New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CATACHRESIS

pronunciation: [kat-ə-KREE-sis]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Greek, mid-16th century

 

Meaning:

1. The use of a word in a way that is not correct — for example, the use of “mitigate” for “militate.”

 

Example:

"Tina’s professor found the catachresis in her term paper so careless that he gave her a "C.""

"Joe’s catachresis and repeated mixed metaphors caused a huge misunderstanding and almost lost his company the deal."

 

About Catachresis

Catachresis comes from the Greek "katakhrēsthai" ("misuse"), from "kata-" ("down," expressing the sense "wrongly") and "khrēsthai" ("use").

 

Did you Know?

While "catachresis" and "catechism" (a summary of the principles of Christian faith) sound very similar and both come from Greek, the roots are actually different. "Catachresis" comes from the Greek "katakhrēsthai" ("misuse"), while "catechism" comes from the Greek "katēkhizein" ("teach orally, instruct by word of mouth"). A catachresis is a linguistic misuse of a word, specifically mixing up a word with a word that sounds or looks similar — such as swapping "anachronism" for "anomaly."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DIGHT

pronunciation: [dahyt]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Old English, 13th century

 

Meaning:

1. Clothed or equipped.

 

Example:

"My prom date appeared at the top of the staircase, dight in a beautiful blue dress that matched my vest."

"On his wedding day, Andrew was dight in the finest suit he’d ever worn."

 

About Dight

“Dight” is an adjective based on the Old English verb “dihtan,” meaning “to set in order.”

 

Did you Know?

In its early history, “dight” was a verb meaning “to handle” or “to manage,” which translated over time as an approach to dressing. A person who cared about their appearance would carefully dight their clothes, hair, and accessories before leaving the house. From this verb came the later adjective “dight,” describing a person who has set their appearance in order. For example, “Jonathan emerged showered, shaved, and dight in fine evening clothes.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MEMORITER

pronunciation: [mə-MOHR-ih-tər]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. By, or from, memory; by heart.

 

Example:

"The poet delivered her verse memoriter, without even a note card for reference."

"Marina is such a devoted Chicago Cubs fan that she can still rattle off their roster from 20 years ago memoriter."

 

About MemoriteR

“Memoriter” is a loanword from Latin, where it means “from memory.” It is formed by joining the Latin word “memor” (meaning “having a good memory”) with the suffix “-ter,” making the word an adverb.

 

Did you Know?

While children today are sometimes asked to recite poetry and famous speeches memoriter, the practice of learning and repeating long passages from memory is less common in schools now than in previous generations. Nonetheless, a passion for memorizing and reciting poems lives on in organizations such as England’s Poetry By Heart, a national poetry-recitation competition for students.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SINGULTUS

pronunciation: [sing-GUHL-təs]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. Hiccups.

 

Example:

"I get singultus every time I drink sparkling wine."

"We tried startling Elsie, but her singultus persisted until she held her breath for a full minute."

 

About Singultus

“Singultus” is a loanword from Latin, describing speech interrupted by sobs.

 

Did you Know?

Nearly all mammals experience singultus — the medical name for hiccups — but scientists aren’t quite sure of the cause. What we do know is that singultus is a two-stage event, beginning when the diaphragm contracts suddenly to create a gasp of air, which is immediately followed by a sudden closure of the opening between the vocal cords that allows breath in. Thus, hiccups sound a lot like sobs, as is suggested by the condition’s Latin name, singultus. Scientists believe hiccups don’t really serve a purpose anymore, but are the product of evolutionary history dating back to when our ancestors had gills that needed to be pulled closed in a hurry.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: COSSET

pronunciation: [KOS-it]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Anglo-Norman French, 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. Care for and protect in an overindulgent way.

 

Example:

"It’s rewarding to cosset one’s pets and receive unconditional love in return."

"Not wishing to cosset my daughter, I asked her to handle her college registration on her own."

 

About Cosset

“Cosset” is likely related to the Anglo-Norman French “coscet,” meaning “cottager.”

 

Did you Know?

In its first use, “cosset” was a noun that described a lamb raised by hand, before eventually shifting to suggest a spoiled child. It took about a century before “cosset” became a verb meaning “to treat like a cosset by petting, caring for, and indulging” — or overindulging. Today, cosseted animals are enormously popular on social media, where videos of pampered cats, spoiled dogs, and even tame raccoons are enjoyed by millions of viewers.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ARCADIAN

pronunciation: [ar-KEY-dee-ən]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. Relating to an ideal rustic paradise.

 

Example:

"Though the cabins offered every modern convenience, the resort’s decor motif was purely arcadian."

"Driven by arcadian longings, Sam and Kelly decided to move to the country."

 

About Arcadian

“Arcadian” is from the Latin “Arcadius,” based on the ancient Greek “Arkádios,” meaning “an Arcadian.”

 

Did you Know?

“Arcadian” describes something related to an ideal rustic paradise. In Greek mythology, Arcadia was the home of Pan, the god of nature, while geographically, Arcadia referred to a mountainous district in the Peloponnese region of ancient Greece. While “Arcadia” is still a popular place name, “arcadian” as an adjective refers to the utopian ideal of the mythical Arcadia, a place where one is at peace with the beauty of nature.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GOURMANDIZE

pronunciation: [GOOR-mən-dahyz]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. Eat good food, especially to excess.

 

Example:

"Some people travel to see the sights, but Mark loves to gourmandize in other countries."

"For my birthday, I asked my friends over to gourmandize and play board games."

 

About Gourmandize

“Gourmandize” is a loanword from French.

 

Did you Know?

To understand “gourmandize” as a verb, it’s important to understand the difference between the nouns “gourmet” and “gourmand.” A gourmet is usually someone knowledgeable about food and drink with a sensitive and cultured palate, while a gourmand is simply an enthusiastic eater and drinker. In its earliest forms in both French and English, “gourmand” described a glutton, but over time the term has eased to describe someone who is enthusiastic about food without necessarily being knowledgeable about it. As such, “to gourmandize” is to consume food with the enthusiasm and gusto of a gourmand.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DUUMVIRATE

pronunciation: [doo-UHM-vər-it]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. A coalition of two people having joint authority or influence.

 

Example:

"After the founder brought her husband into the company, the pair operated as an equal duumvirate."

"Northern Ireland is a modern duumvirate ruled by the first minister and deputy first minister, who share identical powers."

 

About Duumvirate

“Duumvirate” is based on the Latin “duumvirātus,” formed by combining “duumviri” (meaning “of two men”) and the suffix “-ātus,” describing possession of a feature.

 

Did you Know?

A duumvirate is a circumstance in which two people hold joint authority or power. Numerous countries have governing duumvirates (also called “diarchies”), most notably Israel, which has the power to appoint two simultaneous prime ministers who change their positions and status halfway through the government’s mandate. While “duumvirate” often describes political systems, the term can also be used to describe any situation led by two equals. For example, a company run by a partnership between its CEO and its president is a duumvirate.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SUPERJACENT

pronunciation: [soo-pər-JEY-sənt]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. (Technical) Lying over or above something else; overlying.

 

Example:

"I spread a superjacent layer of topsoil in the garden to protect my seedlings."

"You can find the seasonal items on the superjacent shelf."

 

About Superjacent

“Superjacent” is a loanword from Latin, formed by joining the prefix “super-” (meaning “over”) with “jacere,” meaning “to lie.”

 

Did you Know?

The earth we stand on is not simply composed of soil. Encircling Earth’s crust is an appropriately named layer called “bedrock,” and superjacent to that is another layer called “parent rock.” But above these layers of rock are three more superjacent layers that make up what most people think of as "earth" or "ground." These include two types of soil: subsoil, which sits upon the rock layer, and topsoil, which sits above subsoil. Superjacent to all of these is what’s known as “humus,” or “the organic layer,” a dark dirt made up of decaying leaf litter and other decomposing matter, making it the most nutrient-rich part of all the soil layers.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TRALATITIOUS

pronunciation: [tra-lə-TISH-əs]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. (Of words or phrases) Metaphorical.

2. Passed down; transmitted from one to another.

 

Example:

"The head chef adopted a tralatitious practice from the previous chef of giving a pep talk before dinner."

"Aurora didn’t voice her feelings directly, but she did make tralatitious comments we could all easily interpret."

 

About Tralatitious

“Tralatitious” is based closely on the Latin “trālātīcius,” meaning “customary.”

 

Did you Know?

“Tralatitious” describes both metaphorical words or phrases and the state of something being passed down or transferred from one party to another. The two definitions differ somewhat, but both mean referencing or invoking something else — either a custom or a metaphor. For example, it’s tralatitious to describe Florida’s beaches as “paradise,” as the metaphor illuminates the speaker’s passion for the landscape. Similarly, a tradition of visiting the beaches as a family can be tralatitious as it’s handed down from one generation to the next.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DOLORIFUGE

pronunciation: [də-LOR-ə-fyooj]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, late 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Something which mitigates or removes grief.

 

Example:

"After his team lost the World Series, the star pitcher took up mountain climbing as a dolorifuge."

"After I suffered my first breakup, my mom introduced me to the dolorifuge of ice cream and bad TV."

 

About Dolorifuge

“Dolorifuge” is formed by combining the Latin “dolor,” meaning “pain,” with the English suffix “-fuge,” related to the Latin “-fugus,” describing a noun that removes or dispels something.

 

Did you Know?

Virtually every person suffers a broken heart at some point in life, and it’s important to take time to grieve these feelings. One way to do that is to turn to a dolorifuge — a fresh source of pleasure that distracts from grief. What makes a dolorifuge successful is how much it engages the sufferer and provides them a break from their woes. Many find physical activity, exercise, and mental challenges a powerful salve for a broken heart, while others find a dolorifuge in socializing, and still others recharge by staying home and engaging in comfort activities such as reading books or playing video games.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CALLITHUMP

pronunciation: [KAL-ə-thəmp]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. (U.S.) A somewhat riotous parade, accompanied with the blowing of tin horns and other discordant noises.

 

Example:

"The high school football team’s victory parade was the biggest callithump our town had all year."

"The avant garde music on the radio sounded more like a callithump than a symphony."

 

About Callithump

“Callithump” was likely coined in American English by combining a nonsense sound with the English word “thump,” meaning “a blow,” or “to hit hard.”

 

Did you Know?

The noun “callithump,” describing a noisy and riotous parade, was formed by merging the nonsense word “calli” with the existing word “thump,” meaning “to wallop.” One example of a callithump is a cacophonous mock-salute to or parade for newlyweds, such as the tradition of tying metal cans to the back of the couple’s car. A callithump can be organized, as in the Midwestern U.S. tradition of a callithump parade (a costumed children’s event with prizes) often held on the Fourth of July, but there is historical context of a callithump (also “calathump,” “cowthump,” and other variations) as an unplanned, chaotic, even riotous event.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ALTRICIAL

pronunciation: [al-TRISH-əl]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Of a young bird or other animal) Hatched or born helpless and requiring significant parental care. Often contrasted with precocial.

2. (Of a particular species) Having altricial young.

 

Example:

"The birds were altricial, so one of the hatchling’s parents was always on guard at the nest."

"The mother perched attentively over her baby’s stroller like an altricial bird tending to a chick."

 

About Altricial

“Altricial” is related to the Latin “altrices,” plural of “altrīx,” meaning “female nourisher.”

 

Did you Know?

Altricial birds are those whose babies require significant care and feeding upon hatching. Birds born this way include songbirds, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers. Not all birds are altricial. Waterfowl, for example, are precocial — that is, born with their eyes open, a layer of down, and the capacity to leave the nest quickly. By contrast, altricial birds are born with closed eyes and virtually no feathers. They are unable to keep warm independently and can’t hold their heads up, making them completely reliant on their parents for survival.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: BUNBURYING

pronunciation: [BUN-bər-ee-ing]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: British English, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Humorous) Avoiding one's duties and responsibilities by claiming to have appointments to see a fictitious person.

 

Example:

"My boss had a habit of Bunburying out of his obligation to meet the CEO each time she visited our office."

"As a student, I tried Bunburying my way out of an exam, but my teacher didn’t believe me."

 

About Bunburying

“Bunburying” is a verb based on the character of Bunbury in Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

 

Did you Know?

English author Oscar Wilde coined the term “Bunburying” in his play “The Importance of Being Earnest,” as a verb that evoked a character named Bunbury. Though Bunbury is discussed in the play, he never appears onstage — Bunbury is a fictitious character whom another character references to create excuses that get him out of situations he wishes to leave. As a humorous verb, “Bunburying” means inventing a made-up appointment with a fictitious person in order to avoid one’s responsibilities.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PUNGLE

pronunciation: [PUHNG-gəl]

 

Part of speech: verb
Origin: Spanish, American slang, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Southwestern U.S.) To pay or hand over; to shell out.

 

Example:

"When the pizza arrived, each roommate pungled up their share before eating."

"Whenever I visit Las Vegas, I pungle about twice as much on gambling as I spend on food, but that’s part of the entertainment."

 

About Pungle

“Pungle” is based on the Spanish “póngale,” meaning “put it.”

 

Did you Know?

“Pungle” began life in the American Southwest in the 19th century as a gambling term, instructing players it was time to make their wagers. It was usually paired with “up” (similar to “pony up” or “pay up”) or “down.” The term itself is based on the Spanish verb “póngale,” meaning “put it” or “put it down,” a clear instruction for players to place their money on the table. In modern terms, “pungle” is often unrelated to gambling, and now means to pay a cost or debt.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GERENT

pronunciation: [JEER-ənt]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. A manager.

 

Example:

"The salespeople were greeted at the office by the company’s regional gerent."

"My desire to always be kind is the gerent that guides my choices."

 

About Gerent

“Gerent” is based on the Latin “gerēns,” meaning “carrying,” “managing,” or “conducting.”

 

Did you Know?

Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish writer who is perhaps best known for his 1886 novel, “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde,” was also an acclaimed poet, essayist, and literary critic. He penned a volume of essays in 1882, “Familiar Studies of Men and Books,” critiquing some of his fellow writers, including Victor Hugo, Robert Burns, and Henry David Thoreau. In regards to Walt Whitman, he wrote, “We are as heartily persuaded of the identity of those we love as of our own identity. And so sympathy pairs with self-assertion, the two gerents of human life of earth; and Whitman’s ideal man must not only be strong, free, and self-reliant in himself, but his freedom must be bounded and his strength perfected by the most intimate, eager, and long-suffering love for others.” This figurative usage of “gerent,” a rare synonym for “manager,” demonstrates the range of the word that comes from the Latin for “carrying” or “conducting.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EIRENICON

pronunciation: [ai-REN-ih-kahn]

 

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

 

Meaning:

1. A proposal to resolve disputes and reconcile differences in order to advance peace, strengthen or establish unity, or foster solidarity.

 

Example:

"My mother eased the standoff between my sisters by making an eirenicon for everyone to wait an hour before coming back to the dinner table to resolve their differences with cooler heads."

"The local offices used to compete for bonuses until the manager offered an eirenicon to combine goals, resulting in better performance from everyone."

 

About Eirenicon

“Eirenicon” comes from the ancient Greek “eirēnikón,” suggesting “to create peace.”

 

Did you Know?

An eirenicon is a proposal to resolve and reconcile problems in order to achieve peace, unity, and solidarity. The key to finding such harmony is in working out how disputing parties might coexist peacefully. An obvious example of a real-world eirenicon would be powerful world leaders coming together to negotiate a peace treaty. However, the term “eirenicon” can be applied in negotiations across all manner of disputes, from workplace dramas to sibling squabbles. They all deserve a peaceful resolution.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: INKHORN

pronunciation: [INGK-hahrn]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Middle English, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A small portable container for ink.

2. (As modifier) Denoting pedantic words or expressions used only in academic writing.

 

Example:

"The accountant insisted on explaining even the most basic aspects of the tax code using inkhorn language."

"I used to write with inkhorn specificity in all instances, but I found that people thought even my basic emails sounded snooty."

 

About Inkhorn

“Inkhorn” dates back to the Middle English “ynkhorn” and “inkehorn,” both of which capture the modern English combination of “ink” and “horn” (a container made of horn used to hold ink). The metaphorical usage dates back to the mid-16th century, while the ink pot usage dates to the 1420s.

 

Did you Know?

Originally, an inkhorn was a portable container for ink made out of animal horn, but over time, “inkhorn” came to refer to the scribes and other professional writers who carried their writing utensils around. Because the people who used inkhorns were often involved in weighty industries such as law or accounting, the inkhorn itself became symbolic of extreme seriousness. That led to one modern definition of “inkhorn” as a synonym for “pedantic.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: JOCOSERIOUS

pronunciation: [jo-ko-SEER-ee-uhs]

 

Part of speech: adjective
Origin: English 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Simultaneously jocular and serious; mixing mirth with serious matters.

 

Example:

"It can be hard to strike a jocoserious tone in a TV show, but the recent hits “Succession” and “Barry” are enormously popular examples of it done well."

"Dwight tries to keep things light with his colleagues, but the importance of his work as a surgeon means his manner is often more jocoserious, which can be seen as flippant."

 

About Jocoserious

“Jocoserious” combines the English words “jocose” and “serious.” “Jocose” is based on the Latin “iocōsus” (meaning “humorous”) and the root “iocus” (meaning “joke”).

 

Did you Know?

The rise of prestige TV has brought about what some critics have referred to as a “golden age of television.” While many of these series are dramas, they are often marked by a jocoserious tone. They deal with serious stories sometimes bordering on tragic, undercut by a current of jokes to keep things from getting too somber. “Fleabag” and “Bojack Horseman” are two recent acclaimed comedy series that use a ready supply of laugh-out-loud-funny jokes as a counterpoint to harrowing storylines. This dichotomy suggests that some TV writers understand it’s easier to get audiences to embrace somber material if there’s a jocoserious element to keep them smiling.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PARACME

pronunciation: [pə-RAK-mi]

 

Part of speech: noun
Origin: Ancient Greek, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. A point beyond the highest or greatest.

2. (Medicine) A point after the crisis of a fever is past.

 

Example:

"He may be in paracme, but the former champion remains a powerful golfer."

"The Gin Blossoms hit their prime in the 1990s, but John loves the albums from the band’s paracme period since the millennium."

 

About Paracme

“Paracme” is a loanword from the ancient Greek “parakmḗ,” combining “pará” (“next to”) and “acme” (“high point”).

 

Did you Know?

It’s hard to identify a musician’s paracme, because in order to do so, there must be a definitive agreement on what era constituted the artist’s strongest works. Often, professional critics might decide that a musician has passed their period of greatest creativity, yet fans will continue to buy albums and attend concerts in a supposed paracme phase. Alternately, artists might please critics with ambitious studio albums but turn off their usual fans with the live shows. For musicians with aspirations of decades-long careers, it may be better to avoid a peak and a subsequent paracme.