New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ODDMENTS

pronunciation: [AHD-mənts]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Germanic, 1780s

 

Meaning: 

1. Remnants or parts of something, typically left over from a larger piece or set.

 

Example:

"The dress was layered with colorful oddments."

"Denise collected oddments from different china sets to build her own collection."

 

About Oddments

This word is a hybrid with a Latin suffix on the Germanic word “odd.” It stems from the Old Norse “oddi,” meaning "third or additional number."

 

Did You Know?

In the online role-playing game RuneScape, “oddments” are currency obtained from the game’s Treasure Hunter that can be used in the Marketplace or stored in a currency pouch. Every time a Treasure Hunter chest is opened, there are oddments inside — little scraps that can be traded for better prizes. The amount depends on the rarity of the prize.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PASEO

pronunciation: [pə-SAY-oh]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Spanish, 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. (In Spain or Spanish-speaking parts of the southwestern U.S.) a leisurely walk or stroll, especially one taken in the evening in which young people may socialize with each other.

2. (In the U.S.) A plaza or walkway for strolling.

 

Example:

"The young couple took a leisurely paseo on the footbridge."

"The campus has a gorgeous paseo made of red brick. "

 

About Paseo

This word comes from the Spanish “pasear,” meaning “to take a stroll.” Its root, “paso,” means “passage, step” and comes from the Latin “passus.”

 

Did You Know?

In bullfighting, there is a formal procession of matadors, banderilleros, and horses who enter the ring just before the first bull is fought. This is also called a “paseo,” although another common term for this is “paseíllo.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: NACHES

pronunciation: [NAKH-əs]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Yiddish, early 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Pride or gratification, especially at the achievements of one’s children.

2. Congratulations

 

Example:

"Seeing his son perform well on the football field gave Joel a real sense of naches."

"Sarah gave naches to her son for his acceptance into Yale."

 

About Naches

"Naches” comes from early 20th century Yiddish. It has its roots in the Hebrew word “nahaṯ,” meaning “contentment.”

 

Did You Know?

Like many words borrowed from other languages, “naches” lacks a precise equivalent word in English. Whilst in American usage the definition given is correct, in Yiddish it’s a unique mixture of pride, joy, and gratification.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TANTIVY

pronunciation: [tan-TIV-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, mid 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A rapid gallop or ride.

 

Example:

"The horse's tantivy was as fast as thunder."

"John’s daring nature was to tantivy toward anything that suggested an adventure."

 

About Tantivy

“Tantivy” can also mean “the blare of a trumpet or horn.” It’s believed that the word “tantivy” became confused at some point with the shortened Latin word “tantara,” which was used in 16th century England to indicate the sound of a trumpet.

 

Did You Know?

“Tantivy” was originally an exclamation in the mid 17th century, used, for example, as a battle cry. There’s a famous English folk song from the late 18th century which starts, “Tantivy, Tantivy, a hunting we will go!” Hunting in England at that time took place on horseback, and it is thought that “tantivy” at the start of the song was meant to mimic the sound of galloping.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PLEACH

pronunciation: [pleeCH]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Late Middle English, 15th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Entwine or interlace (tree branches) to form a hedge or provide cover for an outdoor walkway.

 

Example:

"If you want to pleach your trees, winter is the best time."

"The trees were pleached to create a romantic walkway in the garden."

 

About Pleach

“Pleach” comes from the Old French verb “plaissier” which is based on the Latin verb “plectere,” meaning “to plait.”

 

Did You Know?

“Pleach” refers specifically to tree branches. The most used tree for pleached walkways is the Tilia (lime) tree. Trees are planted in lines and the branches are woven together to strengthen and fill the structure. This type of gardening originated in late medieval times and was popular practice until the early 18th century.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LAYETTE

pronunciation: [lay-ET]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, mid 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Entwine or interlace (tree branches) to form a hedge or provide cover for an outdoor walkway.

 

Example:

"John and Sarah carefully put together a layette for their newborn niece."

"Blankets, onesies, and other useful items were packed as layettes to send to maternity centers."

 

About Layette

“Layette” is a derivative of the Old French word “laie,” meaning “drawer.”

 

Did You Know?

“Layette” typically refers to a full set of clothes for a newborn baby. In the 1920s, expectant mothers and their friends and family would often knit matching layette sets for a newborn baby. The sets would include a matching knitted blanket, booties, a hat, and a sweater. This tradition of knitting a set of clothes for a newborn baby, or creating a set of clothes and toiletries for a baby, continues today.

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: OCCLUDE

pronunciation: [ə-KLOOD]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

Meaning: 

1. [With object] stop, close up, or obstruct (an opening, orifice, or passage); shut (something in); cover (an eye) to prevent its use.

2. (Chemistry) (of a solid) absorb and retain (a gas or impurity).

 

Example:

"Platinum is a metal that can occlude hydrogen."

"An optometrist will occlude one eye to accurately measure the other’s prescription."

 

About Occlude

This word comes from the Latin “occludere,” meaning to “shut up.”

 

Did You Know?

The manner in which someone’s tooth occludes, or touches another tooth in the opposite jaw, serves as an additional definition. In this dental usage, “occlude” has no object, such as “Her upper cuspid tooth occludes with her lower canine.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: OMNIFARIOUS

pronunciation: [ahm-nə-FER-ee-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Late Latin, mid 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Comprising or relating to all sorts or varieties.

 

Example:

"The political panel was omnifarious in order to spark debates."

"The farmers’ market had an omnifarious tomato display."

 

About Omnifarious

This word comes from the Late Latin “omnifarius,” meaning "of all sorts." It stems from the Latin “omnifariam,” meaning "in all places or parts, on all sides."

 

Did You Know?

“Omnifarious” has essentially the same definition as “omniferous”: consisting of all sorts or varieties. The earliest use of “omniferous” was in the mid-17th century by Thomas Blount, an English lexicographer and has a slightly different Latin root —”omnifer,” stemming from “omnis,” meaning “all” and “ferre,” meaning “to bear.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ANIMA

pronunciation: [AN-ə-mə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, early 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. The part of the psyche that is directed inward, in touch with the subconscious.

2. (Historical philosophy) the soul, especially the irrational part of the soul as distinguished from the rational mind.

 

Example:

"Steve started to get in touch with his anima."

"My meditation practice focuses on the anima."

 

About Anima

This term was coined by famed psychoanalyst Carl Jung but stemmed from the feminine of the Latin “animus,” which means "the rational soul; life; the mental powers, intelligence."

 

Did You Know?

Just like Carl Jung labeled the “anima” as a feminine image within the male psyche, he called male image in a female’s psyche the “animus.” He claimed these represent a person’s “true self” rather than the persona we present to others. The combined anima and animus is known as “syzygy,” which represents unification and wholeness. Jung also suggested that the discouragement of men exploring their feminine aspects and vice versa ultimately undermines psychological development.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GOSSAMER

pronunciation: [GAH-sə-mər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Middle English, 13th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, seen especially in autumn.

2. Used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate.

 

Example:

"The light caught the gossamer of a large, intricate spiderweb."

"The wings on Mandy’s fairy costume were iridescent gossamer."

 

About Gossamer

This may have come from the Middle English term “goose summer,” perhaps from the time of year around “St. Martin's summer,” or late October and early November, when geese were eaten.

 

Did You Know?

Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies, and its members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. These constitute roughly 30% of all known butterfly species. Adults are small but bright in color, sometimes with a metallic, glossy sheen. There are seven subfamilies, including the coppers (Lycaeninae), the blues (Polyommatinae), the harvesters (Theclinae), and the hairstreaks (Miletinae).

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VERSANT

pronunciation: [VER-sənt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: French, mid-19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A region of land sloping in one general direction.

 

Example:

"The topography on the western versant of the mountain is flatter than the eastern one."

"The Appalachian Mountains’ versant runs toward the Atlantic Ocean."

 

About Versant

This word comes from French. It is the present participle (used as a noun) of “verser,” which means “tilt over.” It originates from the Latin “versare.”

 

Did You Know?

“Versant” can also be used as an adjective that means “conversant, experienced, or practiced.” The first known usage of “versant” as an adjective was the mid-17th century. In fact, Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary only contains this definition for the word.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FIRMAMENT

pronunciation: [FER-mə-mənt]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old French, mid-13th century

 

Meaning: 

1. The heavens or the sky, especially when regarded as a tangible thing.

2. A sphere or world viewed as a collection of people.

 

Example:

"Thunder clapped in the stormy firmament."

"The pro tennis firmament has many strong contenders this year. "

 

About Firmament

This word comes from the Old French “firmament” by way of the Latin “firmamentum,” meaning "a support, a strengthening." It comes from “firmus,” meaning "strong, steadfast, enduring."

 

Did You Know?

The notion of the Earth’s firmament as a solid dome with the moon, sun, planets, and stars embedded in it has a long history. Around the third century BCE, Aristotle exchanged that idea for a spherical Earth surrounded by solid spheres, arguing that the heavens were perfect and that a sphere was the perfect geometrical figure. This was the dominant school of thought in the Classical and Medieval world view until the late 16th century, when astronomers like Tycho Brahe and Giordano Bruno challenged this supposed heavenly perfection.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ARGOT

pronunciation: [AR-ɡət]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: French, mid-19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. The jargon or slang of a particular group or class.

 

Example:

"The British working class has a different argot than the aristocracy."

"The detective didn’t understand the teenagers’ argot."

 

About Argot

This word comes from the French “argot,” meaning roughly "the jargon of Paris rogues and thieves" (for purposes of disguise and concealment). It previously meant "group of beggars," and the origin was unknown.

 

Did You Know?

“Argot” has two potential pronunciations that resemble the words “ergo” and “ergot.” However, “ergo” is an adverb that means “for that reason” or “therefore.” “Ergot” is a disease of rye and other cereals caused by a specific fungus bearing the same name.

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FICTILE

pronunciation: [FIK-təl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Made of earth or clay by a potter; relating to pottery or its manufacture.

2. Capable of being molded; plastic.

 

Example:

"The fictile bowl was misshapen, but made with love."

"The jewelry was made of fictile material."

 

About Fictile

This word comes from the Latin “fictilis.” The stem “ fict-” means formed, contrived” and derives from the verb “fingere.”

 

Did You Know?

While many contemporary artists specialize in the fictile arts, Dame Lucie Rie is the one often dubbed “the godmother of modern ceramics.” After fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria, she revolutionized the world of fictile creation by using clay to create thin-walled vessels that were vibrant and unique. She revolutionized the British ceramics world, and several ceramicists have been influenced by her modern approach. But it’s only in more recent years that her work has been held in such high regard.

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TROPISM

pronunciation: [TRO-piz-əm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, late 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. (Biology) the turning of all or part of an organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus.

 

Example:

"The house plant had a sense of tropism triggered by sunlight."

"Some organisms’ tropism is related to water."

 

About Tropism

This word stems from the Greek “tropos,” which means “turning.” The root, “trepein,” means “to turn” plus the action-forming suffix -’ism.”

 

Did You Know?

“Tropism” extends beyond plant-based biology. Microbiologists use the term to discuss the way a virus seeks out certain types of cells in order to infect them. Sometimes the term “tropism” is used by laymen to show sociological tendencies evident in a person or group — characteristics they may not even be aware of.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FARDEL

pronunciation: [FAR-dl]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, early 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. (Archaic) A bundle.

 

Example:

"The men carried fardels of sticks to start a campfire."

"The couple had a fardel of stories about their adventures together."

 

About Fardel

This word comes from the Old French “fardel,” meaning "parcel, package, small pack." It is a diminutive of “farde,” which the Oxford English Dictionary says is "cognate with" (others say "from") Spanish “fardo,” meaning "pack, bundle." This is said to be from the Arabic “fardah,” meaning "package."

 

Did You Know?

Fardel is also the name of a historic manor located in the southwestern corner of England in the parish of Cornwood. It was successively the seat of the Raleigh and Hele families. This medieval home was also linked to Sir Walter Raleigh and Pocahontas. It was for sale in 2018, and the property came with its own chapel and lordship.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: BENTHIC

pronunciation: [BEN-thik]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Greek, early 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water or in the depths of the ocean.

 

Example:

"Jacques Cousteau was fascinated by benthic creatures."

"Part of marine biology is studying benthic flora and fauna."

 

About Benthic

This term comes from late 19th century German zoologist Ernst Haeckel’s usage of “benthos,” which means "depth of the sea." It is related to “bathos,” meaning "depth," and “bathys,” which means "deep, high." It is likely of Indo-European descent but its origin is uncertain.

 

Did You Know?

When referring to the depths of the ocean, the rarely used adjectives “benthal” and “benthonic.” are synonyms to “benthic.” In 1979, geomarine researcher Bruce W. Hayward published an article called “Benthonic or Benthic?” in the Geological Society of New Zealand Newsletter. His conclusion? “The answer to whether ‘benthic’ or ‘benthonic’ is correct in English is yes: if they are acceptable to the people who employ and deploy them, then both are correct.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PARURE

pronunciation: [pə-ROOR]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A set of jewels intended to be worn together.

 

Example:

"The Spanish royal family has an impressive collection of parures."

"Sophie’s great-grandmother passed her prized parures down in her will."

 

About Parure

This word stems from the Old French “pareure,” meaning "ornament." It originates from “parer,” which means "to prepare, adorn."

 

Did You Know?

A full parure usually includes a ring, earrings, bracelet, a necklace, and a brooch. They can get quite elaborate and include tiaras, diadems, aigrettes, and more. A demi-parure is a less-elaborate jewelry suite of only two or three pieces. Parures became fashionable among the French upper class in the late 17th century when evening salons became popular and jewels were worn with formal dress to signify prestige.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VERTIGINOUS

pronunciation: [vər-TIJ-ən-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Causing vertigo, especially by being extremely high or steep; relating to or affected by vertigo.

 

Example:

"The roller coaster had a vertiginous effect on many who rode it."

"Ray’s dog gets vertiginous on car rides and needs to be soothed."

 

About Vertiginous

This word stems from the French “vertigineux,” meaning "of the nature of vertigo." This comes from the Latin “vertiginosus,” meaning "suffering from dizziness."

 

Did You Know?

Within the last few years, medical researchers have been studying patients with vertiginous migraines more closely. Growing evidence suggests that recurrent episodes of vertigo lasting between five minutes and an hour — particularly in the setting of a previous personal history or a positive family history of migraine — suggests a strong link to migraines. However, the pathophysiology of migraine-related vertigo is not yet fully understood.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HUMECTANT

pronunciation: [hyoo-MEK-tnt]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A substance, especially a skin lotion or a food additive, used to reduce the loss of moisture.

 

Example:

"Wyatt’s tangled mane requires a heavy humectant."

"Shea butter is the main humectant in this lotion."

 

About Humectant

This word stems from the Latin verb “humectare.” This comes from “humectus,” meaning “moist, wet,” and from “humēre,” which means “to be moist.”

 

Did You Know?

Humectants are used in a wide range of products — everything from food and cosmetics to pesticides and pharmaceuticals. They can help food retain moisture and are sometimes used as a component of antistatic coatings for plastics. Humectants can also be used to counteract a dehydrating ingredient, such as soaps or alcohols, which is why hair conditioners, lip balms, eye creams, and skin cleansers tend to boast their ability to moisturize.