New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PERPEND

pronunciation: [pər-PEND]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:
1. (archaic) To ponder, consider.

 

Example:

"My favorite time to perpend life’s mysteries is on long forest walks."

"Leonard’s favorite part of college was having time to perpend subjects he might otherwise have ignored."

 

About Perpend

“Perpend” was borrowed from the Latin “perpendere.” That word was formed by combining the prefix “per-,” suggesting “thoroughly,” and the root “pendere,” meaning “to weigh.”

 

Did you Know?

One modern trend encouraging people to perpend the details of their own existence is the move toward mindfulness. Though mindfulness was originally a spiritual practice associated with Buddhist meditation, years of clinical testing by researchers and meditators alike have proved mindfulness is a helpful process for all people. The key to mindfulness is perpending what is happening in the present, rather than wondering about the future or stewing over the past. The goal is to perpend only what is happening at this particular moment. Many have found success with this project, as practicing mindfulness exercises through meditation often leads to a feeling of peace and relief from perpending stressful subjects.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MIZZLE

pronunciation: [MIZ-əl]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Dutch, 15th century

 

Meaning:
1. Light rain; drizzle.

 

Example:

"It wasn’t raining heavily, but the drops came down in a steady mizzle that soaked my clothes over the day."

"As the sky began to clear, the mizzle still falling in the east created a rainbow."

 

About Mizzle

“Mizzle” is likely based on the Dutch “mieselen,” meaning “to rain gently.”

 

Did you Know?

Though mizzle is the lightest kind of rain, it is associated more with wet climates than with dry ones. As residents of Pacific Northwest cities such as Portland and Vancouver know, rain is so consistent in that moist climate that it doesn’t need to rain very hard. Sometimes it does, but much of the time, the rain is a quiet, steady mizzle that appears so frequently, it keeps the grass green and the flowers bright.

 

[DarkRavie]

SATURDAY  24TH

 

What's the Word: FLAVANOL

pronunciation: [FLAY-və-nohl]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: German, 19th century

 

Meaning:
1. Any of a major group of flavonoids found in many fruits and vegetables.

 

Example:

"Quercetin is a flavonol found in onions and cilantro, and it has anti-inflammatory effects for people who consume it."

"My mother sent me an article about how flavonols found in vegetables and tea may slow memory loss."

 

About Flavanol

“Flavonol” was coined in 1895 by German chemists Kostanecki and Tambor. They based their word on the existing German chemical term “flavon.”

 

Did you Know?

There are more than a dozen classes of flavonols, a substance in plants that performs many functions. In many cases, flavonols — and other flavonoids (the chemical grouping of which they are a greater part) — give bright pigments to flowers that attract bees and wasps. The flavonol called “kaempferol” appears in onions, asparagus, and leafy greens, and appears to protect healthy cells against cancer. Quercetin, known for its anti-inflammatory effects, is another common flavonol found in capers, cilantro, yellow peppers, and onions. Overall, flavonols as a group are best known for their impact on memory. Studies have found that people over the age of 81 who suffered dementia consumed significantly less kaempferol and quercetin than people who maintained healthy memories.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: REPARTEE

pronunciation: [rep-ər-TEE]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. Conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies.

 

Example:

"The mixture of guests from different social circles always ensures entertaining repartee at Alex’s cocktail parties."

"Kevin would rather see a movie where the action is in the repartee rather than on-screen fighting."

 

About Repartee

“Repartee” is based on the French “repartie,” meaning “retort.”

 

Did you Know?

“Repartee” is one of the French words borrowed in the 17th century to describe fashionable things in English. In a time before radio, television, internet, or even stand-up comedians, witty repartee — or clever and funny conversation — was one of the great pleasures in life. However, the English words for what was known commonly as “good talk” — such as “banter” or “wordplay” — didn’t sound as hip to 17th-century ears as the continental “repartee.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: RHADAMANTHINE

pronunciation: [rad-ə-MAN-theen]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: English, late 18th century

 

Meaning:
1. Showing stern and inflexible judgment.

 

Example:

"My Rhadamanthine math teacher gave a week’s worth of morning detention to any student who skipped homework."

"The judge’s Rhadamanthine reputation meant he was widely known as being harsh but fair."

 

About Rhadamanthine

“Rhadamanthine” was formed in English after “Ῥαδάμανθυς” (Rhadamanthus), a wise king in Greek mythology.

 

Did you Know?

“Rhadamanthine” means to be stern and rigid in one’s judgments. The term refers to King Rhadamanthus of ancient Greek myth, the son of Zeus and Europa, best known as a severe judge of the dead in the underworld. The eponymous adjective “Rhadamanthine” derives from his reputation for severity. To be Rhadamanthine is to be as severe and inflexible as the mythic king — but as principled, respectful of rules, and devoted to justice as Rhadamanthus was also known to be.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ATTORNMENT

pronunciation: [ə-TURN-mənt]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, 15th century

 

Meaning:
1. The formal transference of something to someone else.

 

Example:

"When another management company took over our apartment building, all tenants signed updated leases reflecting the attornment to the new landlord."

"Roy hired a broker to handle the attornment of his company shares into real-estate investments."

 

About Attornment

“Attornment” comes from the French “atorner,” meaning “to turn.”

 

Did you Know?

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was transferred from the domain of the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China. At that point, Hong Kong had been a British colony for 156 years, but in 1898, the U.K. leased Hong Kong Territory for 99 years. At the end of that lease, the attornment of Hong Kong into Chinese power occurred. However, this transfer was not total. Rather than becoming a whole part of China, Hong Kong will retain its currency, legal system, legislative system, and capitalist economy until 2047, 50 years after the original attornment was carried out.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SCALENE

pronunciation: [skey-LEEN]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Greek, 18th century

 

Meaning:
1. (Of a triangle) Having sides unequal in length.

 

Example:

"A particularly heavy snow storm squashed the kids’ square tree fort into a scalene triangle shape."

"By holding one large stick and a short stubby glove, hockey goaltenders naturally adopt a scalene shape."

 

About Scalene

“Scalene” is based on the Greek “skalēnos,” meaning “uneven.”

 

Did you Know?

A scalene triangle has three different sides at three different angles, but a lesser-known use for the term “scalene” describes three pairs of deeply seated muscles on each side of the neck. The scalene muscles help bend the neck and lift the first and second ribs. Because they lift upper ribs and create space in the chest, scalene muscles are considered connected to the muscles of respiration, as accessories to the diaphragm and the muscles inside the torso.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: UNHORSE

pronunciation: [uhn-HORS]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Middle English, 14th century

 

Meaning:
1. Cause to fall from a horse.

2. To disrupt or unseat; to remove from a position.

 

Example:

"For years, the tech industry has wondered what new product will unhorse the smartphone."

"In 2022, Aaron Judge unhorsed Roger Maris to take the AL record for the most home runs in a season of Major League Baseball."

 

About Unhorse

“Unhorse” comes from the Middle English “unhorsen,” combining “un-“ with “horse.”

 

Did you Know?

In the days of knights fighting wars on horseback, it was a bad thing to be knocked off one’s horse. Regardless of whether or not he was wearing a suit of armor, a knight was far safer on horseback, where he was able to move — and escape — quickly. Unhorsing a knight took away much of his power as a soldier, in the same way that in the modern sense of the word, unhorsing a person, product, or idea takes away most of its popularity. For example, in recent years, cellular telephones unhorsed landlines as the most popular form of home phones.

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MELOMANIAC

pronunciation: [MEL-ə-mey-nee-ak]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: English, 19th century

 

Meaning:
1. A person who loves music.

 

Example:

"My melomaniac sister listens to music from the time she wakes up, all through the workday and evening, until she goes to bed at night."

"I could tell Lali was a melomaniac the moment I saw her wall of records, CDs, and cassettes."

 

About Melomaniac

“Melomaniac” was formed within English. It combines the prefix “melo-,” from the ancient Greek “μέλος” (“mélos”), meaning “song,” with the suffix “maniac,” from the ancient Greek “μανιακός” (“maniakós”), meaning “given to compulsion or mad desire.”

 

Did you Know?

According to a June 2019 survey, 51% of Americans report listening to music every day. Broken down by age, however, it’s clear that people at different life stages enjoy music differently. The only group in which fewer than half of respondents (only 34%) reported listening to music daily was people over the age of 55, compared with 56% of those between 35 and 54. In younger listeners, music was even more popular, with 68% reporting daily listening. Perhaps adoption of technology is why there are so many youthful melomaniacs — it’s easier to make a soundtrack to your life with the right streaming apps and headphones.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TURBID

pronunciation: [TUR-bəd]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. (Of a liquid) Cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter.

2. Confused or obscure in meaning or effect.

 

Example:

"Max had great difficulty assembling his new wardrobe due to the brief and turbid instructions that left him with too many questions."

"Government conservation workers kept track of what kinds of fish and amphibians lived in the turbid water of the swamp."

 

About Turbid

“Turbid” is based on the Latin “turbidus,” itself based on “turba,” meaning “a crowd” or “a disturbance.”

 

Did you Know?

“Turbid” can describe something either literally or figuratively cloudy and obscure. Water that is turbid — such as river water during a season of thaw — is full of swirling silt and other particulates that make it cloudy and hard to see through. In the same way, a turbid announcement from a public official could be hard to make sense of.

 

[DarkRavie]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

What's the Word: PAVLOVIAN

pronunciation: [pav-LOH-vee-ən]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: From proper name, 20th century

 

Meaning:
1. Relating to classical conditioning as described by I. P. Pavlov.

 

Example:

"My cat’s Pavlovian response to the sound of me making coffee is to sit at my feet and wait to be fed."

"Whether I’m hungry or not, I have a Pavlovian response to commercials during the ball game, in which I get myself a snack from the kitchen."

 

About Pavlovian

“Pavlovian” was named for Russian physiologist and psychologist Ivan Petrovič Pavlov.

 

Did you Know?

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov is known for discovering what’s called “classical conditioning” in psychology. Pavlovian conditioning combines a desirable stimulus with an otherwise meaningless stimulus, such as the sound of a bell. Pavlov discovered that when he paired food for dogs with a simple tone, dogs would associate that sound with food and would salivate as though they were being fed, even when there was no food in front of them. This revolutionary discovery is now so widely known that we use the term “Pavlovian” to describe any kind of automatic or unconscious response to stimuli.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PERICOPE

pronunciation: [pə-RIK-ə-pee]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Ancient Greek, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. An extract from a text, especially a passage from the Bible.

 

Example:

"The bride and groom chose to exchange their own vows, based on pericopes from “Alice in Wonderland” and “Pride and Prejudice.”"

"For a pericope from the New Testament, the pastor chose a section of the Sermon on the Mount."

 

About Pericope

“Pericope” is from the ancient Greek “περικοπή” (“perikopḗ”), meaning “section.” That word was formed by combining “περι-” (“peri-”), meaning “across,” and “κοπή” (“kopḗ”), meaning “cutting.”

 

Did you Know?

A “pericope” isn’t just a passage drawn from a larger text, but rather a section that constitutes a complete thought. As a result, pericopes have often been used as parts of speeches. When the word emerged in the 17th century, “pericope” referred to a section of a religious text (usually Christian) suitable for reading aloud as part of public worship and religious instruction. In subsequent years, “pericope” began to mean any section of text suitable for inclusion in a speech, which helped define the word as a piece of text that presents a whole thought suitable for an orator to draw a lesson from.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VELLEITY

pronunciation: [və-LEE-ə-dee]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.

 

Example:

"Although I saw the uncut grass, I recognized my velleity to cut the lawn and retreated to the porch to read."

"We were famished but felt a velleity to cook and instead opted to order in."

 

About Velleity

“Velleity” comes from the Latin “velleitās,” which is based on the Latin “velle” (meaning “wish,” or “will”).

 

Did you Know?

“Velleity” describes the paradoxical state of wanting to do something but having so little motivation as to not be bothered with it. It’s not the same thing as indifference or opposition: Someone experiencing velleity does want something to occur, but they don’t feel the volition or desire to make that happen themselves. People feel velleity on a regular basis related to chores around the home. Nearly everyone would like their house to be a little tidier, or would like to make improvements to make life easier or more enjoyable. But these chores are balanced against the energy and desire to do the work they require, and this is where velleity asserts itself. Each time a person surveys the dishes and decides they’ll have to wait until tomorrow, they are experiencing velleity.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MUMPSIMUS

pronunciation: [MUMP-sə-məs]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning:
1. A traditional custom or notion adhered to although shown to be unreasonable.

2. A person who obstinately adheres to unreasonable customs or notions.

 

Example:

"David is a mountaineering mumpsimus, rejecting all modern equipment in favor of heavy, archaic gear that isn’t even waterproof."

"When he has a cold, my mumpsimus father insists on drinking whiskey with honey and lemon, rather than hydrating himself and resting."

 

About Mumpsimus

From the Latin “mumpsimus,” which was initially an error based on the Latin “sumpsimus,” meaning “I have taken.”

 

Did you Know?

The meaning of “mumpsimus” is built into the way the word was coined. According to Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, the term was created when an old monk mispronounced the Latin word “sumpsimus” (“I have taken”) as “mumpsimus” while reciting the Eucharist, and then refused to be corrected and continued using the new word “mumpsimus” in place of the proper term. The definition of the word came from this refusal to accept correction when one is wrong, coupled with steadfast insistence on doing things the wrong way.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LIBRATE

pronunciation: [LAHY-brayt]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. Oscillate or seem to oscillate.

 

Example:

"The wind was so strong that tall buildings were seen to librate against the sky."

"Traditional metronomes librate to keep a beat."

 

About Librate

“Librate” comes from the Latin “lībrāta,” meaning “balance.” That term comes from the root “lībra,” meaning “a balance.”

 

Did you Know?

“To librate” means “to oscillate,” but the word also has a secondary definition of “to be poised; to balance oneself,” related to the Latin root meaning “balance.” Before electronic scales, weight was measured using balance scales, a device that consists of two pans attached to an oscillating bar that moves up and down until both pans are equal in weight and come into balance. The oscillating movement of this traditional balance — or “lībra,” as it was known in ancient Rome — is what the oscillating verb “librate” describes.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: OBTUND

pronunciation: [ob-TUHND]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:
1. Dull the sensitivity of; blunt; deaden.

 

Example:

"Katherine bought a new shovel each winter and used it on the ice until she had obtunded it."

"I was pleased to discover children’s aspirin obtunds the pain from canker sores."

 

About Obtund

“Obtund” is based on the Latin “obtundere,” which means “to dull.” It is based on the roots “ob-” (meaning “against”) and “tundere” (meaning “to beat”).

 

Did you Know?

“Obtund” means “to blunt” or “to render dull.” This meaning is built right into its Latin roots “ob-” and “tundere,” meaning “to beat against.” To obtund, originally, meant to blunt a physical object by repetitious force, the same way a shovel becomes dull the more often the digger collides with buried rocks. Today, “obtund” is often used in medical contexts, in which it describes not dulling tools but dulling sensitivity. For example, a topical anesthetic is used to obtund areas of skin or tissue that might otherwise be more sensitive.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PRINK

pronunciation: [prink]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Middle Low German, 16th century

 

Meaning:
1. Spend time making minor adjustments to one's appearance; primp.

 

Example:

"My brother claims I always prink for an hour before I can go out in public."

"Before the wedding, Jina was in front of the bathroom mirror, prinking nervously."

 

About Prink

“Prink” is a combination of two words: the Middle English “prank” (meaning “to deck” or “to adorn”) and “primp” (meaning “to spend time on one’s appearance”).

 

Did you Know?

“Prink” is an uncommon word that is the product of several more common ones: It is closely related to “primp,” but it is also closely related to “prank” (in its original sense) and “prim.” Though today, “prank” is understood to refer to a trick or practical joke, it originally meant “to decorate or adorn.” To “primp” has always meant “to dress carefully and pay attention to one’s appearance,” though it is a variation on the adjective “prim,” meaning “formal” or “neat.” From the mingling of all these roots, “prink” emerged, meaning “to spend time on the minor details of one’s appearance.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LARGESSE

pronunciation: [lahr-JESS]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Old French, 13th century

 

Meaning:
1. Generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others.

 

Example:

"I traveled to Europe when I was a student thanks to my uncle’s largesse."

"The town completely renovated their community center and arena through the largesse of an anonymous donor."

 

About Largesse

“Largesse” is based on an Old French word, which was based on the Latin “largus,” meaning “abundant.”

 

Did you Know?

Some celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, are so committed to giving to others and building philanthropic causes that they’re almost better known for their largesse than for their work as entertainers. Singer Rihanna is emblematic of this kind of generosity: She has given millions to fund climate-change research as well as to education and health care for people living in poverty. However, other celebrities are known for a more personal kind of largesse, stories of which spread as internet legends. For example, Keanu Reeves has made a name for himself as “a nice guy” who’s friendly to those who encounter him in person and quick to help out struggling individuals. (He also donated roughly 70% of his pay from “The Matrix” to cancer research.)

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SYLLABUB

pronunciation: [SIL-ə-bəb]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Unknown, 16th century

 

Meaning:
1. A whipped cream dessert, typically flavored with white wine or sherry.

 

Example:

"We sampled syllabub for the first time while on vacation in Greece."

"My aunt makes a delicious syllabub out of whipping cream, white wine, lemon juice, nutmeg, and sugar."

 

About Syllabub

It is not clear what root “syllabub” has in English, but variations of the word have appeared since the 16th century.

 

Did you Know?

Between the 16th and 17th centuries, there were roughly a dozen spellings of “syllabub” (including “solybubbe,” “sillabubbe,” “sallibube,” and “sullibub”). Many believe “syllabub” emerged as the standard spelling thanks to the similarity to the existing word “syllable.” Completely unrelated to that word, “syllabub” refers to a variety of types of drinks made by curdling milk with alcohol or acid, as well as to various desserts made out of this beverage. People have been eating and drinking something like solybubbe or sallibube for hundreds of years without knowing where its name came from, and we still don’t know, but today we spell it “syllabub.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VENTURESOME

pronunciation: [VEN-cher-səm]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: English, 17th century

 

Meaning:
1. Willing to take risks or embark on difficult or unusual courses of action.

 

Example:

"Our venturesome hiking guide insisted on taking us over the steep hills, rather than around them."

"Gregory was the kind of venturesome eater who visited new restaurants and asked them to prepare their most surprising dishes."

 

About Venturesome

“Venturesome” is an adjective formed within English out of the existing noun and verb “venture,” meaning “a risky journey or undertaking.”

 

Did you Know?

The modern practice of bungee jumping appeared for the first time on April Fool’s Day, 1979, in Bristol, U.K. On that day, two venturesome members of Oxford University’s Dangerous Sports Club — clad in tuxedos and top hats — jumped off of the Clifton Suspension Bridge secured to elastic cables. They were inspired by the tradition of land diving from the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, in which venturesome young men prove their bravery by jumping from tall towers with tree vines tied to their ankles. After the Oxfordian jumpers were arrested and released, the Dangerous Sports Club made a second bungee jump off San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, this time including the first female bungee jumper. After they made the third bungee jump on television, the phenomenon of venturesome people jumping from great heights attached to elastics took on its own traditions.