New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - FUGACIOUS

pronunciation: [fyoo-GEY-shəs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, mid-17th century

 

meaning:

1. Tending to disappear.

2. Fleeting.

 

Example:

"Cookies are quite fugacious in my house." 
"The hummingbird made a fugacious stop on my flowers."

 

About Fugacious

Fugacious is often used in an ephemeral sense — your sadness is fugacious and better times are around the corner. Or it can be used in a physical sense. A gardener might describe a plant with falling leaves as fugacious.

 

Did you know?

The Latin "fugere" means to flee. Other words that come from this same root include subterfuge, fugitive, and refuge. Just think of the movie "The Fugitive," and you'll never forget the definition of fugacious.

Edited April 11, 2020 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - ORRERY

pronunciation: [OR-ə-ree]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, early 18th century

 

meaning:

1. A mechanical model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon, used to represent their relative positions and motions.

 

Example:

"The antique orrery held a place of honor in the library." 
"The miniature orrery received quite a bit of use in the science class."

 

About Orrery

You've likely made an orrery, and you didn't even know it. An orrery is a model of the solar system, or at least the sun, Earth, and the moon. Technically it's supposed to be mechanical, but we'll still call your elementary school model of painted styrofoam balls an orrery.

 

Did you know?

Models of the solar system have been created since the calendar read B.C., but the more modern versions are called orreries. There's no scientific origin to the name; the moniker is thanks to a commission from Charles Boyle, the 4th Earl of Orrery.

Edited April 11, 2020 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - MOIL

pronunciation: [moyl]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, mid-16th century

 

meaning:

1. Work hard.

2. Move around in confusion or agitation.

 

Example:

"You'll moil to plant your spring garden, but it's worth the effort." 
"She seemed lost as she moiled around the street corner."

 

About Moil

As a verb, moil means to be working very hard. But if you work too hard you might get overwhelmed or overheated. In comes the second definition of moil, meaning to move around in agitation.

 

Did you know?

The modern definition of moil is the opposite of its roots. In Latin, "mollis" means soft, and moil originally meant to wetten or soften a substance. But if you're laboring in mud, it's probably pretty hard work, and that's likely how moil came to mean strenuous work.

Edited April 13, 2020 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - CULLY

pronunciation: [kə-lee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown, mid-17th century

 

meaning:

1. (often as a form of address) a man; a friend.

2. A form of address denoting a person who is imposed upon.

 

Example:

"Cully! — Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?" 
"The young cully was a gullible target for pranks by his friends."

 

About Cully

Cully is a slightly old-fashioned alternative to calling out, "Hey, bro!" It's a term for a male friend, usually used as a greeting or form of address. Give it a try if you're getting tired of bro, dude, buddy, or chap.

 

Did you know?

There's probably a cully in every group. While sometimes cully is just a young man, there's also an implication that this fellow is somewhat gullible and often the butt of the joke.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - HABILE

pronunciation: [HA-bəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

meaning:

1. Deft.

2. Skillful

 

Example:

"She whipped up a tasty dinner with just a few habile steps." 
"The habile seamstress was in high demand for wedding dress alterations."

 

About Habile

In Latin, "habilis" means something is easily handled. The French word "habile" means skillful, and we kept that definition in Middle English as well. Able is the more common word today, but habile remains a particularly skillful word.

 

Did you know?

In today's parlance, you're more likely to use the word able rather than habile. The pronunciations are somewhat similar, and the meanings are close. Able implies you have at least the basic ability to do something. But to be habile is to be quite talented.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - ANIMALCULE

pronunciation: [an-ə-MAL-kyool]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

meaning:

1. A microscopic animal.

 

Example:

"You'll have to use the microscope to see this animalcule." 
"The discovery of the new animalcule was cause for celebration."

 

About Animalcule

Don’t focus on the “animal” part of this word. “Cule” is what really matters, and it means tiny. The earliest microbiologists studied what they called animalcules under microscopes. Today they’re more likely called microbes.

 

Did you know?

In the late 1600s, scientists began to use microscopes to examine the minute creatures present in water. Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek called them “dierken,” which was translated into English as animalcule, or tiny animal. This term was eventually replaced by microbes around the late 1800s.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - PELLUCID

pronunciation: [pə-LOO-səd]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

meaning:

1. Translucently clear.

2. (of music or other sound) clear and pure in tone.

 

Example:

"For spring cleaning, I wash the windows until they are pellucid with no streaks or water spots." 
"The song she played on her violin was pellucid and sweet."

 

About Pellucid

If you know the word lucid (Expressed clearly; easy to understand), then you’re on your way to understanding pellucid. It can share the exact same definition, or it can be used in a more lyrical sense to describe something beautifully clear, or even clear and pure sounding music.

 

Did you know?

“Lucidus” is Latin for clear, and “per” means through, so pellucid clearly means something completely transparent. Other words that share the clear Latin root include translucent, lustrous, elucidate, illustrate, and, of course, lucid.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - DIVARICATE

pronunciation: [di-VAR-ə-kayt]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

meaning:

1. Stretch or spread apart.

2. Diverge widely.

 

Example:

"You'll want to divaricate the plants as you're starting your garden to allow the roots to grow." 
"We divaricated on our political views, but we agreed to put them aside for family dinner."

 

About Divaricate

This verb for stretching or spreading apart traces back to Latin. "Varicare" means to stretch the legs apart and the prefix "di-" means expressing intensve force. So divaricate means to stretch with some amount of force. It's not just a slight difference.

 

Did you know?

As a verb, divaricate means to separate or diverge. It's also used in botany as a noun for a branching pattern of leaves. In that sense, it can also be an adjective. Shrubs often have divaricating leaves.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - TIFFIN

pronunciation: [TIH-fihn]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Indian, early 19th century

 

meaning:

1. A light meal, especially lunch.

2. A type of lunchbox.

 

Example:

"Would you like to join us for a tiffin before you leave?" 
"My husband always packs up the leftovers in a tiffin for me to take to work for lunch."

 

About Tiffin

As a noun, a tiffin is a small snack, or possibly the box used to carry your lunch. Then you could use it as a verb for eating that light midday meal. The roots are in English, but India has adopted the term, and it's primarily used there today.

 

Did you know?

Tiff is an old-fashioned English term for taking a small sip of something. When Great Britain colonized India, the word tiffin made the leap as well, used for a snack or light lunch. It's stayed primarily an Indian term, even serving as the name of a stackable type of lunchbox.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - SUBLIME

pronunciation: [sə-BLAHYM]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

meaning:

1. Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.

2. Used to denote the extreme or unparalleled nature of a person's attitude or behavior.

 

Example:

"I spent three hours examining all the details of the sublime cathedral ceiling." 
"The professor’s lectures were known to be so sublime that his classes filled up immediately."

 

About Sublime

Here’s a word usually reserved for the absolute best of something. Sublime means it’s so amazingly grand, so outstanding, that nothing can compete. Beethoven’s symphonies: Sublime. The ‘90s band named Sublime? Their “sublimeness” is up for debate.

 

Did you know?

The adjective sublime means excellent. But there’s a verb form of sublime, usually used in chemistry. When a substance is sublimed, it changes into vapor when heated and leaves behind a solid substance when cooled.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - EUPHORIA

pronunciation: [yoo-FOR-ee-ə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, late 17th century

 

meaning:

1. A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.

 

Example:

"When they were announced as the winner, the entire cast and crew shouted with euphoria." 
"I felt the strongest sense of euphoria in my life on the day my son was born."

 

About Euphoria

Today you might use euphoria to describe a feeling of glee and utmost happiness as you're riding high on a pink cloud. In Greek, "euphoros" means healthy, so if you want to increase your levels of euphoria, you might consider implementing a few healthy habits.

 

Did you know?

The original 17th-century sense of euphoria meant someone getting well, specifically through the use of medicine. The creators of the 2019 HBO show "Euphoria" must have known the early meaning. On this drama, teenagers deal with the effects of drugs on their lives and friendships.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - RHAPSODY

pronunciation: [RAP-sə-dee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, mid-16th century

 

meaning:

1. An effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling.

2. A free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional or exuberant in character.

 

Example:

"The story captured the rhapsody of first love and all the emotion that goes along with it." 
"He wrote a rhapsody inspired by the colors of the blooming spring garden."

 

About Rhapsody

As a song, a rhapsody is exuberant and bold, full of feeling. It’s written as one instrumental composition. But you can also apply rhapsody outside of the music world. You might recognize “rhapsodies of praise” or a “rhapsody of spring.” Any expression of intense emotions and enthusiasm can be a rhapsody.

 

Did you know?

In Ancient Greece, a rhapsody was an epic poem, usually recited in one sitting. Over the years, a rhapsody became a song instead of a poem, but still exuberant and often quite long. You can find rhapsodies all throughout the history of classical music and even in more modern forms, like Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - SAVANT

pronunciation: [sa-VAHNT]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 18th century

 

meaning:

1. A learned person, especially a distinguished scientist.

 

Example:

"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. We adopted the present participle (savant) as a noun in English for an impressively learned person. The woman who wrote every book on a given subject, and the professor at the top of his field? Savants.

 

Did you know?

You might be familiar with the condition called “savant syndrome” from the movie “Rain Man.” In it, Dustin Hoffman plays a man with autism who has incredible skill with numbers and memory. Savant syndrome applies to people with mental disabilities who have exceptional skill in certain areas.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - TELECONFERENCE

pronunciation: [TEL-ə-kahn-fər-əns]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, mid-20th century

 

meaning:

1. A conference with participants in different locations linked by telecommunications devices.

 

Example:

"We'll be on a teleconference for this meeting, because people are in New York and London." 
"The teleconference starts at noon, so make sure you have your phone with you."

 

About Teleconference

Teleconference is a contraction of the English words telephone and conference. If you want to get even more specific about the etymology, "tele" means far off and "phone" is sound in Greek. In Latin, "conferre" means bring together. So we've got a mishmash of Greek and Latin bringing together people with sound.

 

Did you know?

President Rutherford B. Hayes commented to Alexander Graham Bell about the telephone, “That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?” Well, about 250 years later, almost everyone has one in their pocket. And business people around the world are able to communicate through teleconference.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - OPSIMATH

pronunciation: [AHP-sə-math]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, late 19th century

 

meaning:

1. A person who begins to learn or study only late in life.

 

Example:

"I am proud to call myself an opsimath." 
"He earned his high school diploma at the age of 65, a true opsimath."

 

About Opsimath

It makes sense that a word about learning comes from Greek, the language of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. "Opse" means late and "math" means learn, so if you're an opsimath, take pride in your late in life learning.

 

Did you know?

Opsimath used to be considered an insult, but opinions have shifted, and now it's a point of pride. If you decide to earn a degree later in life, or you take up a new skill in retirement, give yourself a pat on the back!

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - WISTFUL

pronunciation: [WIS(T)-fəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Middle English, early 17th century

 

meaning:

1. Having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.

 

Example:

"She always felt wistful during the winter months." 
"Running into his ex-girlfriend made him feel a bit wistful, but he was happy for her."

 

About Wistful

Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming and feeling a bit sad? That feeling of longing or slight regret can be described as wistful. You might feel wistful when remembering a past relationship or an opportunity that you missed. It's quite a romantic word to express your feelings.

 

Did you know?

There's a whole range of emotions in between happy and sad, and there are words to describe them. Wistful, a vague feeling of longing or regret, comes from a no longer used word (wistly) for intently, and the word wishful. When you're feeling wistful, you might want to focus on your hopes for the future, rather than past regrets.

[DarkRavie]

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.

2. Not involving or relating to the use of computer technology, as a contrast to a digital counterpart.

 

Example:

"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 today when contrasted with digital. If a clock is not digital, the big and little hands mean it's analog. If email is digital communication, then 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 case, one thing is comparable to another. Coke is an analogue for Pepsi.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - HYPERLOCAL

pronunciation: [hai-pər-LOH-kəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: English, 20th century

 

meaning:

1. Relating to or focusing on matters concerning a small community or geographical area.

 

Example:

"I love reading the hyperlocal news on my neighborhood's Facebook page." 
"The community center supports the hyperlocal residents of the county."

 

About Hyperlocal

You could use the word hyperlocal to describe anything that focuses on a small geographic area, but it's most commonly used to describe a form of journalism. Thanks to the internet, people now have the ability to create newsletters, emails, social media pages, and blogs, all dedicated to the hyperlocal news in their neighborhood.

 

Did you know?

Hyperlocal is a modern term with ancient roots. "Hyper" is from the Ancient Greek for over, and local comes from the Latin word "locus" for place. In English we're not so picky about mixing languages to form new words to fit our needs.

[DarkRavie]

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.

 

Example:

"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 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. They don't know the topic ahead of time, so it's a test of their ability to think on their feet.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word? - CANDYFLOSS

pronunciation: [KAN-dee-flahs]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: British English, mid-20th century

 

meaning:

1. (British) A mass of pink or white fluffy spun sugar wrapped round a stick.

2. Something perceived as lacking in worth or substance.

 

Example:

"She was eating a cloud of candyfloss as big as her head." 
"Her classmates thought she was candyfloss, but she proved them wrong by scoring the highest grade."

 

About Candyfloss

The two definitions of candyfloss are a great example of metaphor. In one situation you have a fluffy, sugary treat. But if you want to describe someone as insubstantial, you could use a metaphor to call them candyfloss.

 

Did you know?

In Great Britain it's called candyfloss. In the United States it's cotton candy, and in Australia it's fairy floss. It probably has even more names in other languages, but whatever you call it, it's delicious.