DarkRavie Posted July 16 Author Report Share Posted July 16 What's the Word: BOLIDE pronunciation: [BOH-lahyd] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, early 19th century Meaning: 1. A large meteor which explodes in the atmosphere. Examples: "NASA is tracking a bolide that will be visible to stargazers." "Stacey saw the footage of the bolide exploding in the sky." About Bolide This word comes from French, although it’s originally from the Latin and the Greek “bolis,” meaning “missile.” Did you Know? Some scientists measure the brightness of bolides in order to classify them. One publication describes a bolide as a fireball that reaches a minimum apparent magnitude of -14, which is twice as bright as a full moon. A superbolide can reach an apparent magnitude of -17 or brighter, which is about 100 times brighter than the full moon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 17 Author Report Share Posted July 17 What's the Word: HOLOGRAPH pronunciation: [BOH-lahyd] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, early 17th century Meaning: 1. A manuscript handwritten by the person named as its author. Examples: "Some authors prefer to write a holograph to start, rather than type." "The holograph was merely a first draft of her novel." About Holograph This word was borrowed from the French “holographe,” but it originally came via late Latin from the Greek “holographos.” This comes from “holos,” meaning “whole,” and “-graphos,” meaning “written, writing.” Did you Know? Many authors prefer producing a handwritten holograph of their work before typing and sending the draft to a publisher. They include Joyce Carol Oates, Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King, and Margaret Atwood, among others. Hemingway once said, “I write description in longhand because that’s hardest for me and you’re closer to the paper when you work by hand, but I use the typewriter for dialogue because people speak like a typewriter works.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 18 Author Report Share Posted July 18 What's the Word: FOURSQUARE pronunciation: [for-SKWER] Part of speech: adjective Origin: English, 14th century Meaning: 1. (Of a building or structure) Having a square shape and solid appearance. 2. (Of a person or quality) Firm and resolute. Examples: "The house was a sturdy, four-square figure." "Once Clint made up his mind, he remained four-square." About Foursquare This word, used as both an adjective and an adverb, was created within English. Its first known use was during the 1300s. Did you Know? The playground game called four square is played with four players on a square court divided into quadrants. The objective is to eliminate other players to achieve the highest rank by bouncing the ball among the quadrants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 19 Author Report Share Posted July 19 What's the Word: GLUTINOUS pronunciation: [GLOO-tih-nəs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. Like glue in texture; sticky. Examples: "Mitch needed to stir the glutinous filling continually." "The rice became glutinous as it stood untouched in the pot." About Glutinous This word comes from late Middle English by way of either the Old French “glutineux” or the Latin “glutinosus.” It originates from the Latin “gluten,” meaning “glue.” Did you Know? Glutinous rice is a type of rice that’s grown mainly in East Asia and northeastern India. Its grains are opaque and contain a very low content of amylose, a primary component of starch. Chinese sticky rice, which is a key ingredient in dim sum, is made with glutinous rice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 20 Author Report Share Posted July 20 What's the Word: CONSTITUTIVE pronunciation: [KAHN-stə-tyoo-div] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 17th century Meaning: 1. Forming an essential element of something. 2. Having the power to establish or give organized existence to something. Examples: "Having the right language to express ideas is constitutive to being a good writer." "The new leaders had the constitutive power to enact laws." About Constitutive This word comes from the medieval Latin “constitutivus.” This originates from “constituere,” which means “to cause to stand, set up, fix, place, establish, set in order.” Did you Know? In biochemistry, constitutive genes are genes that are always “on,” meaning they are transcribed continually. These genes control the ability of DNA to replicate, express, and repair itself. They also control protein synthesis and much of an organism's central metabolism. Regulated genes, by contrast, are needed only occasionally. They are activated and deactivated by regulatory proteins. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 21 Author Report Share Posted July 21 What's the Word: OFFING pronunciation: [AH-fing] Part of speech: noun Origin: English, early 17th century Meaning: 1. The more distant part of the sea in view. Examples: "The captain saw another ship approach from the offing." "As they stood on the shore, the offing seemed to shimmer in the early evening light." About Offing “Offing” was originally a nautical term from the early 17th century, from “off,” meaning “away from,” and “ing,” denoting an instance. Did you Know? “Offing” is sometimes used as part of a phrase, “in the offing,” which means “likely to happen or appear soon.” For example: “There are several job opportunities in the offing,” or “With so many remakes appearing on streaming services, maybe a ‘Clueless’ reboot could be in the offing.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 22 Author Report Share Posted July 22 What's the Word: ACUITY pronunciation: [ə-KYOO-ə-dee] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 16th century Meaning: 1. Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing. Examples: "Jonah’s natural acuity made him a model student." "The optician noticed a decline in the acuity of Martha’s sight in recent years." About Acuity “Acuity” comes from the Latin “acuere,” meaning “sharpen.” The word “acuere” is found in medieval Latin as “acuitas,” and in Old French as “acuite.” Did you Know? “Acuity” shares the same Latin root word as “acute,” a word that, depending on context, can have a similar meaning to the former term. “Acute” can mean “having or showing a perceptive insight,” but it can also mean “experienced to a severe or intense degree.” It has a third meaning as well; “acute” refers to an angle of less than 90 degrees. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 23 Author Report Share Posted July 23 What's the Word: PROMETHEAN pronunciation: [pro-MEE-thee-ən] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, late 16th century Meaning: 1. Relating to or characteristic of the demigod Prometheus, especially in being rebelliously creative and innovative. Examples: "The Promethean scientists worked to unlock the mysteries of the universe." "The protesters described their mission as rebellious and Promethean." About Promethean The eponymous adjective “Promethean” comes from the name of the Greek demigod Prometheus. Did you Know? In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a demigod made from clay who stole fire from heaven to share with humankind. In the early 1830s, (before modern matches were invented), small glass vials of sulphuric acid were surrounded by a flammable mixture that would ignite when pressed; these glass tubes were called “Prometheans.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 24 Author Report Share Posted July 24 What's the Word: SIMULACRUM pronunciation: [sim-yə-LAK-rəm] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. An image or representation of someone or something. 2. An unsatisfactory imitation or substitute. Examples: "The birthday cake was a small simulacrum of the Magic Kingdom castle at Disney World." "The gallery owner was disappointed with the simulacrum of Monet’s ‘Water Lilies.’" About Simulacrum “Simulacrum” comes from the Latin verb “simulare,” meaning “to pretend.” Did you Know? Modern usage of “simulacrum” refers to an image or representation of something, but historically it meant a representation of figures, especially gods. For example, the “Mona Lisa” would be a simulacrum because it’s a painting of a person who no longer exists. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 25 Author Report Share Posted July 25 What's the Word: VULNERARY pronunciation: [VUHL-nə-rehr-ee] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. A medicine used in the healing of wounds. Examples: "Heidi was more interested in plant-based vulneraries than store-bought treatments." "Steven created his own vulnerary for rashes." About Vulnerary This word comes from the Latin “vulnerarius,” originally from “vulnus,” meaning “wound.” Did you Know? Nature-based vulneraries have been used for ages. Native Americans used the herb echinacea as a vulnerary for burns, snakebites, and other wounds. The flower heads and florets of marigold are often used as an antimicrobial and emollient. The aloe plant is well known for its healing properties for the skin, especially burns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 26 Author Report Share Posted July 26 What's the Word: OCCLUDE pronunciation: [ə-KLOOD] Part of speech: verb Origin: Latin, late 16th century Meaning: 1. Stop, close up, or obstruct (an opening, orifice, or passage); shut (something in); cover (an eye) to prevent its use. 2. (Of a solid) Absorb and retain (a gas or impurity). Examples: "Platinum is a metal that can occlude hydrogen." "An optometrist will occlude one eye to accurately measure the other’s prescription." About Occlude This word comes from the Latin “occludere,” meaning “to shut up.” Did you Know? An additional usage of "occlude" is in dentistry: It's the manner in which a tooth touches another tooth in the opposite jaw. For example: “Her upper cuspid tooth occludes with her lower canine.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 27 Author Report Share Posted July 27 What's the Word: GOSSAMER pronunciation: [GAH-sə-mər] Part of speech: noun Origin: Middle English, 13th century Meaning: 1. A fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, seen especially in autumn. 2. Used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate. Examples: "The light caught the gossamer of a large, intricate spiderweb." "The wings on Mandy’s fairy costume were iridescent gossamer." About Gossamer This word comes from the Latin “occludere,” meaning “to shut up.” Did you Know? Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies, and its members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. These constitute roughly 30% of all known butterfly species. Adults are small but bright in color, sometimes with a metallic, glossy sheen. There are seven subfamilies, including the coppers (Lycaeninae), the blues (Polyommatinae), the harvesters (Theclinae), and the hairstreaks (Miletinae). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 28 Author Report Share Posted July 28 (edited) What's the Word: FIRMAMENT pronunciation: [FER-mə-mənt] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old French, mid-13th century Meaning: 1. The heavens or the sky, especially when regarded as a tangible thing. 2. A sphere or world viewed as a collection of people. Examples: "Thunder clapped in the stormy firmament." "The pro tennis firmament has many strong contenders this year. " About Firmament This word comes from the Old French “firmament” by way of the Latin “firmamentum,” meaning “a support, a strengthening.” The Latin “firmus” means “strong, steadfast, enduring.” Did you Know? The notion of the Earth’s firmament as a solid dome with the moon, sun, planets, and stars embedded in it has a long history. Around the third century BCE, Aristotle exchanged that idea for a spherical Earth surrounded by solid spheres, arguing that the heavens were perfect and that a sphere was the perfect geometrical figure. This was the dominant school of thought in the classical and medieval world view until the late 16th century, when astronomers including Tycho Brahe and Giordano Bruno challenged this supposed heavenly perfection. Edited July 28 by DarkRavie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 29 Author Report Share Posted July 29 What's the Word: TROPISM pronunciation: [TRO-piz-əm] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, late 19th century Meaning: 1. (Biology) The turning of all or part of an organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus. Examples: "The house plant had a sense of tropism triggered by sunlight." "Some organisms’ tropism is related to water." About Tropism This word stems from the Greek “tropos,” which means “turning.” The root, “trepein,” means “to turn.” Did you Know? “Tropism” extends beyond plant-based biology. Microbiologists use the term to discuss the way a virus seeks out certain types of cells in order to infect them. Sometimes the term “tropism” is used outside of biology to refer to sociological tendencies evident in a person or group — characteristics they may not even be aware of. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 30 Author Report Share Posted July 30 What's the Word: BENTHIC pronunciation: [BEN-thik] Part of speech: adjective Origin: French, early 19th century Meaning: 1. Of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water or in the depths of the ocean. Examples: "Jacques Cousteau was fascinated by benthic creatures." "Part of marine biology is studying benthic flora and fauna." About Benthic This term comes from late-19th-century German zoologist Ernst Haeckel’s usage of “benthos,” which means "depth of the sea." It is related to “bathos,” meaning “depth,” and “bathys,” which means “deep, high.” It is likely of Indo-European descent, but its origin is uncertain. Did you Know? When referring to the depths of the ocean, the rarely used adjectives “benthal” and “benthonic" are synonyms to “benthic.” In 1979, geomarine researcher Bruce W. Hayward published an article called “Benthonic or Benthic?” in the Geological Society of New Zealand newsletter. His conclusion? “The answer to whether ‘benthic’ or ‘benthonic’ is correct in English is yes: if they are acceptable to the people who employ and deploy them, then both are correct.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted July 31 Author Report Share Posted July 31 What's the Word: WOODSHED pronunciation: [WOOD-shed] Part of speech: verb Origin: English, 18th century Meaning: 1. To practice a musical instrument. Examples: "A musician who woodsheds several times a day will soon become a master of her instrument." "The Band’s guitarist Robbie Robertson woodshedded so insistently, he was known to take his guitar to the restroom." About Woodshed “Woodshed” is a simple compound of “wood” and “shed,” a variant of “shade” derived from the Old English “sced.” Did you Know? As a noun, "woodshed" typically describes an outdoor covered storage area for firewood — though it can also be a euphemism for an outhouse. Both places are located away from prying ears, so a woodshed naturally became a place a musician could practice for long periods without fear of exasperating nearby listeners. "To woodshed" developed from this practice as a verb meaning "to practice a musical instrument." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 1 Author Report Share Posted August 1 What's the Word: MANIFOLD pronunciation: [MAN-ə-fold] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Old English Meaning: 1. Many and various. 2. Having many different forms or elements. Examples: "There are manifold reasons to love 'The Muppet Show,' but mainly I'm a fan of Fozzie Bear." "A visit to a pregame tailgate reveals the manifold variety of football fans." About Manifold “Manifold” comes from the late Old English “manigfealde,” but prior to the 1700s, it had dozens of different spellings, including “monyfawld,” “maniualde,” and “manyfoolde.” Did you Know? While the adjective sense of “manifold” dates back to Old English, a noun usage popped up in the 19th century. “Manifold” commonly describes a pipe branching into several openings — such as the part of an internal combustion engine that distributes air and fuel inside the motor. A car’s manifold (noun) starts in one central place and leads to manifold (adjective) parts of the combustion and exhaust systems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 2 Author Report Share Posted August 2 What's the Word: CIRCUMFLUENT pronunciation: [sər-KUM-floo-wənt] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 16th century Meaning: 1. Flowing around; surrounding. Examples: "At the top of the mountain, the circumfluent air is cold and clean." "The circumfluent waters around the boat were calm." About Circumfluent “Circumfluent” was drawn directly from the Latin verb “circumfluere,” meaning “flowing around.” It combines the prefix “circum-,” meaning “around,” with “fluere,” meaning “to flow.” Did you Know? “Circumfluent” describes things that flow around, or flow in a surrounding manner. Usually it’s applied to air and water, but it can also describe land or geographical features that seem to flow. For example: “The circumfluent forest surrounded the hunting lodge.” Traditionally, the term was defined more broadly. In the original sense, “circumfluent” also applied to metaphorically flowing things, such as virtue or religious observance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 3 Author Report Share Posted August 3 What's the Word: VOUCHSAFE pronunciation: [VOUCH-seif] Part of speech: verb Origin: Middle English, 15th century Meaning: 1. Give or grant (something) to (someone) in a gracious or condescending manner. 2. Reveal or disclose (information). Examples: "My grandfather vouchsafed his precious war medals to me." "The podcaster vouchsafed some advice about investing in crypto, but Tamara was more cautious with her money." About Vouchsafe “Vouchsafe” had different spellings — including “witchaff,” “voutsalfe,” and “wouchaiffe” — when it appeared in 16th-century Middle English. In all cases, it derived from the combination of “vouch,” meaning “to warrant or guarantee,” and “safe,” meaning “securely.” Did you Know? “Vouchsafe” is a formal word meaning to “give, grant, or bestow.” Originally, “vouchsafe” described people of power or authority graciously offering something they were not required to give. This meant they were condescending — in the original sense of that term, they were descending from a high position to give something. Today, “vouchsafe” is often used condescendingly, but with the modern understanding of that term: to belittle someone giving or granting something in a pompous manner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRavie Posted August 4 Author Report Share Posted August 4 What's the Word: EXEMPLUM pronunciation: [eg-ZEM-pləm] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. An example or model, especially a moralizing or illustrative story. Examples: "The first 'Star Wars' film is an exemplum of the belief that good eventually triumphs over evil." "Before Shari gave me her keys, she told me that her last house sitter watered her plants, which I took as an exemplum." About Exemplum This term comes directly from “exemplum” in classical Latin, and is closely related with “example.” In the late medieval period, both “example” and “exemplum” implied the kind of behavior that others could model themselves upon. While “example” became a broadly used term synonymous with “sample,” “exemplum” has continued to refer to an allegory from which others can learn some lesson. Did you Know? “Exemplum” looks similar to “example,” but the former is concerned with what specifically constitutes a good example. An exemplum, therefore, does not simply give an example of a situation. Rather, like traditional fables and other stories that include an instructive moral, an exemplum presents a case of how a situation is best encountered and resolved. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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