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New Game: What's the Word?


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What's the Word? - PUNCTILIOUS

pronunciation: [punk-TIL-ee-uhs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 17th century

 

meaning: 1. Concerned with strict adherence to rules and codes of conduct --- 2. Precise or nitpicky

 

 

"With his punctilious nature, he was sure to do well in the Army." 

"She was so punctilious about organizing her pantry that every shelf had a label."

 

About Punctilious

You might relate this word to punctual, and you’d be correct. Punctuality specifically concerns accuracy with time, but being punctilious can apply to any situation that concerns small and specific details.

 

Did you Know?

The adjective "punctilious" comes from the noun "punctilio," meaning a fine point or detail. Being overly concerned with specific rules and procedures will earn you the reputation of being punctilious.

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What's the Word? - OSSIFIED

pronunciation: [OS-ih-fied]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, early 18th century

 

meaning: 1. Transformed into bone --- 2. Became rigid in habit or belief

 

"Bone is just cartilage that ossified over time." 

"As she aged, she ossified and rejected any attempts to change her habits."

 

About Ossified

Close, but not exact, "calcified" is a near-synonym of "ossified." Ossification is the complete process of turning soft tissue into bone. Calcification is one of the steps in that process — depositing calcium salts into the tissue. But in the figurative sense of having become resistant to change, ossified and calcified are interchangable.

 

Did you Know?

The prefix "oss-" is Latin for "bone," and it makes up the root of a few other bony terms. Ossification is the process of converting into bone. "Osseous" is an adjective for anything made of or resembling bone. On the creepier side, an ossuary is a container or building for human bones, commonly used when burial space is scarce.

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What's the Word? - ORTHOGRAPHY

pronunciation: [or-THAW-graf-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

meaning: 1. The practice of writing words with the correct spelling, according to standard usage --- 2. A method of using symbols to represent the sounds of a language

 

"She thought learning orthography was harder than learning how to speak French." 

"There’s more to writing a book than correct orthography and proper grammar."

 

About Orthography

The definitions of orthography given here concern spelling and the alphabet. There’s another definition: any study concerned with letters and spelling. So today, and every day you learn a Word of the Day, you’re studying orthography.

 

Did you Know?

If you’re reading this, you’re familiar with English orthography. There are 26 letters in the alphabet, but orthography includes how these letters are arranged to spell words, along with punctuation, capitalization, and accent marks. Every language has its own unique orthography.

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What's the Word? - LACHRYMOSE

pronunciation: [LAK-rə-mohs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 18th century

 

meaning: 1. Easily given to tears; weepy --- 2. Sorrowful; tending to cause tears

 

"Watching sad, sentimental movies always made her lachrymose." 

"Bring your tissues, because I’ve heard it’s a lachrymose play."

 

About Lachrymose

Shed a tear for this adjective. It comes from the Latin word for tear, "lacrima." You can use it to help describe anything that causes tears, or anyone who is just plain weepy. We all know one.

 

Did you Know?

"Lachrymose" has a scientific cousin: "lacrimal." While "lachrymose" applies to tears of the emotional variety, "lacrimal" is used in the medical sense — your lacrimal glands produce tears.

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What's the word? - ABNEGATION

pronunciation: [ab-nih-GAY-shun]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 14th century

 

meaning: 1. Denial, usually self-directed --- 2. Relinquishing a certain right or responsibility

 

"In order to prepare for the rigors of boot camp, he started practicing abnegation." 

"Signing the adoption papers signified the abnegation of her parental rights."

 

About Abnegation

You probably recognize the “neg” in the middle of the word and want to infer a negative connotation. But the Latin root is actually "abnego," which means to refuse or deny. You are denying yourself something, but just try to think of how good for you it will be.

 

Did you Know?

This word has a fairly early origin, which makes sense because principles of abnegation are present in almost all of the major religions. Monks and nuns practice abnegation of material possessions. Buddhism and Hinduism preach elements of abnegation. Ramadan and Lent are both periods of abnegation.

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What's the Word? - HOARFROST

pronunciation: [HOHR-frost]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Middle English, 13th century

 

meaning: 1. Frost that forms from dew --- Frost that occurs in freezers with high humidity

 

"On cold mornings, the hoarfrost coats everything in a sheen of ice crystals." 

"His job was to thaw out the walk-in freezer when it was filled with hoarfrost."

 

About Hoarfrost

"Hoarfrost" basically just means frost, but it can specifically refer to the light covering of white that forms when dew freezes. Hoarfrost occurs in any situation where there’s excess moisture that quickly freezes.

 

Did you Know?

The word "hoar" comes from a Middle English term that means gray or old. The inspiration came from trees and bushes covered in frost that looks like white hair.

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What's the Word? - FLANEUR

pronunciation: [fluh-nər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 19th century

 

meaning: 1. One who rambles or travels aimlessly --- 2. An idler or dawdler

 

"He left his trip itinerary open so he could be a bit of a flaneur and do things on the fly." 

"She always got in trouble for being a flaneur as she came back to class from a long break."

 

About Flaneur

A flaneur by another name could be called a slacker — someone who idles about, taking their time, not accomplishing much. But the French-inspired term sounds much nicer than "slacker."

 

Did you Know?

The two definitions of this word actually come from two different languages. In French, a "flâneur" is a loafer or a dawdler. But in Dutch, a "flaneur" is a person who roams the city on foot.

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What's the Word? - CELERITY

pronunciation: [sə-LER-it-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

meaning: 1. Swiftness or rapid movement --- 2. In oceanography, individual wave speed

 

"When the fire alarm went off, everyone headed to the exits with celerity." 

"Judging the celerity of an incoming wave is crucial for surfers."

 

About Celerity

Celerity is a noun that means action is occurring at a rapid pace. It can be a literal quickness of the feet, or it can be a general sense of urgency. Use celerity when a quick response is important.

 

Did you Know?

French has a word, "célérité," which has essentially the same pronunciation and meaning as the English word. But "celerity" is actually traced back to Latin roots. "Celeritas" means quickness or haste.

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What's the Word? - OEUVRE

pronunciation: [UH-vruh]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 18th century

 

meaning: 1. Taken as a whole, the works of a particular artist or writer --- 2. A piece of work from a particular artist

 

"The new exhibit at the museum celebrated the oeuvre of Pablo Picasso." 

"The composer’s most famous oeuvre would be performed by the symphony."

 

About Oeuvre

"Oeuvre" is French for a particular piece of art, music, or writing, but the English usage of the word tends to apply to the full body of work from an artist. Go back a little further and you’ll find the French borrowed the term from the Latin word "opera."

 

Did you Know?

The definition of "oeuvre" can be a single piece of art, or it can be the complete body of work from an artist, taken as a whole. The dual definitions can be used interchangeably, which can be confusing. For this word, context is everything.

 

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What's the Word? - GELASTIC

pronunciation: [jəl-AST-ik]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Greek, date unknown

 

meaning: 1. Laughter provoking --- 2. Relating to a specific kind of epileptic seizure


"The performance was so gelastic that he could barely catch his breath between laughs." 

"His service dog was trained to protect him during a gelastic seizure."

 

About Gelastic

Gelastic is an adjective used to describe something that causes laughter. It can be used in a "funny-ha-ha context," but you’re more likely to find it used in a medical context. Certain medications can cause gelastic behavior, and it’s also in the name of a particular type of epileptic seizure.

 

Did you Know?

The suffix "-ic" means “of or relating to” and when you pair that with the Greek word "gelastikos," or "able to laugh," you get this adjective.

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What's the Word? - HYGGE
pronunciation: [HOO-gah]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Danish, 1960

 

meaning: 1. A general mood of coziness --- 2. A lifestyle culture adopted from Scandinavia, emphasizing comfort and contentment

 

"Light a fire, grab a cup of cocoa, and settle in for a night of hygge." 

"Winter is the perfect time to embrace hygge and fill your life with warm sweaters and candles."

 

About Hygge

Get comfortable with this Danish word for coziness. Elements of hygge include sweaters, couches piled with blankets, candlelight, a warm pastry ... basically anything involved with a cozy winter day.

 

Did you Know?

Hygge started out as a Scandinavian way of life — embracing comfort and small pleasures. It’s grown far beyond that, even starring in a song written for the Broadway version of “Frozen.”

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What's the Word? - PANACEA

pronunciation: [pan-ə-SEE-ə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, 16th century

 

meaning: 1. A mythical remedy for all illness and disease --- 2. A solution for all problems and difficulties

 

"Before modern medicine, people hoped to find a panacea to cure all illnesses." 

"The neighbors have wishful thinking that the new traffic light on our street will be a panacea."

 

About Panacea

The answer to all of life’s problems sure sounds nice, but we know that no such thing exists. "Panacea" is usually used critically against claims that a suggested solution will fix all of the current issues.

 

Did you Know?

Alchemists were early chemists who attempted to find a secret method to turn metal into gold. They were also on the hunt for the “elixir of life,” or a panacea that was rumored to solve all illnesses. Nowadays we might just call that diet and exercise.

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What's the Word? - MADELEINE
pronunciation: [MAD-ə-len]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 19th century

 

meaning: 1. A small, shell-shaped cake --- 2. Something that evokes a memory

 

"She served her favorite dessert, the madeleine, at her friend’s baby shower." 

"A scent can be a powerful madeleine, bringing up strong memories from years ago."

 

About Madeleine

A mnemonic is a little more practical than a madeleine, but they both make you remember something. A mnemonic is a saying or phrase that helps you remember information — for example, the order of a mathematical formula. A madeleine might be a string of pearls that makes you remember your grandmother.

 

Did you Know?

Marcel Proust developed the second sense of this word in his novel, “Remembrance of Things Past.” In it, a character eats a madeleine, which causes a rush of nostalgia. The word can now be used for anything that evokes a strong memory.

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What's the Word? - YULE
pronunciation: [yool]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Middle English, pre-900

 

meaning: 1. The Christmas season --- 2. The 12 Days of Christmas

 

"She went all out to celebrate Yule with wreaths, ornaments, and traditions every year." 

"Pipers piping and lords a-leaping are excellent ways to celebrate Yule."

 

About Yule

While Yule now refers to the Christian holiday, the origins are broader. Yule was the original name for an ancient winter festival through December and January. When Christianity spread, the term was adopted for the celebration associated with the Feast of the Nativity.

 

Did you Know?

You’ll find versions of Yule scattered all throughout Christmas carols. It’s a proper noun for the Christmas season, specifically the 12 days starting December 25. It can also be an adjective — anyone love a yule log? Then it helps form "yuletide," another noun for the Christmas season in general.

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What's the Word? - PESCATARIAN

pronunciation: [pes-kuh-TAYR-ee-ən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, 1990s

 

meaning: 1. A person who eats fish but no other forms of meat --- 2. Cuisine that can contain fish but no other forms of meat

 

"After she read a book about factory farming, she became a pescatarian." 

"The restaurant was known for catering to pescatarians, so it was ideal for groups with different dietary needs."

 

About Pescatarian

The noun form of pescatarian is used here, but it can also be used as an adjective to describe anything related to pescatarianism. A menu, a person, an animal, or a dish could be a pescatarian (noun), or it can be described as pescatarian (adjective). You may also see the variant spelling, "pescetarian," thanks to its Italian roots.

 

Did you Know?

"Pescatarian" is a word that was created to fill a need to describe people adopting new habits of eating, particularly adapting vegetarianism to include fish. A pescatarian will usually still eat animal products such as dairy and eggs, but they eliminate all other forms of meat. The term mashes up "vegetarian" with the Italian word for fish, "pesce."

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What's the Word? - PUISSANT

pronunciation: [PWIS-ənt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century (also a French word)

 

meaning: 1. Powerful --- 2. Having political authority

 

"My grandfather thought he ruled the house, but we all knew grandma was the most puissant."

"The new president demonstrated her puissant ability by passing several laws right away."

 

About Puissant

"Puissant" is the adjective form of the noun "puissance," which means power or might. It’s more often used in a literary sense than in everyday conversation, but "puissant" is a strong word to demonstrate ability.

 

Did you Know?

"Puissant" shares a meaning with a few more “P” words — "powerful" and "potent." These words can all be traced back to the same Latin word, “posse,” which means to be able. Demonstrate your powerful potential with this perfectly poetic word.

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What's the Word? - INDOLENT

pronunciation: [IN-də-lent]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, mid-17th century

 

meaning: 1. Tending to laziness --- 2. In medicine, progressing or healing slowly

 

 

"The snowstorm was perfect for an indolent day full of hot cocoa and movies on the couch." 

"The indolent ulcer needed to be watched, but it wasn’t causing major problems."

 

About Indolent

As an adjective for laziness, "indolent" has a specific meaning of being averse to activity or motion. It has less of a negative connotation than some other words for laziness. "Indolent" could mean you’re enjoying your lack of activity.

 

Did you Know?

The adjective "indolent" implies laziness or lack of movement. It can be an insult, or just a descriptor for something that isn’t moving very quickly. In this sense, the medical field has adopted the adjective to describe a slow-moving medical condition.

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What's the Word? - LUGUBRIOUS

pronunciation: [loo-GOO-bree-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

meaning: 1. Sad or gloomy --- 2. Exaggeratedly mournful

 

"The recent loss of their aunt cast a lugubrious shadow over the family gathering."

"Her lugubrious attitude seemed more about getting attention than mourning any loss."

 

About Lugubrious

The quintessential demonstration of lugubrious is the character Eeyore from “Winnie the Pooh.” This eternally sad donkey moans about and expects the worst of everything, but his friends still love him.

 

Did you Know?

"Lugubrious" can be traced back to the Latin verb “lugēre,” which means to mourn. The Latin adjective is “lugubris,” which translates neatly to the English word you see before you. It’s an appropriately dramatic word for someone demonstrating over-the-top sadness.

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What's the Word? - ARDENT

pronunciation: [AR-dnt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 14th century

 

meaning: 1. Having intense feelings of enthusiasm or support --- 2. Fiery or burning

 

"She was such an ardent fan of the football team that she bought season tickets for her whole family." 

"The warmth of an ardent fireplace is welcome on a cold night."

 

About Ardent

Ardent calls back to the Latin verb “ardēre,” or to burn. The adjective ardent describes a feeling burning with passion or zeal.

 

Did you Know?

The adjective "ardent" is usually used to describe an intense fan, but it can also be used to describe negative feelings. This is in a figurative sense, but the word can also be used quite literally, to describe a burning object such as the sun.

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What's the Word? - QUAFF

pronunciation: [kwaf]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Unknown, 16th century

 

meaning: 1. To drink a beverage, especially an alcoholic one --- 2. To drink heartily with large sips

 

"A New Year's Eve tradition is to quaff champagne at the stroke of midnight." 

"It’s easy to quaff a cold beer after a long day in the sun."

 

About Quaff

The origin of "quaff" is unknown, but it’s been in use since the 1500s. The next time you’re ready to down a few adult beverages, ask your friends to join you in quaffing.

 

Did you Know?

The verb "quaff" means to gulp down an intoxicating beverage, but the word can also be used as a noun. A quaff is a healthy sip of said beverage.

 

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