New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SCANTLING

pronunciation: [NOHZ-gey]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Middle English, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A small bunch of flowers, typically one that is sweet-scented.

 

Example:

"Her daughter picked a nosegay that was mostly weeds, but she still loved it."

"Each of the bridesmaids received a small nosegay wrapped in lace."

 

About Nosegay

Nosegay is a uniquely English term. Nose is, well, nose, and gay meant ornament in the 15th century. You could technically call the sparkly stud in your nostril a nosegay, but we'll stick to a small bouquet of flowers. Stay traditional and wrap it in a doily or even a silver nosegay holder.

 

Did you Know?

While a nosegay is a small bunch of flowers often used at weddings, it used to be a common and useful accessory. In the 15th century, hygiene wasn't up to our modern standards, and people were quite a bit smellier. A sweetly scented nosegay held to the face helped to avoid the most noxious aromas.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: BILDUNGSROMAN

pronunciation: [BIL-dungz-ro-mahn]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: German, early 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education.

 

Example:

"She had an entire shelf in her home library devoted to Bildungsroman."

"The Bildungsroman told the story of his journey from a one-room schoolhouse to graduating from medical school."

 

About Bildungsroman

Bildungsroman is an intimidating word for a literary style popular with all types of readers. "Bildung" is German for "education," and "roman" is a novel. Simply put, it's a coming-of-age story. Since the noun is borrowed directly from German, it's usually capitalized (following the German rule), but it's still correct in English if it's not.

 

Did you Know?

Emma by Jane Austen, "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Huston, and "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee — all Bildungsromans. Any story that concerns the moral, educational, and philosophical development of a young person falls into this family of novels. A more modern term for this genre is "coming-of-age story" and it applies to narratives across literature, TV, film, and theater.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LETHOLOGICA

pronunciation: [lee-thə-LAH-jih-kə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, early 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. The inability to remember a particular word or name.

 

Example:

"Her lethologica increased when she was meeting multiple people at a time."

"Use mnemonic devices to avoid lethologica when you're studying for a big test."

 

About Lethologica

With the Greek word "lethe" for "forgetfulness" and the Greek word "logos" for "word," you can understand "lethologica" as the feeling of being unable to remember a word or a name. It can be a symptom of a medical condition, or it can be a case of forgetfulness.

 

Did you Know?

The root "lethe" comes from Greek mythology — it's the river in Hades that makes the souls of the dead forget their previous life. "Lethologica" is a somewhat obscure term for being unable to remember a certain word. A related medical condition is called "aphasia," the loss of ability to understand or express speech.

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: INFINITESIMAL

pronunciation: [in-fin-ih-TIS-ə-məl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, mid-17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Extremely small.

 

Example:

"The weatherman said there's an infinitesimal chance it will rain today, but I'm still taking my jacket."

"Infinitesimal traces of chicken fell on the floor, but my dog immediately smelled them."

 

About Infinitesimal

As an adjective, "infinitesimal" means "incredibly small" — or in a technical sense, too small to be measured by standard means. But it can also be used as a noun to describe an amount. In this sense it's mostly used by mathematicians for a number or quantity that can be divided endlessly into smaller fractions, or "infinitesimals."

 

Did you Know?

You might recognize the word "infinite" at the start of this long word, but it's not used to refer to endlessly long numbers. Instead, "infinitesimal" is a description of very small size. There may be an infinite number of fish in the ocean, but a single speck of plankton is infinitesimal.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: STENTORIAN

pronunciation: [sten-TOHR-ee-ən]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Greek, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Of a person's voice) Loud and powerful.

 

Example:

"A successful candidate requires a stentorian voice that carries above the cheering crowds."

"It was a surprise to hear a stentorian voice coming from such a small body."

 

About Stentorian

Stentorian is an adjective to describe a loud, booming voice. "Stentor" is the proper noun from Homer's "Iliad," but "stentor" is a common noun for anyone with a powerful voice.

 

Did you Know?

Thank Homer for this one. In the classic epic poem the "Iliad,” Stentor is the name of the herald who delivered proclamations to the Greek army during the Trojan War. It was said that his voice was as loud as 50 men together, but you don't have to be quite that loud to be called "stentorian."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DEMUR

pronunciation: [də-mər]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 12th century

 

Meaning:

1. Raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

2. (Law) Put forward a demurrer.

 

Example:

"This is an open forum — please demur if you don't agree."

"If you don't agree with the charge, your lawyer can demur."

 

About Demur

As with many words that are rooted in Latin, "demur" took a progression through other languages to get to English. In Latin, "de-" means "away or completely," and "morari" means "delay." Then it moved into Old French as "demourer" (verb) and "demeure" (noun). As it moved from French into Middle English, "demur" meant "to delay," but it's also an objection — maybe even an objection at a delay.

 

Did you Know?

To demur means to object, doubt, or show your reluctance. The verb is also used in a legal sense to file a demurrer, or objection. But if you don't have any qualms, you might use "demur" as a noun. "Demur" is almost always used in the negative as a noun: "I agreed to his compromise without demur."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AMBROSIA

pronunciation: [am-BRO-zhə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, mid-16th century

 

Meaning:

1. Something very pleasing to taste or smell.

2. (Greek mythology) The food of the gods.

 

Example:

"The dessert you served last night was pure ambrosia."

"Ambrosia is a powerful element in many stories of Greek mythology."

 

About Ambrosia

In many stories of Greek mythology, gods who consumed ambrosia were given immortality. The word for "food of the gods" comes from the Greek word "ambrotos," meaning "immortal." You can feel godlike yourself if you want to claim your favorite dish is ambrosia upon your lips.

 

Did you Know?

The smell of freshly baked cookies in the air, the taste of ripe strawberries — anything that smells or tastes delicious can be called "ambrosia." But if you want to make ambrosia, there is a specific traditional Southern recipe. It's a salad (we're using that word loosely) that contains marshmallows, sour cream, shredded coconut, oranges, and pineapple.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: REDOLENT

pronunciation: [RED-ihl-ənt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something).

2. Strongly smelling of.

 

Example:

"The small homes are redolent of the original ones in the city."

"The aromas of spring are redolent with flowers and freshly cut grass."

 

About Redolent

You can use "redolent" to describe anything that reminds you of something else, but the original usage was related to smell. In Latin, "red" means "back, or again," and "olere" means "to smell." That gives us "redolent" in Latin, meaning "giving out a strong smell." The spelling and meaning passed through to Old French and into Middle English in the 15th century.

 

Did you Know?

Scent is one of the most powerful triggers for memory. Incoming smells pass through the olfactory bulb in your nose, directly to the hippocampus and amygdala. These areas in your brain are responsible for emotion and memory. This pathway explains why a kitchen redolent of baking cookies might remind you of Grandma.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SWAIN

pronunciation: [sweyn]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old Norse, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. A young lover or suitor.

2. A country youth.

 

Example:

"The eager swain showed up at her door with a bouquet of flowers to ask her to prom."

"He didn’t often leave the farm, but the swain went into town for supplies once a month."

 

About Swain

In Old Norse, "sveinn" meant "boy," or "servant." Old English adopted "swain" to describe a young man attending a knight. It picked up a few more definitions over the years, with "swain" meaning "a country youth," and then "a gentleman suitor." The courting version stuck around thanks to Romantic literature.

 

Did you Know?

Swain is an old-fashioned term for a beau, boyfriend, or suitor. While the term isn’t used much these days, try introducing your new boyfriend as your swain — the charming moniker might win over your friends and family.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VALEDICTION

pronunciation: [val-ih-DIK-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-17th century

 

Meaning:

1. The action of saying farewell.

2. A statement or address made at or as a farewell.

 

Example:

"Make sure to give your mother a valediction before you leave for the weekend."

"I always struggle with choosing an appropriate valediction for emails to my boss."

 

About Valediction

Valedict- serves as the root for several related words. There's "valediction" ("the act of saying farewell"), "valedictorian" ("the student chosen to deliver a farewell address at a commencement ceremony"), and "valedictory," which is both the noun for a farewell speech and an adjective describing something of a farewell nature.

 

Did you Know?

If you're a regular at Christian church services, you likely recognize "benediction" as the blessing given at the end of the service. "Valediction" has a similar Latin etymology. "Bene" in Latin is "to wish well or bless." "Vale" is "goodbye," and "dicere" is "to say" in Latin. A benediction and a valediction — depending on the context — are both appropriate ways to say goodbye.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DALLY

pronunciation: [DAL-ee]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Old French, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Act or move slowly.

2. Have a casual romantic liaison with.

 

Example:

"I was enjoying the spring weather so much that I dallied on my way back to the office."

"He’s not looking for a serious relationship, but he has been known to dally with a new romance."

 

About Dally

Here’s a handy little verb with two different definitions. You probably won't dally if you're going to dally with someone. If you're dallying (having a casual romantic relationship), there's not a long courtship, so you won't dally (delay) going on a few dates.

 

Did you Know?

In Old French, "dailer" meant "to chat." As the word progressed into English, it adopted the definition of "moving slowly" — or "to have a romantic entanglement." Then it acquired another usage of a casual, noncommittal interest in anything. There is a connecting thread here. You might waste time by having a leisurely chat, and that conversation could lead to romance, or perhaps a new acquaintanceship — these are all forms of dallying.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: POTATION

pronunciation: [po-TEY-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A drink.

2. The action of drinking alcohol.

 

Example:

"Sit down and join me for a potation."

"A majority of the plans for the bachelor party concerned copious amounts of potation."

 

About Potation

Po-TEY-tion, po-TAH-tion. Actually, potation has nothing to do with potatoes. The Latin verb "potare" means "to drink," and that turned into "potation" in Old French and then Middle English. The noun form means "a drink," or "the action of drinking."

 

Did you Know?

Head to your favorite watering hole, and order a potation. It’s not a fancy cocktail made by a mixologist; it’s just a drink. "Potation" is a bit of an old-fashioned term for a beverage, usually alcoholic. Bartender’s choice when you ask for a potation.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: APPETENCY

pronunciation: [APP-ə-dən-see]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. A longing or desire.

2. A natural tendency or affinity.

 

Example:

"Ice cream topped with pickles was the strangest appetency that she had during her pregnancy."

"My grandfather passed along his appetency for woodworking and carving."

 

About Appetency

The Latin verb "appetere," meaning "to seek after," is the root of both "appetency" and "appetite." In addition to the definition of "hunger," "appetency" also means "a natural inclination for something." If you have an appetency for cooking, you might want to consider culinary school.

 

Did you Know?

One usage of "appetency" ("a longing or desire") is as a synonym for "appetite," but it has a stronger implication of craving attached to it. If you use "appetency" instead of "appetite", there might be an emotional hunger associated with your desire.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: COLLOGUE

pronunciation: [kə-LOWG]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Talk confidentially or conspiratorially.

 

Example:

"When you’re alone, I need to collogue with you."

"The siblings collogued after dinner to discuss their mother’s surprise birthday party."

 

About Collogue

If you have a secret plan, you might collogue with your conspirators. To collogue means to speak confidentially. In the past there was another usage for flattering speech, but that got pushed out in favor of sharing secrets.

 

Did you Know?

Don't confuse "collogue" with the word "colleague." The latter means "professional associate," although the obsolete usage of "colleague" is "to conspire." Both "colleague" and "collogue" came from the Latin word "colloqui," meaning "to converse." If you're attending an academic conference, it might be called a "colloquium." At this colloquium, you're likely to collogue with some colleagues.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AGGLOMERATE

pronunciation: [ə-GLAHM-ər-ate]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Collect or form into a mass or group.

 

Example:

"The students agglomerated at the football field for the rally."

"If you can agglomerate the laundry into one pile, it will be easier to manage."

 

About Agglomerate

In Latin, "glomus" is a ball. From that we get the verb "agglomerare," which roughly means "gathered into a ball." In English, "agglomerate" is primarily used in a more technical sense for gathering something into a group.

 

Did you Know?

Agglomerate is one of those special words that can be used as a verb, a noun, and an adjective. You can agglomerate (verb) a mound of spilled cereal; an agglomerate (noun) of cereal can be in a bowl; and an agglomerate (adjective) pile of cereal on the floor just looks messy.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FANDANGLE

pronunciation: [fan-DAYN-ɡəl]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A useless or purely ornamental thing.

 

Example:

"I couldn’t resist buying the seashell fandangle at the beachside souvenir store."

"Her wedding dress was covered in bows and lace and fandangles."

 

About Fandangle

There’s not much use for this type of object, but it sure is pretty. Maybe you have a cabinet full of knickknacks, or your bed is covered with ornamental pillows. Anything with purely decorative potential, but no real use — that’s a "fandangle."

 

Did you Know?

Fandangle can’t be definitively traced back to a specific root language, but some lexicographers assume it’s related to "fandango." This is the name for a lively Spanish dance accompanied by a tambourine, or the name for an elaborate process or activity. "Fandangle," or "an ornamental object," came about in the mid-19th century, likely related to the second definition of "fandango."

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DISPORT

pronunciation: [də-SPORT]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Old French, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. Enjoy oneself unrestrainedly.

2. Frolic.

 

Example:

"Let go of your inhibitions and find a way to disport yourself every day."

"Put a smile on your face by watching a video of puppies playing and disporting."

 

About Disport

The Middle English term "disport" comes from the Old French word "desporter," with the literal translation of "carry away." If you get too excited and get carried away with yourself, that’s the perfect depiction of the verb "disport."

 

Did you Know?

Not all words from Middle English are recognizable today, but "disport" still holds the same playful meaning as it did when Chaucer used it. Can you translate this line from “The Merchant’s Tale”? “Dooth hym disport — he is a gentil man.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FLOCCULENT

pronunciation: [FLAHK-yə-lənt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Having or resembling tufts of wool.

2. Having a loosely clumped texture.

 

Example:

"The flocculent sheep were ready for their spring shearing."

"Your potting soil should be slightly damp and flocculent."

 

About Flocculent

If the word "flocculent" makes you think of a flock of sheep, you'd be correct. In Latin, "floccus" means "tuft of wool," so the adjective "flocculent" can apply to the woolly sheep themselves, or anything with a similarly tufted texture.

 

Did you Know?

The adjective "flocculent" describes a tufty texture, but there's also a noun, "flocculation." This chemical process occurs when clumps of a substance start to form. It's important for water-treatment processes and even beer brewing. Yeast flocculation is a vital step in brewing your favorite IPA.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PORTAGE

pronunciation: [POHR-dij]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. The carrying of a boat or its cargo between two navigable waters.

2. A place where carrying a boat is necessary.

 

Example:

"Our canoe trip required portage from the river into the larger lake."

"The view of the waterfall from the portage was breathtaking."

 

About Portage

Portage as a noun is the act of carrying a boat between bodies of water, or the place where it is done. But it can also be used as a verb for this same activity: "We needed to portage to reach the lake from the portage."

 

Did you Know?

Portage is a popular name for towns and other locations. There's Portage County, Wisconsin; Portage Park in Chicago; Portage, Indiana; and Portage Township in Michigan. It's especially popular in Alaska, which is home to Portage Lake, Portage Creek, Portage Glacier Highway, and the ghost town of Portage.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TRANSPICUOUS

pronunciation: [trans-PIK-yoo-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, mid-17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Transparent.

2. Easily understood, lucid.

 

Example:

"My windows were transpicuous and sparkling after I cleaned both sides."

"Your argument is well reasoned and transpicuous."

 

About Transpicuous

Transpicuous means something is transparent, or can be seen through. It can be literal, as in a crystal-clear plate-glass window, or you can use it in a more figurative sense. For example, you might try to be transpicuous about your feelings for your new girlfriend. Either way, it’s easy to see.

 

Did you Know?

The Latin root for "transpicuous" is "transpicere," meaning "to look through," but "specere" on its own means "to look or see." A few other "seeing" words share this origin. "Conspicuous" means "attracting notice," and "inspect" means "to look at something closely."