New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: POLLEX

pronunciation: [PAH-leks]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. The innermost digit of a forelimb, especially the thumb in primates.

 

Examples:

"Ernie’s polydactyl cat had an additional pollex."

"The shopping bag was light enough that I could carry it with my pollex alone."

About Pollex

“Pollex” comes directly from the same word in Latin, meaning “thumb” or “big toe.”

 

Did you Know?

The English word “pollex” comes directly from Latin, though variations on the word exist in other European languages. In Russian, “palex” means “finger,” “bol′šoj palec” means “thumb,” and “palec nogi” means “toe.” In both Czech and Bulgarian, “palec” means “thumb.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SPOOR

pronunciation: [SPOOR]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Dutch, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. The track or scent of an animal.

 

Examples:

"We caught the spoor of the moose and followed it into the deep woods."

"The only spoor the hunters found was a patch of faint tracks on the hard ground."

About Spoor

“Spoor” entered English as a loanword from the Dutch. It was also used in other languages: “spoor” in Afrikaans (South African Dutch), “spor” in Old Norse, “speur” in Flemish, and “spar” in Swedish.

 

Did you Know?

While “spoor” is mostly used as a noun for animal tracks or scent, the term can sometimes be used as a verb meaning “to track” or “to hunt.” For example, “John heard the call of the ducks landing at the end of the lake, and set off in his boat to spoor them.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: DEASIL

pronunciation: [DEH-səl]

 

Part of speech: adverb

Origin: Scottish Gaelic, late 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. (Dated, mainly Scottish) In the direction of the sun's apparent course, considered as lucky; clockwise.

 

Examples:

"Following the sun, the druids circled Stonehenge deasil."

"I circled the lot deasil while seeking a parking spot."

About Deasil

“Deasil” entered English in the 18th century from the Scots Gaelic “deiseil,” meaning “toward the right.”

 

Did you Know?

To move in a deasil direction means to move clockwise, which Celts believed followed the course of the sun in a lucky manner. For this reason, many Scottish and Celtic religious processions and other ceremonial occasions included participants walking deasil around a church or site of worship.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EUDAEMONISM

pronunciation: [yoo-DEE-mə-niz-əm]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, early 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. A system of ethics that bases moral value on the likelihood of actions producing happiness.

 

Examples:

"Janick practiced eudaemonism by planning an enjoyable activity for each weekend."

"The teacher encouraged students to explore eudaemonism by doing at least three pleasurable things every day."

About Eudaemonism

“Eudaemonism” entered English in the 19th century from the Greek “εὐδαιμονία,” meaning “happiness,” with the suffix “-ism” to indicate a system of belief or practice.

 

Did you Know?

“Eudaemonism” is based on the Greek term “eudaemonia,” introduced by Aristotle. “Eudaemonia” described the positive condition of doing and living well. It was not exactly a synonym for “happiness,” but as a philosophy it described a greater state of positive existence, which combined wisdom, contemplation, virtue, and other beneficial attributes for personal success.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GRANDISONANT

pronunciation: [gran-DIH-sə-nənt]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Stately sounding.

 

Examples:

"The mayor gave a grandisonant speech about the contributions of the city’s founders."

"The hotel manager offered a grandisonant description of the room service options."

About Grandisonant

“Grandisonant” is derived from the classical Latin “grandisonus,” meaning “pompous” or “loud sounding.” Both the English word and its Latin source are formed by mixing the Latin roots “grandis” (meaning “large”) and “sonus” (meaning “sound”).

 

Did you Know?

“Grandisonant” can be either a compliment or an insult, depending on how it is applied. If the speaker on a very serious occasion gives a grandisonant speech, it may bring a feeling of solemnity to the day. Yet a person orating in a grandisonant tone about trivial things risks sounding pompous.

 

Edited September 18, 2024 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: APRICATE

pronunciation: [AP-rə-keit]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. To bask in the sun.

 

Examples:

"I planned my vacation so I could apricate on the beach all day."

"My neighbor finds it relaxing to apricate on his porch roof."

About Apricate

“Apricate” is drawn directly from the Latin “aprīcāt,” meaning “to bask in the sun.”

 

Did you Know?

Cats like to apricate more than nearly any other animal, and with good reason: Modern cats’ ancestors lived in the desert and were exposed to ample sun. Another reason cats are happy to apricate in all seasons is that basking in the sun makes it easier for them to sleep. Cats’ body temperatures fluctuate when they’re asleep, but lying in the sun helps keep their temperatures stable.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PALEOGRAPHY

pronunciation: [pey-lee-AH-graf-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. The study of ancient writing systems and the deciphering and dating of historical manuscripts.

 

Examples:

"The professor taught paleography, with an expertise in Egyptian hieroglyphics."

"The archivist took a course in paleography so she could do more work with ancient manuscripts."

About Paleography

“Paleography” was formed in English as a combination of two Latin terms: “paleo-,” meaning “ancient,” and “-graphy,” which relates both to writing and to descriptive sciences such as “geography” and “photography.”

 

Did you Know?

Paleography isn’t about understanding ancient writing and is not a study of the contents of such writing. Rather, paleography is limited to studying the structures of ancient writing systems and styles, and sometimes involves dating ancient writings.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EXONUMIA

pronunciation: [eks-ə-NOO-mee-ə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, first known use in 1962

 

Meaning:

1. Coinlike objects.

2. Study and/or collection of coinlike objects.

 

Examples:

"Tobias had an exonumia he amassed over a decade of collecting."

"The arcade tokens were ever-present exonumia in her pocket."

About Exonumia

This word is comprised of “exo-,” a prefix meaning “out of,” and the Latin “nummus,” meaning “coin.”

 

Did you Know?

Exonumia is the study or collecting of coinlike objects, but not coins themselves. For example, someone interested in exonumia might collect fair tokens or religious medallions. A penny that has been pressed and elongated into a souvenir in a vending machine would qualify for exonumia, but the funds used to pay for it would not.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CHAUTAUQUA

pronunciation: [shə-TOK-wə]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Iroquoian, late 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (North American) An institution that provided popular adult education courses and entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

Examples:

"Elena wanted to visit a chautauqua community during her vacation."

"Leilani was instrumental in establishing her community’s first chautauqua."

About Chautauqua

This word stems from the New York town of the same name, where an annual Methodist summer colony featured educational lectures. The name originates from “ja'dahgweh,” a Seneca name, possibly meaning “one has taken out fish there.” The Seneca were the largest of the Iroquois Confederacy. The current Seneca Nation is still a part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which means "people of the long house."

 

Did you Know?

The Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly was organized at a campsite on the shores of New York’s Chautauqua Lake in 1874. It started as an experiment to provide education in a nontraditional format. For instance, the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle was structured as a four-year correspondence course that provided the essential knowledge and skills of a college education to those who couldn’t afford the standard college experience. Today, the Chautauqua Institution offers a variety of lecture series, artistic resident programs, and more during the summer.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: NUTRIMENT

pronunciation: [NOO-trə-mənt]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Late Middle English, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Nourishment; sustenance.

 

Examples:

"My mother’s meals were simple but full of nutriment."

"Siobhan wanted wholesome nutriment after a weekend of eating junk food."

About Nutriment

“Nutriment” is taken from the Latin “nūtrīmentum,” meaning “nourishment.”

 

Did you Know?

The word “nourishment” is more common than “nutriment,” but they often mean the same thing. “Nutriment” refers to both food (as a plural noun) and the nourishment that food contains in the form of vitamins, minerals, and energy. A person may eat nutriments, but they may also eat a certain food for its nutriment.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: GAMBIT

pronunciation: [GAM-bət]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Italian, mid-17th century

 

Meaning:

1. An act or remark that is calculated to gain an advantage, especially at the outset of a situation.

2. (In chess) An opening move in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of a compensating advantage.

 

Examples:

"The campaign felt the opponent’s op-ed was more of a gambit than a heartfelt message."

"Otis liked to use different gambits against opponents when he played chess."

About Gambit

This word, originally spelled “gambett,” comes from the Italian “gambetto,” meaning “tripping up.” This stems from the Late Latin “gamba,” meaning “leg.”

 

Did you Know?

“The Queen’s Gambit” is a 1983 book that was adapted into a popular Netflix miniseries. Both iterations follow chess prodigy Beth Harmon’s journey to becoming an elite chess player while battling a host of personal obstacles during the mid-20th century. The title refers to a common chess opening where white appears to sacrifice a pawn. However, some chess players consider this gambit to be a misnomer since black cannot retain the pawn without incurring a disadvantage.

 

Edited September 25, 2024 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FERIATION

pronunciation: [fər-ee-EY-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. A holiday or break from work or effort.

 

Examples:

"The July Fourth feriation is typically accompanied by fireworks."

"Camila celebrated her feriation from work with a spa day."

About Feriation

This word stems from the Latin “ferior,” meaning “to keep holiday,” from “feriae,” meaning “holidays.”

 

Did you Know?

The pronunciation of “feriation” sounds extremely similar to a much more common word, “variation.” But that’s where the similarities end. While “feriation” is an old-fashioned word that means “observation of a holiday,” “variation” means “a change or slight difference in condition, amount, or level, typically within certain limits.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ASSOIL

pronunciation: [ə-SOYL]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Middle English, late 12th century (earliest known reference)

 

Meaning:

1. To absolve or release (someone) from blame or sin; to forgive, to pardon.

2. To atone or expiate for (something).

 

Examples:

"After their apology, I assoiled my neighbor for driving over my flowers."

"After I forgot my mother's birthday, I assoiled by bringing her flowers the next day."

About Assoil

This word comes from the Middle English “assoilen,” meaning “to absolve or release someone from bonds of sin, to free (a country or someone) from an ecclesiastical offense or excommunication; to free someone from a criminal charge or sentence.” This stems from the Anglo-Norman “as(s)oiler” or “as(s)oilier” and the Old French “as(s)oille.” These trace back to the Latin “absolvō,” meaning “to set free from.”

 

Did you Know?

Although “assoil” is considered an archaic term now, it was widely used in centuries past. It could refer to absolving someone of sin, resolving a doubt, refuting an argument, or atoning for wrongdoing. This version traces back to the Latin “absolvō,” meaning “to set free from.” It also has a secondary, quite simple definition based on its spelling: “to make (something) dirty or soiled; to soil.” The likely etymology of this latter version of “assoil” is “a-,” an intensifying prefix, or “ad-,” a prefix meaning “to, toward,” or indicating an addition or tendency, plus‎ "soil," meaning “to make dirty.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PASSIBLE

pronunciation: [PAS-əb-əl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Late Middle English, late 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. Capable of feeling or suffering.

2. Susceptible to sensation or emotion; impressionable.

 

Examples:

"Quentin was a sweet, passible child."

"Amy’s compassionate, passible temperament made her the go-to confidante among her friends."

About Passible

It’s easy to mistake the homophones “passible” and “passable”; there is only one letter of difference in spelling, and they are both adjectives. While “passible” is rooted in Christian theology and means “susceptible to heightened sensation and intense emotion,“ “passable” means “just good enough to be acceptable; satisfactory” or describes a route that is “clear of obstacles and able to be traveled along or on.”

 

Did you Know?

This word stems from Middle English and comes from the Old French “passible.” It is a direct descendant of the Late Latin “passibilis,” meaning “capable of feeling or suffering.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CATARACT

pronunciation: [KAD-ə-rakt]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A large waterfall; a sudden rush of water; a downpour.

2. A medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.

 

Examples:

"We were pounded by a cataract of rain so intense, we couldn’t see out the window."

"After my uncle recovered from cataract surgery, his eyesight was 20/20."

About Cataract

“Cataract” comes from the Latin “cataracta,” meaning both “waterfall” and “floodgate,” as well as “portcullis.”

 

Did you Know?

The first use of “cataract” did not describe a river of rushing water, but rather a descending divider — likely a manufactured gate, such as a portcullis. This preceded the modern use of “cataract” as an eye condition, which appeared in the mid-16th century. The image of a descending gate was effective in conveying the development of a cataract on the lens of the eye, which increasingly divides a person from a clear picture of what is in front of them.

 

Edited September 30, 2024 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PARAPRAXIS

pronunciation: [par-ə-PRAK-sis]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, early 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A minor error in speech or action, (supposedly) representing the fulfilment of an unconscious wish; a Freudian slip.

 

Examples:

"In one of TV’s most famous bits of parapraxis, Ross called Emily by his ex’s name ‘Rachel’ during a ‘Friends’ wedding episode."

"In a moment of parapraxis, I told my co-worker 'I love you' instead of 'See you tomorrow.'"

About Parapraxis

James Strachey coined the term “parapraxis” in the 1910s as he translated the work of Sigmund Freud into English. He joined the ancient Greek prefix “para-,” meaning “by the side of,” with the suffix “-praxis,” which is the Greek word for “doing.”

 

Did you Know?

The notion of a “Freudian slip” — the common expression for “parapraxis” — is based on the idea that the unconscious mind wishes to make its true feelings known in the form of unintentional acts and statements. Parapraxis can be a slip of the tongue in speaking, but it can also occur in action. For example, forgetting to bring a Christmas gift for a quarrelsome sibling may be a form of parapraxis in which the unconscious wish to poke at one’s rival sibling is carried out in a physical act of forgetting.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TONY

pronunciation: [TOH-nee]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: American English, late 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. (North American) Fashionable among wealthy or stylish people.

 

Examples:

"Jon and Erica lived in an elite, tony neighborhood."

"The up-and-coming designer was building a reputation among tony clients."

About Tony

This is an American English slang term, stemming from the Old French “ton,” meaning “musical sound, speech, words.” This is from the Latin “tonus,” for “a sound, tone, accent.”

 

Did you Know?

Tony! Toni! Toné! was an American R&B group that was popular in the early to mid-1990s. Fans often asked how the trio came up with their band name, and one of the founding members, D'Wayne Wiggins, told an interviewer it came from a playful saying. “Our name for the group, Tony! Toni! Toné!, was a nickname that we had for how we used to get dressed to go out partying. When we used to put on our clothes and get fly, we would say, ‘Yeah. Tony! Toni! Toné!’”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CHARRETTE

pronunciation: [shə-RET]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old French, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. A meeting in which all stakeholders in a project attempt to resolve conflicts and map solutions.

 

Examples:

"After attending the charrette on the plans for the park, residents were enthusiastic about the fundraising."

"A charrette on the redesign of city hall brought together local architects, community leaders, and residents."

About Charrette

This word comes from the Old French “charrette,” meaning “cart” or “carriage.”

 

Did you Know?

Using “charrette” to describe a meeting of many stakeholders is a modern redeployment of a very old word. “Charette” (meaning “cart”) entered English from Old French in the 15th century, but by the 17th century the word had been replaced by terms such as “carriage” and “wagon.” In the mid-20th century, American architects took up the term to describe collaborative group projects, making reference to the carts (“charrettes”) that 19th-century Parisian architecture schools sent out to collect students’ work for assessment.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EXEMPLAR

pronunciation: [ig-ZEM-plər]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. A person or thing serving as a typical example or excellent model.

 

Examples:

"Albert Pujols is an exemplar of baseball’s home-run boom."

"The Toyota Prius was the first exemplar of electric cars with consumer appeal."

About Exemplar

This word was borrowed from the French “exemplair,” which itself was based on the Latin “exemplum,” meaning “sample.”

 

Did you Know?

The original meaning of “exemplar” referred to a model or prototype upon which something else was built or made, but over time that meaning has reversed. Rather than referring to the model after which many things were designed, “exemplar” now refers to a single example of a thing that represents the nature of that thing far better than other versions of that same thing.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HELIACAL

pronunciation: [hə-LIH-ə-kəl]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Relating to or near the sun.

 

Examples:

"The morning heliacal view is best seen on the beach."

"The heliacal movements are more obvious in the fall and spring when daylight hours change dramatically."

About Heliacal

“Heliacal” comes from the Latin “hēliacus” and also the Greek “ἡλιακός,” both meaning “sun.”

 

Did you Know?

The astronomical expression “heliacal rising” refers to a star or planet coming into view in the east before sunrise; this is also the origin of the phrase “morning star.” In ancient Egypt, each summer’s heliacal rising of the star Sirius (the “Dog Star”) was an indicator the Nile would soon flood and nourish adjacent farmland to begin farming season. The English expression “the dog days of summer” refers to the idea that summer is at its hottest after Sirius’ heliacal rising.