German term “quellen” (meaning “to well up”).

 

Did you Know?

Yiddish has given us a wealth of words that we use in our everyday lives. Besides “kvell,” we also have the word “schtick” (a comedic routine), “klutz” (a clumsy person), and “bupkis” (nothing), among many others.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PUERPERAL

pronunciation: [pyoo-ER-per-əl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. During or relating to the period of about six weeks after childbirth during which the mother's reproductive organs return to their original nonpregnant condition.

 

Examples:

"Therese and her baby had a lot of support during the puerperal period."

"The OB/GYN instructed the couple to check in often during the puerperal period."

About Puerperal

Puerperal comes from the Latin words "puer" ("child") and "para" ("bearing") — translating to "woman who has given birth."

 

Did you Know?

The six weeks following childbirth, aka the puerperal period, are important for both parents to bond with their baby and recover. For this reason, many countries offer paid maternal and paternal leave for a minimum of six weeks. Some countries, such as New Zealand, offer 18 weeks or more.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FLIVVER

pronunciation: [FLIH-vər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown, early 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A cheap car or aircraft, especially one in bad condition.

 

Examples:

"My dad is so frugal, he refuses to give up his flivver until it can't be driven."

"It may look like a flivver, but that car served me well through my 20s."

About Flivver

While we know that this word developed in the early 20th century, when odd nicknames for vehicles first began popping up, its exact origins are unknown.

 

Did you Know?

Just because a car is old doesn't mean that it is also a flivver. If you're looking for a used car, it's a good idea to take along your mechanic or automotive-minded friend to check it out and make sure it is good quality.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: NOBBY

pronunciation: [NAH-bee]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Unknown, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Describing a person of wealth or high social position.

 

Examples:

"When he wasn’t saving lives as Batman, Bruce Wayne lived a nobby lifestyle as a socialite."

"It doesn’t matter if the rental car is a nobby convertible or a family minivan — I’ll be happy either way."

About Nobby

The closest guess is that “nobby” developed by way of the Scottish word “knab” (meaning “a person of importance”) as slang for high society.

 

Did you Know?

Don’t mix these homophones up. “Knobby” is an adjective that describes something that has a lot of knobs — such as a pilot’s switchboard or an old branch. “Nobby” is an adjective that specifically describes a wealthy person or one who has a high social position. Both are adjectives, but each possesses a different meaning.