New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VELOCIOUS

pronunciation: [və-LOH-shəs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. Rapid; fast.

 

Example:

"The velocious cyclists blew past the spectators in a blur."

"The roller coaster is too velocious for me to ride."

 

About Velocious

If you haven’t heard this word before, you might be more familiar with "velocity," a noun given to the speed of motion (whether fast or slow). "Velocious" is an adjective describing speed, but it always refers to a fast speed.

 

Did you Know?

Velocious comes from the Latin root "vēlōx," meaning "speed." "Velodrome," an indoor arena for bicycle racing, comes from the French word for bicycle, "vélo," but this Romance-language word can also be traced back to the same Latin root for "speed." You could certainly watch a velocious vélo race at the velodrome.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CULPABLE

pronunciation: [KULL-pə-bəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. Deserving blame.

 

Example:

"The little boy’s mother knew he was culpable for eating the last cookie because of the crumbs on his mouth. "

"All the evidence proved she was culpable for the accident. "

 

About Culpable

Culpable comes from the Latin "culpa," meaning "blame, fault."

 

Did you Know?

The word "culpable" has been through a few iterations to get to its modern spelling. In Latin, "culpare" is the verb "to blame," and "culpa" is the noun for "guilt." The Old French word "coupable" came from the Latin word "culpabilis," and that's where the Middle English word "coupable" came from. Over time, the adjective meaning "deserving blame" turned into the spelling of "culpable," harkening back to the original Latin.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: NIRVANA

pronunciation: [nir-VAH-nə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Sanskrit, 1830s

 

Meaning:

1. A state of perfect happiness; an ideal or idyllic place.

2. (In Buddhism) A transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism.

 

Example:

"After a stressful year at work, the week at the spa was nirvana for her."

"When he started studying Buddhism, he was fascinated by the idea of achieving Nirvana."

 

About Nirvana

Nirvana is a Sanskrit word that means "the act of extinguishing." It is the ultimate goal of the Buddhist path. Now the term "nirvana" can be applied to any state of extreme bliss, but it's still helpful to understand the Buddhist roots.

 

Did you Know?

Kurt Cobain, the singer and guitarist of the rock band Nirvana, said, “I wanted a name that was kind of beautiful or nice and pretty instead of a mean, raunchy punk name."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ADJUDICATE

pronunciation: [ə-joo-dih-kayt]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter.

2. Act as a judge in a competition.

 

Example:

"The student council was required to adjudicate any issues with the code of conduct. "

"After years as a public defender, he was ready for his promotion to adjudicate on the state Supreme Court."

 

About Adjudicate

The verb "adjudicate" comes from the Latin root "adjudicat-," meaning "awarded judicially." It's a mid-17th-century word, while the noun "adjudication" was in use in the late 16th century.

 

Did you Know?

Adjudicate can be traced directly to the Latin verb "judicare," meaning "to judge." But go back just a little bit further to "jus," the Latin word for "law," and you'll recognize the root of many of English legal terms. Take a closer look at "judge," "judicial," "judgment," "prejudice," "jury," "injury," "justice," and "perjury."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TALISMAN

pronunciation: [TAL-is-mən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Arabic, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. An object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

2. A person regarded as representing and inspiring a particular group..

 

Example:

"In the fairy tale, the girl was never supposed to take off her talisman, or the witch would find her."

"I've always viewed Sally Ride as a talisman for young women entering the sciences. "

 

About Talisman

The Arabic word "tilsam" serves as inspiration for magical objects across multiple languages. In French and English, it's "talisman." It earns an accent mark in Spanish — "talismán" — and in Italian it’s "talismano."

 

Did you Know?

The talisman appears in many different types of magical lore, but the basics are the same. It's often a ring or amulet that is supposed to protect the bearer against all manner of negative effects, from evil to illness. In more modern usage, the word "talisman" is applied to people who are held up as representative for certain groups and inspiring in some way. No magical powers, but perhaps they still hold a bit of protective charm for their communities.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DESICCATION

pronunciation: [DES-ih-kay-shun]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. The removal of moisture from something.

 

Example:

"The archaeologists were surprised by the level of desiccation that had occurred in the caves. "

"His process of desiccation takes a few days, but it makes the perfect dried fruit for homemade granola."

 

About Desiccation

Desiccation is the noun form of the verb "desiccate," meaning "to dry up." You desiccate meat in order to achieve desiccation, which produces jerky. And don't forget the adjective to describe that jerky, "desiccated."

 

Did you Know?

Desiccation isn't just drying off with a towel after your shower. It's the process of extreme drying, such as when plants are exposed to drought. There are also human-made processes of desiccation, which have many uses in a laboratory or for fieldwork. Also, bakers will find desiccation necessary to add dried coconut or cranberries to their baking, for example. There are many ways to accomplish desiccation, but they all achieve the result of removing moisture.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FRACAS

pronunciation: [FREY-kəs]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Italian, early 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. A noisy disturbance or quarrel.

 

Example:

"Both teams were disqualified after the fracas on the court."

"The town council meeting turned into a fracas over the new zoning proposal. "

 

About Fracas

Fracas comes from the French verb "fracasser," which means "to smash violently." But the French got it from the Italians — "fracassare," which means "make an uproar." A fracas doesn't have to be physical, but it's likely noisy and outrageous.

 

Did you Know?

If you throw yourself into the fray, you'll find yourself in a fracas. Pronounce the first syllable of "fracas" like the word "fray," with a long "a." If you're in the U.S., pronounce the "s" on the end, but drop it if you're using British English.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EDIFICATION

pronunciation: [ed-ə-fih-KAY-shun]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. The instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually.

 

Example:

"You need to meet with a French tutor once a week for your edification and to improve your test scores. "

"When I'm going through a tough time, I turn to thoughts of my grandmother's advice for edification."

 

About Edification

Edification comes from the Latin word "aedificationem," meaning "building or construction." When you're doing something for your own edification, you're building a better you.

 

Did you Know?

Edification originally had a strictly religious usage, meaning the "building up of the soul." It can still be applied to religious improvement, but "edification" now refers to any sort of advancement in education or moral guidance. When in doubt, turn to a trusted adviser for some edification.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MILIEU

pronunciation: [meel-YOO]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. A person's social environment.

 

Example:

"The mark of a good sci-fi novel is an elaborate milieu which the characters inhabit. "

"The milieu of the neighborhood changed after the mega grocery store opened. "

 

About Milieu

In French, "milieu" means "middle," or, as in English, the setting or environment. There's also a French phrase, "au milieu de," which means "in the middle of."

 

Did you Know?

With its French inspiration, "milieu" appears to be quite a sophisticated word. Its original usage was to describe one's place in society — were you a member of the upper-crust milieu or were you working class? The definition has since expanded to describe one's general neighborhood and environmental surroundings, not just their social standing.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ABLUTION

pronunciation: [ə-BLU-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, early 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. The act of washing oneself (often used for humorously formal effect).

2. A ceremonial act of washing parts of the body or sacred containers.

 

Example:

"She prepared the altar with the necessary pitcher of water and perfumes for the ablution."

"Every morning she read the paper over a cup of tea, then completed the ablution of the kitchen and herself."

 

About Ablution

"Ablution" comes from the Latin verb "abluere," meaning "to wash away." The religious ritual context was added in 1533 in a writing by Thomas More. Since then, "ablution" has been used to describe any sort of washing in a formal sense, but particularly as a religious or ritual act.

 

Did you Know?

Ablution is a fancy word for washing, but it has a few particular meanings. It can be used to describe the ritual hand-washing that occurs as part of a Communion ceremony, and in Eastern Orthodoxy, ablution is the consumption of the leftover Communion wine. Then the British military decided to use the word in plural (ablutions) to describe a shower building. It's most often used now as a humorously formal way of describing one's morning getting-ready rituals.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CABAL

pronunciation: [kə-BAL]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. A secret political clique or faction.

 

Example:

"My favorite book is about a powerful cabal during the French Revolution."

"They jokingly called their friend group a 'cabal,' but instead of planning political coups, they planned elaborate birthday parties and annual vacations."

 

About Cabal

Cabal comes from the French "cabale," which came from the Latin "cabala," referring to the form of Jewish mysticism now called Kabbalah. Over time, "cabal" gained new usage as a noun for a secret political faction.

 

Did you Know?

The word "cabal" can be traced back to "cabala," which is the medieval Latin word for a form of Jewish mysticism. However, the word took on a more political meaning over the years, and Charles Dickens came up with an alternative origin. He claimed "cabal" was an acronym for the names of political figures under King Charles II — Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale. A clever story, but ultimately false.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AMALGAM

pronunciation: [ə-MAL-ɡəm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, late 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A mixture or blend.

2. An alloy of mercury with another metal, especially one used for dental fillings.

 

Example:

"Her party menu was an amalgam of snack foods and fancy baked goods."

"The mark of old-fashioned dental work is the fillings amalgam, which might need to be replaced."

 

About Amalgam

The origin of "amalgam" goes back to the Greek word "malagma," which means "emollient." The usage of "emollient" today is a skin-softening product, so the definitions have changed over the years. An emollient may be an amalgam (mixture) of ingredients, but not every amalgam is an emollient.

 

Did you Know?

Amalgam can be used to describe a mixture or blend of any materials, but the technical medical and dental definition concerns mercury blended with another metal. Mercury is an element that can be dangerous to humans, but it has safe uses when handled properly by professionals.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FATUOUS

pronunciation: [FA-tchoo-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Silly and pointless.

 

Example:

"He thought the decorative pillows were fatuous, but they made his mom happy."

"The teacher was frustrated by the fatuous questions that showed the students hadn't been paying attention."

 

About Fatuous

The "fat" in this adjective is misleading — "fatuous" has nothing to do with weight. Instead, the origin can be traced to the Latin word "fatuus," meaning "foolish." You might recognize this root in the word "infatuation," which refers to a silly, foolish crush.

 

Did you Know?

The word "fatuous" is an adjective used to describe someone lacking in intelligence, or something that is pointless. But before you call someone else "fatuous," make sure you're not being inane, puerile, infantile, vacuous, asinine, witless, harebrained, preposterous, or risible yourself.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: WUNDERKIND

pronunciation: [VUN-də-kihnd]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: German, late 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A person who achieves great success when relatively young.

 

Example:

"She earned the reputation of a wunderkind when she sold her startup for $5 million at age 23."

"The piano teacher always hoped that she might come across a wunderkind in her lessons."

 

About Wunderkind

Some things just sound cooler in a foreign language. You could call a talented kid a child prodigy, but "wunderkind" is more fun. The direct translation from German is "wonder child" — and don't forget to pronounce the "v" at the beginning of "wunderkind."

 

Did you Know?

All proud parents watching their children learn new skills might be tempted to use the word "wunderkind." But technically, "wunderkind" should be reserved for a child who is producing work at the level of an adult. If their pride and joy grows up to be an unusually successful 20-something, they can use "wunderkind" again.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SUPINE

pronunciation: [SOO-pine]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin

 

Meaning:

1. (Of a person) Lying face upward.

2. Failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence.

 

Example:

"My perfect Sunday includes French toast and a supine position on the couch."

"The mayor was criticized for remaining supine through the school board protests."

 

About Supine

The word "supine" comes from the Latin word "supinus," meaning "bent backwards." As an adjective describing position, it applies to a person lying with their face up, to a hand with the palm upward, or any object with the front part upward.

 

Did you Know?

You might have heard the phrase "I'm not going to take this lying down" to refer to standing up to some kind of injustice. If you don't take action, then you can be accused of being supine, which describes failing to act, or figuratively lying down.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DOUGHTY

pronunciation: [DOW-tee]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Middle English, pre-12th century

 

Meaning:

1. Brave and persistent.

 

Example:

"The doughty knights are remembered for their courageous actions."

"Even though he was young, he showed that he was doughty in the face of difficulty."

 

About Doughty

This courageous word first appeared in Old English as "dyhtig," which became "dohtig." By the 13th century, "doughty" emerged, and it was likely used in its earliest days to praise brave and fearless knights.

 

Did you Know?

While "doughty" appeared in Middle English to mean "brave," there are similar words in other European languages. In Danish, “dygtig” means "virtuous and proficient." In Dutch, “duchtig” is "severe or strict." In German, someone capable and efficient is "tüchtig." "Dygðugur" is Icelandic for "virtuous," and in Swedish, "duktig" means "efficient or clever."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GERMANE

pronunciation: [jer-MAIN]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Relevant to a subject under consideration.

 

Example:

"Discussing the author’s childhood was germane to the lecture on his influences. "

"You can find germane sources listed in the appendix to the book. "

 

About Germane

Germane, previously spelled "germain," was synonymous with the adjective "german" (lowercase) in Middle English. Both words come from the Latin word "germanus," meaning "genuine," or "of the same parents."

 

Did you Know?

The modern definition of "germane" — relevant to a given subject — first appears in Shakespeare's "Hamlet": "The phrase would bee more Germaine to the matter: If we could carry Cannon by our sides." Prior to about 1600, the adjective "germaine/german" was applied to people having the same parents. Following Shakespeare's usage, it became more loosely applied to anything connected.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CIPHER

pronunciation: [SY-fər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Arabic, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. A secret or disguised way of writing; a code.

2. A monogram.

 

Example:

"The twins developed their own cipher, a secret code for keeping notes hidden from their parents."

"Their wedding registry was filled with linens marked with their new cipher. "

 

About Cipher

The Arabic word “ṣifr” means "zero," or "empty." It was borrowed into Old French as "cifre" and late Middle English as "cipher," both meaning "symbol for zero."

 

Did you Know?

Cipher is a flexible noun that can refer to many things: a numeric or text character, a mark of interweaving characters (a monogram), a method of concealing text, a cryptography system, a secret message, a feature on a musical organ, or even a hip-hop jam session. It can also be used as a verb, meaning "put (a message) into secret writing" or "do arithmetic."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LIMPID

pronunciation: [LIM-pid]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Of a liquid) Free of anything that darkens; completely clear.

2. (Of a person's eyes) Unclouded; clear.

 

Example:

"The brochure pictures showing limpid pools and endless rows of lounge chairs made her want to book a vacation immediately."

"She knew her son was over his bout of flu when his eyes were limpid."

 

About Limpid

Limpid is an adjective used to describe anything translucent or free from clouds and darkness. It’s most often used to describe liquid, but can also be used when someone has a clear and direct way with words. But steer clear of the writing cliché of describing a character as having “eyes like deep, limpid pools.”

 

Did you Know?

This word can easily be traced back to the Latin word "limpidus," meaning "clear," but there's also a link to the Latin "lymph," meaning "clear water," in particular.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EFFLORESCE

pronunciation: [ef-lə-RESS]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. Reach an optimum stage of development; blossom.

2. (Of a substance) Lose moisture and turn to a fine powder on exposure to air.

 

Example:

"The song starts out slowly, but it will effloresce when you reach the chorus."

"Keep the package sealed until you’re ready to use it, because the contents will start to effloresce after it's opened."

 

About Effloresce

When this word is broken down into its Latin roots, one definition becomes quite clear. The prefix "e" means "out," and "florescere" means "begin to bloom." "Effloresce" is a figurative description of something developing and coming into maturity or peak performance.

 

Did you Know?

When using the second definition here of "effloresce," it has a specific chemical usage. When a substance effloresces upon contact with the air, it produces salt particles. "Effloresce" can also be used to describe rocks or brickwork with a salt content that crystallizes on the surface.