DarkRavie Posted August 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2023 What's the Word: DUCTILE pronunciation: [DUCK-tl] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 14th century Meaning: 1. (Of a metal) Able to be drawn out into a thin wire. 2. Able to be deformed without losing toughness; pliable, not brittle. Example: "Copper is quite ductile, which makes it perfect for both electrical work and jewelry." "The drafty window sill needs to be repaired with a ductile material to stand up to the winter winds." About Ductile The adjective "ductile" comes from the Latin root "ductilis," which means "easily led." A person may not be described as ductile, but ductile metal is easily drawn out into a thin wire. Did you Know? Ductile can be used in a few different ways, but they all apply to physical materials. Any sort of pliable, malleable material that can be molded can be called "ductile." It's tough and sturdy, but still capable of taking on a different shape. But if the material is metal, "ductile" specifically refers to the capability to draw it out into a long, thin wire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2023 What's the Word: FABULIST pronunciation: [FAB-yə-list] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. A person who composes or relates fables. 2. A liar, especially a person who invents elaborate, dishonest stories. Example: "Her debut fantasy romance novel earned her the reputation of a skilled fabulist." "He couldn't seem to stop telling fibs about almost everything, and he became known as a fabulist." About Fabulist The root of "fabulist" is the Latin "fābula," meaning "story," but English speakers acquired this word from the French "fabuliste," meaning "writer of stories." The mendacious connotation to the word was a later usage. Did you Know? Fabulist is certainly related to the more easily recognizable adjective "fabulous." While "fabulous" is now used to describe anything fashionable and glamorous, the original meaning was "known through fable." A fabulist might tell fabulous stories of dragons, mermaids, unicorns, and wizards. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2023 What's the Word: EXIGENCY pronunciation: [EKS-i-jən-see] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. An urgent need. 2. A crisis that requires immediate action. Example: "He put the financial exigencies of his family ahead of his personal desires." "The exigency of the natural disaster inspired many people to make donations and volunteer their time." About Exigency This demanding noun can be traced back to the late Latin "exigentia," which means "urgency," and that comes from the Latin verb "exigere," which means "to demand." Did you Know? Exigency is a noun that, when used in the singular, describes a crisis or emergency that needs immediate attention. When used in the plural — "exigencies" — it describes the overall pressing nature or demands of a situation. Either way, there’s work to be done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2023 What's the Word: CATASTASIS pronunciation: [kə-TAS-tə-sis] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. The third part of an ancient Greek drama, in which the action is heightened for the catastrophe. Example: "The relationships between the characters in the play grew more complex as it reached its catastasis." "Antoine announced, as though it was the catastasis of a Greek drama, that he planned to abstain from carbs for the entire month." About Catastasis “Catastasis” is taken from the ancient Greek “katástasis,” meaning “settling” or “appointment.” Did you Know? “Catastasis” can mean two things: In modern rhetoric, it refers to the part of a speech that lays out the subject and core argument. But in ancient Greek theater traditions, the term referred to the point in a drama when the action moves toward the catastrophe, the dramatic event through which the plot becomes resolved. In a play, the catastasis occurs toward the end, while in a speech it occurs first. In both cases, however, the catastasis determines the resolution. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2023 What's the Word: SERRIED pronunciation: [SAIR-eed] Part of speech: adjective Origin: French, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. (Of rows of people or things) Standing close together. Example: "The doors opened to reveal the elevator was already full of serried passengers." "I wanted to stay for the last band of the night, but the crowd was so serried, I could barely breathe." About Serried The adjective “serried” is based on the related verb “serry” (meaning “press close”), a loanword from the French “serré,” meaning “tight,” “cramped,” or “locked.” Did you Know? One of the places most famously full of serried travelers is the Tokyo subway system, which moves 9 million people every day. During off-hours, Tokyo’s subways are rarely crowded, but as rush hour begins, a Tokyo train has a more tightly serried population than most spots on Earth. The crowds are so heavy that the subway authority employs white-gloved attendants (known as “passenger pushers”) to squeeze riders into cars in a serried formation in order to allow the doors to close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 What's the Word: NOCUOUS pronunciation: [NAHK-yoo-əs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. Noxious, harmful, or poisonous. Example: "The lab techs wore close-fitting face masks to protect them from the nocuous liquids they were mixing." "Removing the nocuous plants growing behind the garden was a complicated job." About Nocuous “Nocuous” is based on the Latin “nocuus,” an adjective based on the verb “nocere,” meaning “to hurt.” Did you Know? The definition for “nocuous” in the Oxford English Dictionary includes the words “poisonous” and “venomous.” But talk to a veterinarian or park ranger, and they’ll tell you that those two words are not synonyms. A poison is a toxin that enters the body by inhaling, swallowing, or absorption through the skin (think poison ivy). Venom is a toxin that enters the body through injection: snake bites, bee stings, spider bites, etc. So, while both venom and poison are nocuous in that they are harmful, they are not synonymous with each other. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 What's the Word: EBULLITION pronunciation: [eb-ə-LIH-shən] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. The action of bubbling or boiling. 2. A sudden outburst of emotion or violence. Example: "The professor asked lab students to heat hydrochloric acid to its ebullition point." "When I got my college acceptance letter, I had an ebullition of tears of joy." About Ebullition “Ebullition” is based on the Latin “ēbullītiō,” meaning “bubbling up.” Did you Know? Making candy at home requires close attention to the temperature of ebullition. Most candies begin as sugar syrups, which are then boiled to precise temperatures in order to achieve certain characteristics of clarity versus cloudiness, or hardness versus chewiness. High-temperature ebullition is necessary to turn sugar syrup into hard candy, and it requires a gentle touch, since boiling sugar syrup risks splashing back at the chef. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2023 What's the Word: GADARENE pronunciation: [GAD-ə-reen] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, mid-16th century Meaning: 1. Involving or engaged in a headlong or potentially disastrous rush to do something. Example: "In one Gadarene week, Arthur sold his car, dropped out of college, and joined the French Foreign Legion." "Though it seemed like a Gadarene choice when the vice president of the company quit her job to buy a farm, she had planned the move for over a decade." About Gadarene “Gadarene” is based on the ancient Greek “Gadarēnós,” meaning “inhabitant of Gadara.” It’s a reference to a story in the Bible from the Book of Matthew. Did you Know? The term “Gadarene” derives from a biblical story sometimes called “the Miracle of the Gadarene Swine.” This is one of the miracles the New Testament reports Jesus performed: He exorcized evil spirits from a suffering man and cast the demons into a herd of swine, who then ran headlong into a lake. Because this act occurred near a town called Gadara, the term “Gadarene” came to describe a sudden (perhaps ill-advised) rush to action, similar to that of the Gadarene pigs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2023 What's the Word: CANOROUS pronunciation: [kə-NOR-əs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 17th century Meaning: 1. (Of song or speech) Melodious or resonant. Example: "My father sang along with the radio in a canorous baritone." "Consuela prefers falling asleep to a podcast of a man reading a story in a canorous voice." About Canorous “Canorous” is based on the Latin “canorus,” meaning “melodious.” Its root is “canere,” meaning “sing.” Did you Know? When a human voice is described as canorous, the melodious quality is created by the larynx, which determines aspects of vocal sound such as tone and timbre. Other parts of the mouth and throat come into play as well; the tongue and lips naturally affect vocal sounds, as do the teeth and the position of the jaw. But the larynx in particular is what decides whether a voice is high and reedy, low and rumbling, or somewhere in between. A singer learns to relax their larynx in order to make their voice as canorous as possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2023 What's the Word: HYPNOGOGIC pronunciation: [hip-nə-GAH-jik] Part of speech: adjective Origin: French, late 19th century Meaning: 1. Relating to the state immediately before falling asleep. Example: "He listened to instrumental music to relax into a hypnagogic state. " "My grandmother always told me warm milk was hypnagogic, but I've never felt sleepy after drinking it." About Hypnogogic Hypnagogic might look familiar because of its trancelike cousins. The Greek root "hupnos" means "sleep," so it’s applicable for the adjective "hypnagogic," and also the noun "hypnosis" and the verb "hypnotize." Did you Know? The hypnagogic state is the hazy transitional period from awake to asleep. Having a hard time falling asleep, or reaching the hypnagogic state, is a sign of insomnia, but doctors with the Sleep Foundation claim that establishing a healthy bedtime routine can reduce occurrences of insomnia. A good hypnagogic routine involves consistency. Other suggestions include dim lights, no electronics for 30 minutes before bed, and mindfulness exercises. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2023 What's the Word: INVEIGLE pronunciation: [in-VAY-ɡəl] Part of speech: verb Origin: French, late 15th century Meaning: 1. Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery. 2. (Inveigle oneself or one's way into) Gain entrance to (a place) by persuading (someone) with deception or flattery. Example: "We must inveigle him into participating in the auction." "Her name wasn't on the guest list, but she still inveigled her way into the party." About Inveigle You might claim that you made a good case for your request, but if your persuasion involved deception or flattery, you need to learn the verb "inveigle." It comes from the Old French verb "aveugler," meaning "to blind." Don't turn a blind eye to your true motivations. Did you Know? Inveigle is a verb that can be used with an object: "She inveigled him into giving her a better table." Or it can be used in a sense specifically related to gaining entry to a place: "He inveigled himself into the meeting room." Either way, there's some trickery afoot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2023 What's the Word: EDACIOUS pronunciation: [ə-DAY-shəs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, early 19th century Meaning: 1. Relating to or given to eating. Example: "Her priority was planning the edacious elements of the party." "She knew her edacious uncle would eat at least twice as much as any other guest." About Edacious This foodie adjective comes from the Latin word "edax" ("gluttonous"), coming from the verb "edere," which means "to eat." "Edacious" initially meant anything related to eating, but it evolved to specifically imply a voracious appetite. Did you Know? If "edacious" is an adjective to describe the insatiable quality of a hunger, then "edacity" is the noun given to that particular desire. English language construction rules give us a few options to apply to Latin roots. A word ending in "-ious" will most likely be an adjective, and "-ity" words will be your nouns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2023 What's the Word: GAMBOL pronunciation: [GAM-bəl] Part of speech: verb Origin: Italian, early 16th century Meaning: 1. Run or jump about playfully. Example: "I love watching the squirrels gambol and play when I take my lunch in the park. " "The children gambol outside for recess as long as it isn't raining. " About Gambol The French word "gambade" originally described the frolicking prances of a horse. When "gambol" moved over to English, the playful jumps were applied to humans and equines alike. Did you Know? Gambol can be used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it describes skipping and frisking about, without a care in the world. When you want to give a name to those movements, "gambol" is used as a noun. The same verb/noun distinction applies to the British sense of "gambol," but it more specifically designates a forward roll motion — what Americans might call a "somersault." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2023 What's the Word: EUPHONY pronunciation: [YOO-fə-nee] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, 17th century Meaning: 1. The quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words. 2. The tendency to make phonetic change for ease of pronunciation. Example: "She wanted to pick out the perfect name for her baby — something unique and with euphony." "Some abbreviations are created purely for ease of speech and a sense of euphony." About Euphony English adopted the noun "euphony" from the French word "euphonie," but it really goes back to the Greek word "euphōnia," derived from the adjective "euphōnos," meaning "well sounding." Any word containing "phon" can be traced to the Greek "phōnē," which means "sound." Did you Know? Euphony can describe any pleasing sound, but it is most commonly applied to words. There is, however, a specific linguistic phenomenon called "euphony." Some speakers are drawn to easier-to-pronounce words, even going so far as to alter the pronunciation of words to make them simpler and faster to say. The development of contractions is an example of euphony. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2023 What's the Word: BROMIDE pronunciation: [BRO-miyd] Part of speech: noun Origin: English, 19th century Meaning: 1. A trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate. 2. A compound of bromine with another element or group. Example: "She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the expected bromide from her father." "The upcoming chemistry test will cover the chapter on compounds of bromide. " About Bromide Bromine (symbol Br) is a chemical element discovered in the early 1800s. Creating a compound of bromine and another element will give you a solution named [other element] bromide. Silver bromide, for example, is commonly used in photographic development. Did you Know? We can thank the magic of chemistry for the definition of "bromide" as a commonplace, overused figure of speech. Potassium bromide is no longer used as a sedative today, but we describe anything that is so dull it might put you to sleep as a bromide. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2023 What's the Word: INSOUCIANCE pronunciation: [in-SOO-see-əns] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, late 18th century Meaning: 1. Casual lack of concern; indifference. Example: "I admire my partner’s insouciance toward traffic and other things that annoy me." "During the last week of school, the children showed insouciance toward any lessons." About Insouciance Tossing out "no worries" with a wave would be the perfect demonstration of insouciance. The word translates directly from French, with "in" meaning "not" and "souciant" meaning "worrying." Just don’t get "Hakuna Matata" stuck in your head, and you’ll remain carefree. Did you Know? You might prefer to focus on the breezy, worry-free cheerfulness of insouciance, but it can have a less sunny connotation as well. Someone might be accused of displaying insouciance with careless, thoughtless behavior if they just can’t be bothered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2023 What's the Word: GNOMIC pronunciation: [NOH-mik] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, early 19th century Meaning: 1. Expressed in or of the nature of short, pithy maxims or aphorisms. 2. Enigmatic; ambiguous. Example: "He seemed incapable of original thought and spoke only in gnomic riddles." "The campaign speech excited the voters but remained gnomic in substance." About Gnomic The roots of this speech-related adjective are the same as the roots for the fairy-tale creature. In Greek, "gnōmē" means "thought or judgment." Gnomes have served many purposes in fantastical stories, but they're often storytellers, or givers of advice. The adjective "gnomic" became applied to trite sayings in the 19th century, well after the genesis of stories of magical gnomes. Did you Know? You might assume this adjective is of the garden-gnome variety, but it serves multiple purposes. You can use it to describe anything gnome-like, but it's better used to describe advice given through short, commonplace adages. Just don't go asking your garden gnome for his opinions; he'll probably remain fairly silent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2023 What's the Word: CRINKUM-CRANKUM pronunciation: [KRING-kəm-KRANG-kəm] Part of speech: noun Origin: English, mid-18th century Meaning: 1. Elaborate decoration or detail. Example: "I love Victorian architecture with the woodwork overflowing with crinkum-crankum." "The reviews of the latest book in the mystery series promise a story filled with crinkum-crankum." About Crinkum-crankum Crinkum-crankum is a fanciful word for something fanciful itself. This fun-to-say noun means something with over-the-top decoration, or something full of twists and turns. Did you Know? It might sound like a nonsense word, but "crinkum-crankum" has roots in very real terms. It’s an alteration of "crinkle," meaning "a wrinkle or crease on the surface of something," and "crankle," which comes from the Latin word "crincum," meaning "a bend or twist." "Crinkum-crankum" is a fun way to describe something delightfully elaborate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2023 What's the Word: INTERSTICE pronunciation: [in-TUR-stəs] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. An intervening space, especially a very small one. Example: "I see the neighbor’s dog’s eye peeking through the interstice of the fence." "His birthday falls during the interstice between Christmas and New Year's." About Interstice You might recognize "inter" as "between." "Interstice" comes from the Latin word "intersistere," which means "standing between." It’s an impressive word for a tiny gap. Did you Know? Read between the lines — an interstice is the space between. It can apply to a physical gap between objects, or it can be used in a more figurative sense, such as between time periods or even emotional space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted September 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2023 What's the Word: SCANTLING pronunciation: [SKANT-ling] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old French, early 16th century Meaning: 1. A specimen, sample, or small amount of something. 2. The size to which a piece of wood or stone is measured and cut. Example: "There's only a scantling of milk left, so please pick up a new carton." "The shed door was built to a scantling of 7 feet tall." About Scantling In addition to describing a small amount, scantling can apply to measurements of all sizes in woodworking or building. It can be the size of a certain cut of wood or stone. Or it could be a set of standard dimensions in shipbuilding. Then scantling could also just be a name for a particular type of wood. Use your context clues to decipher the scantling. Did you Know? In shipbuilding, the scantling refers to the collective dimensions of the framing (apart from the keel) to which planks or plates are attached to form the hull. The word is most often used in the plural to describe how much structural strength in the form of girders, I-beams, etc., is in a given section. The scantling length refers to the structural length of a ship. In shipping, a "full scantling vessel" is understood to be a geared ship, that can reach all parts of its own cargo spaces with its own gear. In regard to timber, the scantling is (also "the scantlings are") the thickness and breadth, the sectional dimensions; in the case of stone the dimensions of thickness, breadth and length 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now