New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FAIN

pronunciation: [feyn]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Old English, pre-12th century

 

Meaning:

1. Pleased or willing under the circumstances.

2. Compelled by the circumstances; obliged.

 

Example:

"I was fain to continue with the online book club."

"He was fain to answer the questions or risk a failing grade."

 

About Fain

Fain is an Old English word that doesn't have a lot of modern context, but it is related to the verb "fawn." They both come from the Germanic word "fægen," meaning "to be happy or pleased." Today "fawn" refers to obsequious adoration, while "fain" describes a willingness or obligation.

 

Did you Know?

If doing something wasn't your idea, but you're happy to do it, the adjective for that is "fain." There are usually some kind of extenuating circumstances surrounding the activity, but you'll get the job done anyway.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ENDOGENOUS

pronunciation: [en-DAH-jən-əs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Having an internal cause or origin.

2. Confined within a group or society.

 

Example:

"The endogenous variables are unable to be changed."

"The values of diversity, respect, and compassion are endogenous to this company."

 

About Endogenous

Endogenous and "exogenous" are often used as points of contrast. "Endo" means "inside," and "exo" means "outside." Paired with "genous," which means "producing or originating in," you have the words to describe whether something has an internal (endogenous) or external (exogenous) cause.

 

Did you Know?

Endogenous is a term most often used in biology to describe something with an internal cause or origin. If used in a social sciences capacity, it means the trait is found within a certain group or society.

 

[DarkRavie]

Please let me know what you think of my posts.  I won't stop but would like some feedback on if you like my posts.

 

What's the Word: APIARY

pronunciation: [AY-pee-er-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. A place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.

 

Example:

"The apiary was less than a mile away from a rose garden, which gave the honey a floral aroma."

"It takes a full day to inspect and maintain my apiary."

 

About Apiary

Anywhere that bees are kept, or a collection of hives, can be called an apiary. The word comes from the Latin for "bee," which is "apis." In the 17th century, this word was "apiarium," but today it's been shortened to "apiary." An apiary can be as simple as a box in your backyard, although beekeeping is not simple.

 

Did you Know?

A professional beekeeper might call their collection of hives an apiary, but "apiary" is just a fancier word for a place where bees live. In the wild, an apiary might be a hollowed-out log, or a rocky overhang. However, most wild honeybees don't form hives like their domesticated cousins. Wild species tend to be solitary creatures who lay eggs in nests with a ball of nectar and pollen. These eggs then develop and hatch on their own.

 

[Arisien]

21 hours ago, DarkRavie said:

Please let me know what you think of my posts.  I won't stop but would like some feedback on if you like my posts.

 

I love the consistency and variety, how do you find all of these words? As a native speaker, I haven't encountered many of them.

[DarkRavie]

Just now, Arisien said:

 

I love the consistency and variety, how do you find all of these words? As a native speaker, I haven't encountered many of them.

If you click on the link on how to pronounce the word that will take you to the website I go to for my daily word.. I actually have subscribed to it so I get it in my email every day. And I'm very glad you like it.  It's nice to hear from some that actually read them.

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HELICOID

pronunciation: [HEL-ə-koyd]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. An object of spiral or helical shape.

2. A surface formed by simultaneously moving a straight line along an axis and rotating it around it (like a screw thread).

 

Example:

"The staircase built in the shape of a helicoid was the focal point of the ballroom."

"I always struggle with the helicoid portion of my geometry homework."

 

About Helicoid

The thread on a screw is a perfect example of a helicoid. It's a shape formed by moving a straight line along an axis as it turns. You can find human-made helicoids, such as a spiral staircase, but there are many examples of helicoids in the natural world, too.

 

Did you Know?

Visit the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan and you'll find yourself inside a helicoid. The works of art are on display in galleries that shoot off of a massive spiral-shaped ramp. You can view the helicoid from either the inside or outside of the Guggenheim.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MICROCLIMATE

pronunciation: [MY-kro-kli-mət]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: International Scientific Vocabulary, 1918

 

Meaning:

1. The climate of a very small or restricted area, especially when this differs from the climate of the surrounding area.

 

Example:

"My neighborhood's microclimate gets plenty of sun in the afternoon, even when it's raining just a few streets over."

"The waterfall produces a very lush microclimate full of vegetation."

 

About Microclimate

It's a pretty self-explanatory term — "microclimate" means the weather in a small area. These mini weather patterns exist because of both human-made and natural influences that change the wind, precipitation, or other weather elements.

 

Did you Know?

Due to the steep changes in elevation and the effects of the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean, the weather of San Francisco can be changeable. With the microclimates prevalent across the city, it may be cold and foggy in one neighborhood, when it's sunny less than a mile away. The locals have even nicknamed the thick fog that rolls across much of the city "Karl."

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: LAGNIAPPPE

pronunciation: [lan-YAP]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Louisiana French, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Something given as a bonus or extra gift.

 

Example:

"She loves slipping a lagniappe into the stocking of each grandchild on Christmas Eve."

"As a little lagniappe, the cafe offers a shortbread cookie with each cup of coffee."

 

About Lagniappe

Lagniappe has American roots — it developed in Louisiana French by way of the Spanish word "la ñapa" (referring to an extra or a gratuity).

 

Did you Know?

Thinking about gifting some lagniappes to your loved ones this holiday season? There are many fun things that you can stuff into stockings or gift to Secret Santas. Peruse local and online businesses, bake cookies, or write a personal note on a festive card, for just a few ideas.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PANTOPHAGOUS

pronunciation: [pan-TAH-fə-ɡəs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Greek, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Eating all kinds or a great variety of food.

2. Omnivorous.

 

Example:

"We promise the wedding reception menu will be pantophagous."

"I've always been a pantophagous eater, and I don't have any food aversions."

 

About Pantophagous

You might have thought "omnivorous" was a fancy way of saying you eat everything, but we'll give you one level up with "pantophagous." The prefix "panto-" is Greek for "all," and "-phagous" means "subsisting on a specific food."

 

Did you Know?

To be pantophagous can mean that you have a preference for a variety of foods, but evolution also has something to do with it. If a carnivorous (meat-eating) species cannot find enough meat in their environment, they might adapt to eat more vegetation. Being pantophagous usually means that a species has more food security during stressful times.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HYPERBOREAN

pronunciation: [hi-pər-BOR-ee-ən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, unknown

 

Meaning:

1. An inhabitant of the extreme north.

 

Example:

"Permanent hyperboreans see the northern lights on a regular basis."

"He won Pictionary with his sketch of a famous hyperborean — Santa Claus."

 

About Hyperborean

While "hyperborean" came into English through Middle English and Latin, its roots are in the Greek word "huperboreos." That word can be broken down into "huper" ("beyond") and "boreas" ("north wind").

 

Did you Know?

There are many reasons why jolly St. Nick became the most famous hyperborean — for one, he travels all over the world delivering presents for Christmas. Try using Google's Santa Tracker to follow him around the globe before he returns to the North Pole.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CAMPANOLOGY

pronunciation: [kamp-ə-NAH-lə-jee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. The art or practice of bell-ringing.

 

Example:

"We knew he played the piano, but his expertise at campanology surprised us."

"The art of campanology is kept alive during the Christmas season."

 

About Campanology

Campanology developed from the modern Latin "campanologia" and late Latin "campana," which both mean "bell."

 

Did you Know?

One of the most enduring December sounds is the chime of the bell ringer stationed by donation boxes. This campanology is meant to remind people to donate, but the bell ringing is also a nostalgic, wintry sound.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PINOCHLE

pronunciation: [PEE-nək-əl]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown, mid-19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A card game for two or more players using a 48-card deck consisting of two of each card from nine to ace, the object being to score points for various combinations and to win tricks.

2. The combination of queen of spades and jack of diamonds in this game.

 

Example:

"Let's get a group together to play some pinochle this weekend."

"I held back a smile as I looked at the double pinochle in my hands."

 

About Pinochle

Pinochle is a noun for a card game played with a special double deck. Within the game, you can also hold a combination of cards called a "pinochle" — the queen of spades and jack of diamonds. Gather both, and you have a double pinochle.

 

Did you Know?

A standard 52-card deck of playing cards is called a French-suited deck, and it can be designed in various patterns, but it contains the same cards: 13 cards in each suit of "trèfles" (clubs), "carreaux" (diamonds), "cœurs" (hearts), and "piques" (spades). Each set has numerals one (ace) through 10, and there are three face cards: the "valet" (jack), the "dame" (queen), and the "roi" (king). Depending on the game, you might drop certain numbers, bringing the deck down by fours. However, a pinochle deck is different from the French-suited deck. It contains 48 cards, with two copies of each card from nine through ace (nine, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace), from each suit.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: BERGAMOT

pronunciation: [BER-gə-mot]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Italian, late 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. An oily substance extracted from the rind of the fruit of a dwarf variety of the Seville orange tree. It is used in cosmetics and as flavoring in tea.

2. (Also bergamot orange) The tree which bears a variety of Seville orange from which bergamot is extracted.

 

Example:

"The house tea blend has strong notes of bergamot."

"Your grandmother's farm used to have a grove of bergamot orange trees."

 

About Bergamot

In Northern Italy, there's a city and province called Bergamo. But there's also a Turkish word — "begarmudu" — that means "prince's pear." "Bergamot" is likely a mix of these origins.

 

Did you Know?

A Seville orange tree produces the fruit from which the citrusy bergamot oil is extracted for Earl Grey tea and fragrances. The herb bergamot is a different plant, but it has a similar citrus aroma. It's a member of the mint family, and the plants are known to attract pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. The plant is sometimes called bee balm or lemon bergamot.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SONIFEROUS

pronunciation: [sə-NIF-ə-rəs]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, early 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. That conveys or bears sound.

2. That produces (a lot of) sound.

 

Example:

"The bell is so soniferous, it can be heard from the edge of town."

"We need a more soniferous system to reach the full crowd."

 

About Soniferous

This is a pretty fancy way to say "loud." In Latin, "son" words have to do with sound, and "ifer" means "bearing" or "carrying." Add an "-ous" in English and you have an adjective describing something carrying sound. It could be any old sound, but it's most often loud.

 

Did you Know?

If you followed the Grateful Dead in the '70s, you would have witnessed the soniferous display of "The Wall of Sound," a massive PA system thought to be the largest of its time. This system of amps, speakers, subwoofers, and tweeters stood over three stories tall and 100 feet wide.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HARDSCAPE

pronunciation: [HARD-skayp]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: American English

 

Meaning:

1. The man-made features used in landscape architecture, e.g., paths or walls, as contrasted with vegetation.

 

Example:

"I would like some hardscape, but my husband only wants greenery in the yard."

"The garden will feature a fountain and some additional hardscape."

 

About Hardscape

Hardscape is the name for the human-made elements you'll find in landscaping, such as paved paths, statues, or a gazebo. Your landscape architect will consider the hardscape just as much as the natural environment.

 

Did you Know?

Xeriscape is a type of landscaping that requires little to no water. It features rocks and drought-resistant plants to make a beautiful landscape in a dry climate, possibly with some hardscape as well.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: MISCELLANY

pronunciation: [MIH-sə-leh-nee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

1. A group or collection of different items; a mixture.

2. A book containing a collection of pieces of writing by different authors.

 

Examples:
"There's just a bunch of miscellany in the attic — nothing valuable."

"My poem will be published in an upcoming volume of miscellany."

About Miscellany

From Latin, "miscellanea" is the plural noun for miscellaneous items. French borrowed it for "miscellanées," and English uses "miscellany" as a charming description for a collection of items that don't deserve to be called junk.

 

Did you Know?

As a publishing term, "miscellany" describes a volume that collects work from different authors or sources. It could even be a novelty book gathering trivia or bits of memorabilia. Miscellaneous writing and knowledge can be gathered in a miscellany.

Edited December 31, 2023 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TERPSICHOREAN
pronunciation: [tərp-sih-kə-REE-ən]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Greek, early 19th century

 

1. Relating to dancing.

 

Examples:

"The middle schoolers' terpsichorean routine was the highlight of the holiday pageant."

"He loved attending the terpsichorean society's annual dances."

About Terpsichorean

Terpsichorean — which can be used as either an adjective or a noun — originated from the Greek word "terpsichore." "Terpsichore" translates to "a love of music and dancing," and referred to the Greek muse of the same name.

 

Did you Know?

Lace up your dancing shoes, because terpsichorean activities are good for your physical and mental well-being. The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute found that dancing reduces stress and tension, and also helps to prevent heart disease.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SEMPITERNAL
pronunciation: [sem-pə-TUHR-nl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

1. Eternal and unchanging; everlasting.

 

Examples:

"As a physicist, I'm intrigued by the sempiternal vastness of space."

"The young couple's heartfelt vows promised their love was sempiternal."

About Sempiternal

You might have seen monuments and memorials engraved with the words "semper fidelis," meaning "always faithful." The Latin word "semper" means "always," and when joined with the word "aeternus," or "eternal," it forms "sempiternal," representing an enduring, everlasting presence.

 

Did you Know?

Bring Me the Horizon, a British metalcore band, had their 2013 album "Sempiternal" debut at No. 3 on the U.K. Album Chart. The album later went on to receive critical acclaim. The band obviously wanted their album to last forever; whether they succeeded or not is up to their fans.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ORGANZA
pronunciation: [or-GAN-zə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, early 19th century

 

1. A thin, stiff, transparent fabric made of silk or a synthetic yarn.

 

Examples:

"I need to buy four yards of organza to make my daughter's prom dress."

"The thrift store was overflowing with organza dresses."

About Organza

This fashionable term comes from French, "naturellement." In the late 16th century, English adopted "organza" to describe the stiff, transparent, silk fabric that was used to make elaborate ballgowns.

 

Did you Know?

Today you're more likely to find organza made of a synthetic material, but the original fabric was made of silk. Silk thread is twisted together with each fiber in a contrary direction to make organzine, which is then woven together to make organza. The methods for making the thread and fabric produce a fine, transparent, but still stiff product.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CALVACADE
pronunciation: [ka-vəl-KAYD]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. A formal procession of people walking, on horseback, or riding in vehicles.

 

Examples:

"A cavalcade of horses led the Founder’s Day parade every year."

"The members of the hot rod club formed a cavalcade for a weekly Saturday drive."

About Calvacade

This word for a formal procession (usually on horseback, but it could also be by foot or motor vehicle) has taken a journey of its own. English borrowed "cavalcade" from French, but in Italian it's "cavalcata," which comes from the verb "cavalcare," or "to ride." And as with most Romance language words, they all trace back to Latin.

 

Did you Know?

Have you heard of a caballero? This Spanish word means "gentleman," but it was adopted in the Southwestern United States as a word for a horseman. It makes sense then that it shares a root word with "cavalcade" — the Latin word “caballus” means "horse."