New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AUREATE

pronunciation: [OR-ee-eit]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Denoting, made of, or having the color of gold.

2. (Of language) Highly ornamented or elaborate.

 

Example:

"The aureate exterior of her jewelry box was only a preview of what was inside."

"The book of poetry was written in an aureate style."

 

About Aureate

A fortuneteller might claim your aura is aureate, but they don't have the same etymology. "Aura" comes from the Latin for "a breeze," while "aureate," or "gold," comes from the Latin "aurum," which, you guessed it, means "gold."

 

Did you Know?

When describing language, "aureate" means "fancy or elaborate." But the process of aureation describes how languages evolve. When one language is improved or heightened by borrowing from another, that's called "aureation." Loanwords, such as "hors d'oevres" from French, are considered a form of aureation.

 

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What's the Word: FACTOTUM

pronunciation: [fak-TOH-dəm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-16th century

 

Meaning:

1. An employee who does all kinds of work.

 

Example:

"I earned a reputation as a jack of all trades, but I prefer the more professional-sounding term 'factotum.'"

"You'd better give him a raise; he's a real factotum."

 

About Factotum

Benjamin Franklin is known as a writer, philosopher, scientist, inventor, statesman, and more. In his autobiography, he calls himself a factotum, and gives the definition in a footnote: "one who makes himself generally useful; a 'do-all.'"

 

Did you Know?

Slang nicknames aren't just a modern invention. In the 16th century, a "Johannes Factotum" was what we would now call a "Jack-of-all-trades." In medieval Latin, "fac" meant "to do" and "totum" meant "the whole thing."j

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: BREVILOQUENT

pronunciation: [brə-VIL-ə-kwent]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Of a person, speech, or style of writing) Using very few words; concise.

 

Example:

"Usually he was breviloquent, but he went into great detail when describing his favorite book."

"If you find it hard to be breviloquent, ask someone to edit your paper before submitting it for a grade."

 

About Breviloquent

There's eloquent, and then there's breviloquent. If someone describes you as the former, they're admiring your ability to be fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing. If you're the latter, you may still be eloquent, but you're more concise about it.

 

Did you Know?

Brevity is the soul of wit. Thanks for that, Shakespeare. These words that appear in "Hamlet" sum up the opinion that less is more, at least when it comes to clever word choices.

 

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What's the Word: NOCTAMBULATE

pronunciation: [nok-TAM-byoo-late]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 1950s

 

Meaning:

1. To walk about at night.

2. To sleepwalk.

 

Example:

"After dinner, he loved to noctambulate and watch the stars come out."

"The best part of living in the city is that you'll never noctambulate alone."

 

About Noctambulate

There's not a specific word for "walk on the beach," but you can put in your dating profile that you like to noctambulate — that is, walk at night. Safety first, but there's something magical about strolling along at dusk and watching night fall.

 

Did you Know?

Sure you can walk, but why walk when you can run? Or maybe you prefer a stroll? You could peregrinate (wander from place to place), and you could also amble, ramble, saunter, meander, jaunt, tour, march, traipse, tramp, shuffle, trudge, hike, locomote, or hoof it. If you specifically want to walk at night, well, that's noctambulating.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AEGIS

pronunciation: [EE-jis]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. The protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization.

2. (In classical art and mythology) An attribute of Zeus and Athena (or their Roman counterparts Jupiter and Minerva) usually represented as a goatskin shield.

 

Example:

"The humanitarian efforts were done under the aegis of the United Nations."

"You can see in that painting, Athena carried her aegis for protection."

 

About Aegis

You're likely to hear "aegis" used on the news today to talk about an organization or a country giving its support and protection. But the history of the word is as of a literal shield. In Greek, "aigis" means "shield of Zeus," and in classical art and mythology, the word "aegis" was always related to the shields of Zeus and Athena.

 

Did you Know?

In Greek mythology and art, the aegis is represented in many forms, but in Homer's "Iliad," it's attributed to Athena. "And among them went bright-eyed Athene, holding the precious aegis which is ageless and immortal: a hundred tassels of pure gold hang fluttering from it, tight-woven each of them, and each the worth of a hundred oxen."

 

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What's the Word: PASTICHE

pronunciation: [pah-STEESH]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.

2. An artistic work consisting of a medley of pieces taken from various sources.

 

Example:

"I prepared a jazz pastiche to perform at the reception."

"It was clearly a pastiche, but I still admired the painting."

 

About Pastiche

You can't order it at a restaurant, but "pastiche" has etymological ties to your favorite bowl of carbs. The Latin word "pasta" means "paste," which turned into "pasticcio" in Italian, and "pastiche" in French. You can turn a floury paste into pasta, or you can paste together various artistic styles into your own work.

 

Did you Know?

Have you ever heard someone say there are no new ideas? That might be a bit extreme, but the word "pastiche" describes artistic work that imitates another. It could be a pastiche of a particular artist's style or just a tribute to an entire movement, such as cubism.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TWITTERPATED

pronunciation: [TWIH-dər-pay-dəd]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: American English, 1940s

 

Meaning:

1. Infatuated or obsessed.

2. In a state of nervous excitement.

 

Example:

"I'm twitterpated over the new collection from my favorite designer."

"The family is all twitterpated as they wait for the announcement of the new baby."

 

About Twitterpate

This word has nothing to do with hashtags or the company formerly known as "Twitter." "Twitterpated" is a relatively modern term for being nervously excited or even overwhelmed by a crush. "Twitter" is a 17th-century word for "excitement" and "pate" means "head." In 1940s slang, "twitterpated" described being so excited you lose your head.

 

Did you Know?

Thank Walt Disney for this word. In the 1942 animated classic "Bambi," the wise owl explains to Thumper and Bambi the cause of all the excitement around them: "Nearly everybody gets twitterpated in the springtime." Quite simply, when animals (and people) fall in love, they get all twitterpated.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PHILOMATH

pronunciation: [FI-lə-math]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Ancient Greek, early 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. A lover of learning; a student or scholar.

2. An astrologer or predictor.

 

Example:

"If I've earned a reputation for anything, I hope it's for being a lifelong philomath."

"Go back in the family tree, and you'll find a few wise women and even a philomath."

 

About Philomath

If you've ever described yourself as an audiophile (a lover of high-quality music and audio equipment) or a bibliophile (a lover of books), you already understand half of this word. A philomath is a lover of learning — particularly mathematics, philosophy, and other humanities.

 

Did you Know?

The close cousin of a philomath is a polymath. The philomath truly loves learning in specific categories, but the polymath has a broad swath of knowledge. They might not have a deep well of knowledge in one subject, as a philomath might, but they are learned in many (poly) areas.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SURSURRUS

pronunciation: [soo-SUR-əs]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Whispering, or rustling.

 

Example:

"The quiet susurrus of the wind is a soothing backdrop for reading."

"You could hear the susurrus of the audience before the curtain went up."

 

About Sursurrus

It's not technically an onomatopoeia (a word that resembles a sound, such as "plop" or "meow"), but it's pretty close. "Susurrus" means "a soft whisper or murmuring sound." It's what you hear when the wind blows through fall leaves or waves are crashing on the shore.

 

Did you Know?

In Latin, "susurrus" is a noun for a whisper, and "susurrare" is the verb for "to murmur or hum." In English, we've maintained "susurrus" as a noun for a whispering noise, but you might also see it as "susurration." We prefer to stick to the more poetic and original Latin spelling.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: IMMUTABLE

pronunciation: [im-MYOO-də-bəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Middle English, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Unchanging over time or unable to be changed.

 

Example:

"The mission of the nonprofit has remained immutable since its founding."

"You can try to change his mind, but I think he's immutable."

 

About Immutable

In Latin, "mutare" means "to change," which is likely recognizable from the popular mutant superheroes known as the X-Men. Add the Latin prefix "im-" for "not," and you get the unchanging "immutable." If you're immutable, there's no chance of shapeshifting as your superpower.

 

Did you Know?

There are a batch of words that can be traced back to the Latin root "mutare," which means "to change." "Immutable" means "unchanging," "mutate" means "to undergo significant changes," "permute" is "to change the order," and "transmute" is "to change in nature or appearance." Change is good.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: VERSO

pronunciation: [vər-soh]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document.

2. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.

 

Example:

"Every new chapter begins on the verso."

"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."

 

About Verso

Verso is a traditional printing term for the left-hand side of an open book, but it can also be the back side of a single piece of paper. It's a handy term that has been adopted by the arts and collectibles community to refer to the back or reverse side of a painting or coin.

 

Did you Know?

Open up a book and take a look at the pages in front of you. The right-hand side is called "recto," from the Latin for "on the right leaf." Conversely, "verso" means "on the left leaf." Using these terms is a fancy way to let someone know that you know your books.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EVENTIDE

pronunciation: [EE-vən-tahyd]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old English, pre-12th century

 

Meaning:

1. The end of the day.

2. Evening.

 

Example:

"I try to have a relaxing eventide with no screens after 8 p.m."

"The garden is filled with flowers that only open at eventide."

 

About Eventide

In Old English, "ǣfentīd" was used for the end of the day, while "ǣfnung" referred specifically to the time of dusk falling. In modern English, "evening" sums up both of those words to refer to the time from about 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The next time you say goodbye to someone after dinner, try, "Have a good eventide."

 

Did you Know?

Turn to Old English to give variety to your time descriptions. "Eventide" is "the evening," a "moment" is "precisely 90 seconds," and a "mileway" is "about 20 minutes," or how long it takes to walk a mile.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ETHNOGRAPHY

pronunciation: [eth-NAH-ɡrə-fee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. The scientific description of the customs of individual peoples and cultures.

 

Example:

"The required reading touched on the ethnography of the country, not just the history."

"You can be a tourist, but you can also immerse yourself in a culture’s ethnography."

 

About Ethnography

The things you eat, the holidays you observe, the style in which you dress, the habits you perform — all are part of ethnography. Ethnography is some sort of scientific or written documentation of a way of life, either of an individual or a culture. A hundred years from now, the discovery of your Netflix queue might be a piece of your ethnography.

 

Did you Know?

You might be more familiar with ethnography’s close cousin, anthropology. Anthropology is the study of humans as a whole, but specific societies might be examined individually. Ethnography is concerned with how humans live and experience life, usually one culture at a time.

 

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What's the Word: NIBLING

pronunciation: [NIB-ling]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, mid-20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A gender-neutral term for a niece or nephew.

 

Example:

"I'm so excited for my new nibling to be born."

"All the niblings get their own table at family dinners."

 

About Nibling

The exact origins of this word are unclear, but it seems to have popped up around the mid-1900s. It wasn't adopted into popular use for another few decades, but it's gaining steam as language is evolving to reflect more diverse identities. You can find "nibling" in the Collins Dictionary and as a word to watch by Merriam-Webster.

 

Did you Know?

It's not a new species of beetle — your nibling is your niece or nephew. It's a neat gender-neutral term to refer to a child of a sibling, or a whole group of them.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: COUNTERCULTURE

pronunciation: [KOWN-tər-kəl-chər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: American English, mid-20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm.

 

Example:

"Flower crowns and bell-bottom jeans were the uniform of the hippie counterculture of the 1960s."

"Artists, writers, and musicians are often symbols of the counterculture."

 

About Counterculture

Counter — "denoting movement or effect in the opposite direction" — pairs with "culture" to describe attitudes, beliefs, or a way of life that runs contradictory to the norm. The term "counterculture" can likely be applied to every youthful generation as they attempt to establish their own identity apart from that of their parents and grandparents. However, the word is specifically shorthand for the hippie generation of the 1960s and 1970s.

 

Did you Know?

The counterculture had been brewing for quite a while when American academic Theodore Roszak published "The Making of a Counter Culture" in 1969. He gave name to the generation of Vietnam War protesters and student dropouts who seemed to be rejecting established society. The counterculture of hippies hit its peak in the 1969 "Summer of Love" in San Francisco.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GASTRONOME

pronunciation: [GAS-trə-nohm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A gourmet.

 

Example:

"Julia Child was a gastronome before she learned to cook a single dish."

"You can be a gastronome and still appreciate simple foods."

 

About Gastronome

Quite simply, a gastronome is a gourmet. "Gastronome" comes from the French word "gastronomie," which is "the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food." If you appreciate good food, you can call yourself a gastronome.

 

Did you Know?

In "Deipnosophistai," a second-century BCE book about food, two gastronomes go back and forth about their love of food. They discuss recipes for stuffed grape leaves and cheesecake for days. How long could you talk about your favorite foods?

 

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What's the Word: TOOTHSOME

pronunciation: [TOOTH-səm]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: English, mid-16th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Of food) Temptingly tasty.

2. (Of a person) Good-looking; attractive.

 

Example:

"The dessert case was bursting with toothsome pastries and pies."

"Look beyond his toothsome exterior and get to know his personality a bit."

 

About Toothsome

When talking about food, "toothsome" is usually paired with a diminutive noun: "morsel," "tidbit," "nibble." These delicate bites seem more toothsome than a big hunk of cheese or an oversized value meal.

 

Did you Know?

You look good enough to eat! The original usage of "toothsome" meant a general sense of attractiveness, going all the way back to Chaucer's time. But if we're talking about teeth, eating comes into play, and it makes sense that the usage of the adjective evolved to cover tasty treats.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SNUGGERY

pronunciation: [SNUH-ɡə-ree]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: British English, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A cozy or comfortable place, especially someone's private room or den.

2. Another term for snug, a small, comfortable public room in a pub or inn.

 

Example:

"The hidden snuggery behind the kitchen is my favorite room in the house."

"The extra room was supposed to be an office, but we turned it into a reading snuggery."

 

About Snuggery

A snuggery is exactly what it sounds like: a cozy little nook filled with comfortable chairs, pillows, blankets, books, or whatever your personal dream den would be filled with.

 

Did you Know?

Do you know the word "hygge" (pronounced HOO-gah)? It’s a Danish word meaning "a general sense of coziness," but it’s also a trendy obsession with all things comforting and content. Having a snuggery (or similar space) is a key element of reaching the perfect state of hygge.

 

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What's the Word: INCIPIENT

pronunciation: [in-SIP-ee-ənt]

 

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

 

Meaning:

1. In an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.

2. (Of a person) Developing into a specified type or role.

 

Example:

"His incipient excitement built up the week before he started the new job."

"We started out as colleagues, but we're incipient friends."

 

About Incipient

The meaning of "incipient" changes slightly depending on whether it's being used to describe a thing or a person. For a person, "incipient" means you have the potential to develop into the role. For a thing, "incipient" means it's in the early stages.

 

Did you Know?

This adjective got its start as a noun in the 16th century. "Incipient" meant "a beginner." Today you could use "novice," "amateur," "apprentice," "initiate," or "recruit" as a noun for someone just starting out.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CADRE

pronunciation: [KAH-dray]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession.

2. A member of an activist group.

 

Example:

"A cadre of heart specialists was on call for the transplant procedure."

"The cadre joined the gathering in front of the statehouse to listen to speakers."

 

About Cadre

This word, which has come to mean a group of specially trained people, traces back to the Latin word "quadrus," meaning "square." The Latin word was pulled into Italian ("quadro") and then to French, before "cadre" was added to English in the 19th century. Despite the origin, you're allowed to have more than four people in your cadre today.

 

Did you Know?

If you're a member of a cadre, you have a special purpose. "Cadre" is used to describe a small group of people who have been trained in a particular profession or skill. The word also has a history of being used to describe groups of activists and revolutionaries, but today it can be applied to a single member.