New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DAEDAL

pronunciation: [DED-əl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Skillful, cunning, or inventive

 

Example:

"Sean’s daedal directions helped us avoid rush-hour traffic entirely."

"My father’s cat is so daedal it has figured out how to open the front door."

 

About Daedal

“Daedal” is derived from the Latin “Daedalus,” which is based on the ancient Greek “Δαίδαλος,” meaning “cunning one.”

 

Did You Know?

The Greek mythological architect and inventor Daedalus is best known for molding the wax wings that carried his son Icarus too close to the sun. Daedalus was also said to have built the original Labyrinth on the island of Crete, where it contained the Minotaur (and nearly trapped Daedalus himself, who became confused by his own invention). Because of such ingenious work, Daedalus is associated with cleverness and inventiveness.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CATARACT

pronunciation: [KAD-ə-rakt]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A large waterfall; a sudden rush of water; a downpour.

2. A medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.

 

Example:

"We were pounded by a cataract of rain so intense we couldn’t see out the window."

"The world’s largest waterfall, the Denmark Strait cataract, is actually underwater, carrying cold water nearly two miles to the bottom of the ocean."

 

About Cataract

“Cataract” comes from the Latin “cataracta,” meaning both “waterfall” and “floodgate,” as well as “portcullis.”

 

Did You Know?

The first use of “cataract” did not describe water, but rather a descending divider — whether a gate, such as a portcullis or floodgate, or a waterfall. This preceded the modern use of “cataract” as a condition affecting vision, which appeared in the mid-16th century. The image of a descending gate was effective in conveying the development of a cataract on the lens of an eye, which increasingly divides a person from a clear picture of what is in front of them. However, natural cataracts also obscure vision by dropping hundreds or thousands of gallons of water per second.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AMPHIGORY

pronunciation: [AM-fi-gohr-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 18th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Nonsense verse that appears at first hearing to have meaning, but which reveals itself to be meaningless under scrutiny.

 

Example:

"Lewis Carroll’s poem “Jabberwocky” is an amphigory that sounds like regular English, until one examines its nonsense words in detail."

"I was struggling to understand my poetry assignment, until a friend told me it was an amphigory and couldn’t be understood."

 

About Amphigory

“Amphigory” comes from the French “amphigouri,” which is based on the prefix “amphi-,” from the Greek “ἀμϕι” meaning “both sides.” The basis for “-gory” is unknown, but may be connected with the Greek “ηγορία,” meaning “speech.”

 

Did You Know?

A well-known amphigory is found in the closing credits of 1980s sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Musician Jim Ellis wrote music for a song to play over the end credits, but didn’t yet have words prepared, so in an early demo he sang gibberish over the hard-rock backing track and was surprised to discover it sounded effective. At a time when critics complained rock vocals were becoming unintelligible, the meaningless syllables belted over the closing credits of “WKRP” were a joke of their own.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PARAPRAXIS

pronunciation: [par-ə-PRAK-sis]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, early 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A minor error in speech or action, (supposedly) representing the fulfilment of an unconscious wish; a Freudian slip.

 

Example:

"In TV’s most famous bit of parapraxis, Ross called Emily by his ex’s name “Rachel” at their wedding."

"In a moment of parapraxis, I told my coworker “I love you” instead of “See you tomorrow.”"

 

About Parapraxis

James Strachey coined the term “parapraxis” in the 1910s as he translated the work of Sigmund Freud into English. He joined the ancient Greek prefix “para-,” meaning “by the side of,” with the suffix “-praxis,” from the ancient Greek “πρᾶξις,” meaning “action or activity.”

 

Did You Know?

The notion of a “Freudian Slip” — the common expression for “parapraxis” — is based on the idea that the unconscious mind wishes to make its true feelings known in the form of unintentional acts and statements. Parapraxis can be a slip of the tongue in speaking, but it can also occur in action. For example, forgetting to bring a Christmas gift for a quarrelsome sibling may be a form of parapraxis in which the unconscious wish to insult one’s rival sibling is carried out in a physical act of forgetting.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: STERNUTATION

pronunciation: [stərn-yə-TAY-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning: 

1. The action of sneezing.

 

Example:

"Jenna wanted to speak, but she was caught in a fit of sternutation."

"I spend half my time in the attic in sternutation thanks to the decades of dust up there."

 

About Sternutation

“Sternutation” is from the Latin “sternūtātiō,” meaning “sneezing.”

 

Did You Know?

A single sternutation (or sneeze) can travel more than 100 mph with a range of up to five feet. Sternutation has many common causes — dust, pollen, pet hair, cold air, spicy foods, colds and flus — but there are a variety of less common factors that may provoke a spell of sternutation. Some people sneeze after plucking eyebrows or other sensitive facial hair, while others sneeze while exercising, or after particularly heavy meals.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: INCONNU

pronunciation: [in-kə-NOO]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. An unknown person or thing.

2. An edible predatory freshwater whitefish related to the salmon, native to Eurasian and North American lakes close to the Arctic Circle.

 

Example:

"Noah is an inconnu to many who know him."

"Jim smoked the inconnu to enhance its flavor."

 

About Inconnu

This French loanword translates literally as “unknown.”

 

Did You Know?

The inconnu fish goes by many names, including sailfish, nelma, sheefish, and the affectionate “connie.” Inconnu is the only predatory member of the whitefish group in Northern America and is a highly sought-after sport fish. Inconnu have earned the nickname “Eskimo tarpon” because of their silver coloring and ability to leap high out of the water when caught.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GUSTO

pronunciation: [GUS-toh]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Italian, 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Enjoyment or vigor in doing something; zest.

 

Example:

"We tore into the basket of fresh cherries with gusto."

"The guests ate with gusto, devouring plates of food as fast as we could serve them up."

 

About Gusto

“Gusto” entered English in the mid-1600s directly from the Italian “gusto,” meaning “taste.” The Italian word derives from the Latin “gustus,” also meaning taste.

 

Did You Know?

While “gusto” can refer to anything done with passionate enjoyment, the word is often associated with the act of eating, thanks to the Italian root word translating to “taste.” The words “gustatory,” meaning “concerned with tasting,” and “gustation,” meaning “tasting,” derive from the same root. However, the noun “gust,” describing a strong, brief wind, is taken from the Old Norse “gust,” meaning “gush,” rather than from the Latin for “taste.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EUNOMY

pronunciation: [YOO-nə-mee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Ancient Greek, date unknown

 

Meaning: 

1. Equal law, or a well-adjusted constitution of government.

 

Example:

"The new government has a sense of eunomy and stability."

"An equal number of men and women in government tends to result in eunomy."

 

About Eunomy

This word comes from the ancient Greek “eu-,” meaning “well, good” and “-nomy,” rooted in the Greek “nómos,” meaning “law or custom.”

 

Did You Know?

The word “eunomy” can easily be mistaken for “euonym” because they are anagrams for each other. While the former means “equal law,” the latter is “a name well suited to the person, place, or thing named.” Both have the Greek suffix “eu-” that means “good.” The “-onym” in “euonym” is the Greek root for “name.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TONY

pronunciation: [TOH-nee]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: American English, late 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. (Informal North American) Fashionable among wealthy or stylish people.

 

Example:

"Jon and Erica lived in an elite, tony neighborhood."

"The up-and-coming designer used tony, luxurious fabrics."

 

About Tony

This is an American English slang term, stemming from the Old French “ton,” meaning "musical sound, speech, words." This is from the Latin “tonus,” or "a sound, tone, accent."

 

Did You Know?

Tony! Toni! Toné! was an American R&B group that was popular in the early to mid-1990s. Fans often asked how the trio came up with their band name, and one of the founding members, D'Wayne Wiggins, told an interviewer it all came from a playful saying. “Our name for the group, Tony! Toni! Toné!, was a nickname that we had for how we used to get dressed to go out partying. When we used to put on our clothes and get fly, we would say, ‘Yeah. Tony! Toni! Toné!’”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CHARETTE

pronunciation: [shə-RET]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old French, 15th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A meeting in which all stakeholders in a project attempt to resolve conflicts and map solutions.

 

Example:

"After attending the charette on the plans for the park, residents were enthusiastic about the fundraising."

"A charrette on the redesign of city hall brought together the city’s architects, community leaders, and residents."

 

About Charette

From the Old French “charrette,” meaning “cart” or “carriage.”

 

Did You Know?

Using “charrette” to describe a meeting of many stakeholders is a modern redeployment of a very old word. “Charette” (meaning “cart”) entered English from Old French in the 15th century, but by the 17th century the word had been replaced by terms like “carriage” and “wagon.” In the mid-20th century, American architects took up the term to describe collaborative group projects, making reference to the carts (“charrettes”) that 19th-century Parisian architecture schools sent out to collect students’ work for assessment.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: POTSHERD

pronunciation: [POT-SHərd]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Middle English, 14th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A broken piece of ceramic material, especially one found on an archaeological site.

 

Example:

"Charlotte was surprised to find potsherds in the lower depths of her backyard garden."

"The archaeological dig revealed only rocks until Dr. Jones discovered a potsherd."

 

About Potsherd

“Potsherd” is an English compound merging “pot,” from the Latin “pottis,” meaning “pot,” and “shard,” from the Old English “sceard,” meaning “notched” or “broken.”

 

Did You Know?

Hunting for ancient potsherds remains a popular pastime in England, where pieces of Roman pottery have been found dating as far back as 400 BCE. Britons often find potsherds while “mudlarking,” a term for searching the mud of riverbanks for valuable artifacts. Mudlarking has always been popular in London, because the water level of the river Thames fluctuates daily. This shifting water line provides easy access to a riverbed that has been the site of more than 2000 years of continuous human activity. As a result, the Thames riverbed is a rich source of potsherds, as well as other archaeological artifacts.

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SMORZANDO

pronunciation: [smort-SAN-do]

 

Part of speech: adverb

Origin: Italian, 18th century

 

Meaning: 

1. (music, especially as a direction) in a way that dies away.

2. (adjective, of music) dying away.

 

Example:

"The cellist alternated between playing loudly and playing smorzando."

"One way for musicians to end a song is smorzando, as an alternative to a sudden stop."

 

About Smorzando

Smorzando is a direct translation of the Italian “smorzare,” meaning “extinguishing.”

 

Did You Know?

In its original Italian, “smorzando” is specifically used to describe putting out a fire (“smorzare il fuoco”) but also diluting spicy sauce (“smorzare il piccante”). However, those two meanings refer to extinguishing a fire completely, or watering down spicy food. By contrast, “smorzando” in music (often noted on sheet music as “smorz”) often has the effect of increasing the intensity of the performance by focusing audience attention on the clarity of dying notes. Piano music is most closely associated with the smorzando effect; the name for a piano’s damper pedal in Italian is “Il smorzatore.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PARAPH

pronunciation: [PER-əf]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Late Middle French, 15th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A flourish after a signature, originally as a precaution against forgery.

 

Example:

"My father’s signature was recognizable because of his ostentatious paraph."

"I recognized the paraph rather than the signature itself."

 

About Paraph

Borrowed from the French “paraph,” meaning “paragraph,” with both words based on the Latin “paraphus,” meaning “short horizontal stroke.”

 

Did You Know?

Adding a paraph to one’s signature was an early means of attempting to avoid forgery, since the more ornate one’s paraph, the harder the full signature would be to copy. When a notary signs a document of obligation, such as a mortgage or note referring to money owed, the notary’s signature is called a “paraph.” In this context, a paraph is different from a simple signature, because it certifies the document as legitimate.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EXEMPLAR

pronunciation: [ig-ZEM-plər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 14th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A person or thing serving as a typical example or excellent model.

 

Example:

"Albert Pujols is an exemplar of baseball’s home-run boom."

"The Toyota Prius was the exemplar of electric cars with consumer appeal."

 

About Exemplar

Borrowed from the French “exemplair,” which itself was based on the Latin “exemplum,” meaning “sample.”

 

Did You Know?

The original meaning of “exemplar” referred to a model or prototype upon which something else was built or made, but over time that meaning has reversed. Rather than refer to the model after which many things were designed, today, an “exemplar” is a single example of a thing that represents the nature of that thing far better than other versions of that same thing.

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DUNNAGE

pronunciation: [DUN-ij]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Dutch, 15th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A person's belongings, especially those brought on board a ship.

2. Loose wood, matting, or similar material used to keep a cargo in position in a ship's hold.

 

Example:

"After disembarking the ship, Sidney waited for his dunnage to be brought out."

"Knowing she’d be at sea for a month, Naomi made sure she packed everything she might need in her dunnage."

 

About Dunnage

“Dunnage” was based on the Dutch “denne,” which referred to a room below a ship’s deck, with the suffix “-age” used to indicate it is a noun.

 

Did You Know?

Dunnage can mean belongings brought on board a ship, but the term also refers to loose objects and materials used to secure cargo in a ship’s hold and prevent it from moving during the voyage. In the past, this dunnage could be low-value items, scraps, and garbage. A modern form of dunnage is a range of inflatable paper and fabric pouches known as “dunnage bags.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ILK

pronunciation: [ilk]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old English, 12th century

 

Meaning: 

1. A type of people or things similar to those already referred to.

 

Example:

"Charlene stopped the song to say she loved Billie Eilish and anyone of her ilk."

"My father sought out local artisans and their ilk on his travels."

 

About Ilk

“Ilk” is a very old word with many roots, among them the Old English “ilca,” meaning “same,” and the Proto-Germanic “ilīkaz,” also meaning “same.”

 

Did You Know?

The expressions “of that ilk” and “of his ilk” refer to “type” or “sort,” which is the product of a misunderstanding. The expression “of that ilk” originated in Scotland, but the Scottish meaning of the phrase meant “of the same name and place.” Some traditionalists feel, therefore, that English speakers shouldn’t use “of that ilk” to refer to similarities in kind and type. Nonetheless, using “of that ilk” to refer to types and sorts of people or things is part of standard English and is the only common use for the expression today.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: OCTOTHORPE

pronunciation: [AHK-tə-thorp]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: American, 20th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Another term for the pound sign (#).

 

Example:

"The octothorpe is sometimes used as an “Enter” key for a phone system and is dialed at the end of a command."

"My grandfather was confused by why so many words online were preceded by an octothorpe."

 

About Octothorpe

The origin of the word “octothorpe” is uncertain, though the term was in use at Bell Telephone Labs by the early 1970s, and most believe the term was invented by Bell Labs employee Don MacPherson. “Octothorpe” combines the Latin prefix “octō-,” meaning “eight,” with the proper name Thorpe, which many suspect MacPherson chose in homage to American gold-medal Olympian and football player Jim Thorpe. In a competing theory, one former Bell Labs insider claimed “octothorpe” began as the nonsense word “octatherp.”

 

Did You Know?

Whether it’s called an “octothorpe,” or a “pound” or “hashtag” or “number” sign, the # symbol began life as an abbreviation “lb” for the Latin “libra pondo,” or “pound weight.” Those handwriting “lb” quickly were often left with a messy symbol that looked like four crossed lines, from which the octothorpe was developed as a simple representation. The octothorpe became a technological standard in 1968 when AT&T added it to its touch tone telephone, along with the asterisk (*), in order to make the keypad square.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SERIO-COMIC

pronunciation: [seer-ee-oh-KAH-mik]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: English, 18th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Combining the serious and the comic; serious in intention but jocular in manner or vice versa.

 

Example:

"Serio-comic movies can feel more realistic than straight comedies or dramas because of how they mix familiar emotions."

"The 1985 film “The Breakfast Club” is a serio-comic classic, contrasting the solemnity of some of its moments with delightful humor."

 

About Serio-comic

The compound “serio-comic” combines “serio-“ and “comic,” each of which is an English root. At the same time as the term came into use in English, similar forms were being used in French (“sério-comique”) and in Italian (“serio-comico”).

 

Did You Know?

Historically, the term “serio-comic” is associated with a surprising concept: satirical maps. In the mid-19th century, with various wars breaking out across Europe, artists like Fred W. Rose created serio-comic maps of Europe featuring cartoonish depictions of the various countries engaged in war. These serio-comic maps often depicted countries as animals, such as turkeys, lions, bears, and greedy octopi, as a means of finding humor in their very serious military campaigns and aims.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: NOTIONATE

pronunciation: [NO-shuh-nit]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: English, 19th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Notional. Existing as or based on a suggestion, estimate, or theory; not existing in reality.

2. Given to fanciful thinking or exaggerated imagination.

 

Example:

"Elves, gnomes, and fairies are all notionate, but many people are fascinated by them."

"My father claimed he’d been visited by gnomes, but he was a notionate fellow."

 

About Notionate

The term is a combination of the English word “notion,” from the Lation “nōtiō,” with the suffix “-ate,” with creates an adjective based on “notion.”

 

Did You Know?

“Notionate” has been overtaken in English by its synonym “notional,” and exists today mainly as a regional expression in the Southern U.S., Northern Ireland, and in Scotland. In nearly all contexts, the term has been used to describe a state of exaggerated imagination. For example, a person describing their grandfather as “old-fashioned and notionate” might be implying that the man is very superstitious and believes in ghosts, elves, or other notionate creatures.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HELIACAL

pronunciation: [hə-LIH-ə-kəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning: 

1. Relating to or near the sun.

 

Example:

"The morning heliacal view is best seen on the beach."

"The heliacal movements are more obvious in the fall and spring when the hours of daylight are changing dramatically."

 

About Heliacal

“Heliacal” is based on the English word “heliac,” meaning “pertaining to the sun.” This word is based on both the Latin “hēliacus,” and also the Greek “ἡλιακός,” both meaning “sun.”

 

Did You Know?

The astronomical expression “heliacal rising” refers to a star or planet coming into view in the east before sunrise, becoming a “morning star” before the sun comes into view. Prior to a heliacal rising, a star or planet has spent a season hidden behind the sun. In ancient Egypt, each summer’s heliacal rising of the star Sirius—the “Dog Star”—was an indicator the Nile would soon flood and nourish adjacent farmland to begin farming season. The English expression “the dog days of summer” refers to the idea that summer is at its hottest after Sirius’s heliacal rising.