New Game: What's the Word?

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: UTOPIAN

pronunciation: [yoo-TOH-pee-ən]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Ancient Greek, mid-16th century

 

Meaning:

1. Modeled on or aiming for a state in which everything is perfect; idealistic.

 

Examples:

"Jay believed in vegan utopian ideas and wished everyone would follow a plant-based diet."

"Many of Silicon Valley’s early utopian ideas ultimately failed as foundations for successful tech companies."

About Utopian 

“Utopian” is based on the name for an ideal world coined by Sir Thomas More in his 1516 work “Utopia.” More created the word “Utopia” by combining the ancient Greek οὐ (“ou”), meaning “not,” and τόπος (“tópos”), meaning “place, region.” More's Utopia was an imagined world, but within 40 years of the publication of the book, the adjective “utopian” had become an expression for ideas that aimed to create such an idealized world.

 

Did you Know?

Around the world, there are organized communities aiming to improve the standard of living through fresh ideas about housing and social interactions. These communities have varied structures, extending from hippie communes to social housing to collective condominium developments. Most modern utopian-based projects are tightly connected with environmental goals. They may be called “utopian,” but they pair dreams of a perfect world with tangible goals of reducing waste and generating sustainable energy.

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CONGRUOUS

pronunciation: [kahNG-roo-us]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. In agreement or harmony.

 

Examples:

"The noise from the hotel bar was congruous with its reputation as an all-night party spot."

"City officials paired a redesign of the park with a congruous set of new community programs."

About Congruous

“Congruous” is based directly on the Latin “congruous,” meaning “coinciding with.”

 

Did you Know?

Though “incongruous” is a somewhat common word, “congruous,” on which it's based, is lesser known. “Congruent” is a geometric term meaning “identical in form,” while “congruous” applies to things being in harmony, but not exactly the same. For example, a theater’s lighting setup is often designed to be congruous with its sound system in order to deliver a cohesive experience.

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HABITUATE

pronunciation: [hə-biCH-ə-weyt]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Make or become accustomed or used to something.

 

Examples:

"At the beginning of every winter, it takes me a few weeks to habituate myself to the cold."

"Paul thought having to habituate himself to nighttime noise was the hardest part of moving to the city."

About Habituate

“Habituate” is from the late Latin “habituat-” (“accustomed”), from the verb “habituare.” The Latin “habitus” describes a condition.

 

Did you Know?

While it’s impossible to turn off the body’s awareness of cold, it’s perfectly possible for people to habituate themselves to different temperature extremes. Why endure such discomfort? Some researchers believe human metabolisms have been short-circuited by modern climate control and propose exposure to cold as a means to jolt the system. Such exposure can remind the body of the winters we no longer experience as acutely as our ancestors. This can be done with daily cold showers, or by deliberately dressing lightly in cold weather.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EXEMPLAR

pronunciation: [ig-ZEM-plahr]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old French, 14th century

 

Meaning:

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

 

Examples:

"Journey’s hit single “Don’t Stop Believin’” is an exemplar of the 1980s rock anthem."

"The “Impossible Burger” is an exemplar of a vegetarian product aimed at traditional meat eaters."

About Exemplar

“Exemplar” is based on the Old French “exemplaire,” meaning “copy” or “facsimile.” That word was based on the Latin “exemplar,” meaning “pattern” or “model.”

 

Did you Know?

In its earliest form, “exemplar” referred to a model, pattern, or prototype from which other things could be built. It also referred to the original form of a text from which copies could be made. Within 100 years of the word’s entry into English in the 14th century, however, “exemplar” also came to mean “a strong example” of something, or an example that proves something. The modern definition of the word is based on this later definition. An exemplar is a person or thing standing as a typical example or an excellent model.

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: REFACIMENTO

pronunciation: [ri-fah-chi-MEN-toh]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin:  Italian, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. A literary work or musical composition recast to adapt it to a change in the circumstances of the time.

 

Examples:

"Both the 1964 musical “My Fair Lady” and the 1999 teen comedy “She’s All That” are rifacimentos of George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play “Pygmalion.”"

"James Joyce’s 1922 novel “Ulysses” is a rifacimento of “The Odyssey,” set among the regular people of Dublin."

About Refacimento

“Rifacimento” is taken from the same word in Italian. It combines “rifare,” meaning “redo” or “remake,” with the suffix “-mento” (like “-ment” in English), making a noun of the action of redoing.

 

Did you Know?

While Shakespeare’s works are a popular source for modern rifacimentos, many of the plays were themselves reworkings of old stories, other works, and details of history. “King Lear” is a rifacimento of the anonymous 1594 comedy “The True Chronicle History of King Leir,” which told of the early King Leir of Britain. Even “Romeo and Juliet” was a rifacimento of Arthur Brooke’s 1562 poem “The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet” (itself a rifacimento of an Italian story). In these cases, Shakespeare chose to emphasize elements of his own choosing — to develop and elevate characters that were perhaps marginal in the original text and to invent characters that didn’t previously exist.

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: THRALL

pronunciation: [thrahl]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin:  Old English, 10th century

 

Meaning:

1. The state of being in someone's power or having great power over someone.

 

Examples:

"My aunt loved gadgets and was in the thrall of late-night infomercials."

"YouTubers have thrall over my prankster brother, always giving him new ideas for mayhem in our house."

About Thrall

An extremely old word in English, “thrall” is based on the Old English word “þrǣl” and the Old Norse “þræll,” both meaning “slave.”

 

Did you Know?

Though the earliest roots of this very old word (first noted in the 10th century) refer to the state of being enslaved, in modern terms, “thrall” refers to the condition of being held captive by something invisible, such as an idea, a tradition, a set of values, a mood, or a charismatic person. A shy person acting boldly because they were caught up in the thrall of a crowd was not forced to act as they did, but allowed themselves to be influenced by the enthusiasm of others. Likewise, a gleeful child meeting a movie hero at a comic convention is in the thrall of celebrity. The modern usage of “thrall” has lost the connotation of being held captive, and gained an element of being swept along with excitement.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: AFFIRM

pronunciation: [ə-FURM]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: French, 14th century

 

Meaning:

1. State as a fact; assert strongly and publicly.

 

Examples:

"The company’s headquarters affirmed the new vacation policies put into place by the Michigan office."

"My sister affirmed that she had been studying at the library all night and couldn’t possibly have had a party."

About Affirm 

“Affirm” is based on the Middle English word “affermen,” meaning “to decide upon,” as well as the Old French “afermer,” meaning “to make firm.” That word is based on the Latin “affirmāre,” meaning “to strengthen.”

 

Did you Know?

“Affirm” and “confirm” are very similar words, and their Latin roots are likewise similar — both “affirmāre” and “confirmāre” (the Latin root of “confirm”) mean “to make firm.” The two terms can be used in similar situations, too, such as judging something to be valid; however, their crucial difference is that “affirm” can also be used to describe the action of declaring or saying something positively. By contrast, “confirm” has a second meaning in which it provides proof that something — such as a statement or an official document — is valid. Someone in court might be asked to affirm that they confirmed the validity of a signature.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SPINDRIFT

pronunciation: [SPIN-drihft]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Scots, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Spray blown from the crests of waves by the wind.

2. Driving snow or sand.

 

Examples:

"The wind was so strong that our canoe was splashed with spindrift from the huge waves."

"The blizzard blasted spindrift into my eyes from all angles."

About Spindrift

“Spindrift” is from the Scots language, likely a variation on the word “spoondrift.” “Spoondrift” is the combination of the obsolete nautical verb “spoon” (meaning “to sail ahead of the wind”) and the rare noun “drift” (meaning “driving”).

 

Did you Know?

“Spindrift” is a maritime phenomenon in which high winds blow the crests off the tops of waves, associated with conditions of 8 (“gale-force”) and above on the 12-level Beaufort Wind Scale. Accordingly, spindrift is a product of extreme weather and does not appear in gentler climes. As a weather condition, spindrift is characterized not just by low visibility, but also by an inability to see caused by heavy spray. As a result, the original maritime definition has been expanded to include not only water, but also fine blowing snow or sand. The particles airborne in snowstorms and sandstorms are as challenging to visibility as spindrift from a gale on the water.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: TRUNCATE

pronunciation: [trəNG-keyt]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 15th century

 

Meaning:

1. Shorten the duration or extent of.

2. Shorten by cutting off the top or end.

 

Examples:

"The director cut out more than a dozen scenes in order to truncate the film."

"Our manager insists we truncate any meeting before it runs over an hour."

About Truncate 

“Truncate” is based on the Latin “truncat-,” which means “maimed,” from the verb “truncare.”

 

Did you Know?

The verb “truncate” is closely associated with the noun “trunk,” referring to the central part of a thing (such as a tree). To “truncate” means to “reduce to a trunk” (in the case of a tree, by removing branches). The modern definition of “truncate” is rarely applied to physical objects; instead, we truncate time, or truncate things demanding time. For example, someone may truncate a trip in order to return home more quickly.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: INCEPT

pronunciation: [in-SEPT]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. Graduate from a university with an academic degree.

 

Examples:

"Zander’s plan is to incept with his business degree as quickly as possible and begin working immediately."

"Though I incepted from university with a degree in philosophy, it was quite difficult to find a job that called for that field of study."

About Incept

“Incept” is based on the Latin prefix “incept-” and the verb “incipere,” both of which refer to beginnings. The term became explicitly about graduating from a university in the 19th century.

 

Did you Know?

Even before the 2010 film “Inception,” the noun was far more common in English than the verb “to incept.” “Inception” describes the beginning or the creation of something, so it makes sense to guess “incept” means “to begin” or “to create” — and the word did indeed carry this meaning until the early 19th century. However, since the 19th century, “to incept” has meant specifically “to complete a university degree” — in particular, a degree of Master or Doctor from Oxford or Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. Today, “incept” is used only to describe graduation from a university with a degree.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: SPINNEY

pronunciation: [SPIN-ee]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Old French, 16th century

 

Meaning:

1. A small area of trees and bushes.

 

Examples:

"Our dog raced into the spinney at the edge of the rest stop before returning with a stick."

"The picnickers laid out their blanket beside a spinney of pine trees at one end of the park."

About Spinney

“Spinney” came into English from the Middle French term “espinoye,” meaning “thorny thicket.” This was based on the Latin “spīnētum,” also meaning “thorny thicket.”

 

Did you Know?

In its earliest appearances in English, “spinney” referred explicitly to a thorny hedge, as indicated by its Middle French and Latin roots implying thorniness. Over time, the thorny quality of the hedge disappeared from the definition of “spinney,” and the term ceased referring only to a hedge; it now describes a small area of brush or trees, also called a “copse” or “thicket.” However, one factor distinguishing a spinney from a natural cluster of trees is that “spinney” often specifically refers to an area of brush and trees planted deliberately to shelter game birds for hunting.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: WITHAL

pronunciation: [with-AWL]

 

Part of speech: adverb

Origin: Middle English, 12th century

 

Meaning:

1. In addition; as a further factor or consideration.

2. All the same; nevertheless (used when adding something that contrasts with a previous comment).

 

Examples:

"Anthony’s new electric car is cheap to fuel, and fast withal."

"The weather called for sunny skies, but it rained withal."

About Withal

“Withal” arose out of the English expression “with all.”

 

Did you Know?

In its most basic meaning, “withal” is similar in its function as an adverb to the expressions “as well,” “also,” and “too.” Like those adverbs sometimes do, “withal” tends to occur at the end of a sentence. It can also be used similarly to “nevertheless” or “however” to indicate that the information it is adding contrasts with any expectations arising from the preceding information. It was used more frequently in English from the 12th century through the end of the Middle Ages, but it dropped out of use around the beginning of the 20th century.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ALLOCUTION

pronunciation: [al-ə-KYOO-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. A formal speech giving advice or a warning.

 

Examples:

"Before I left for college, my father sat me down for an allocution full of tips from his own days as a student."

"After several practical jokes disrupted school events, the principal gave an allocution cautioning against future student pranks."

About Allocution

This word comes from the Latin “allocutio(n-),” from “alloqui” (meaning “speak to”).

 

Did you Know?

“Allocution,” which refers to a formal address sometimes taking the form of an instructive lecture, is easily confused with its homophone “elocution.” The spoken words sound very similar, though they bear no similarity in definition, as “elocution” refers not to a formal speech but rather to the ability to express one’s self with practiced skill in public speaking. The difference between the two words is clear in their roots: “Elocution” is based on the Latin “ēlocūtiō,” meaning “oratorical delivery,” while “allocution” is from the Latin “allocūtiō,” meaning “address.” In modern English, “allocution” is the rarer of the two words, while “elocution” is still used to denote a speaker’s ability.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: EVENTUATE

pronunciation: [ih-VEN-choo-eyt]

 

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Occur as a result.

2. (Eventuate in) Lead to as a result.

 

Examples:

"The arrival of many new guests to the party eventuated in a second trip to the supermarket for more drinks and snacks."

"A quick review of study skills ahead of midterms can eventuate in better grades for students."

About Eventuate

“Eventuate,” in the sense of “bring about,” is formed from “event,” styled off the pattern of “actuate.” “Event” comes from the Latin “eventus,” from “evenire,” or “result, happen.”

 

Did you Know?

“Eventuate” is a verb indicating actions that become necessary or inevitable as a result of other things occurring. Generally speaking, no one plans to eventuate an action. Instead, they may plan other actions and recognize that those actions will eventuate further outcomes. For example, a school district that plans to admit more students knows that will eventuate in changes to both classroom sizes and cafeteria demands. As a result, aiming for one goal often requires planners to consider which other things will be eventuated as they achieve that goal, and planning for those outcomes as well.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: FABULATION

pronunciation: [fab-yə-LEY-shən]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 18th century

 

Meaning:

1. The act or result of fabulating; a fabrication.

2. (Literary criticism) A style of modern fiction, similar to magical realism and postmodernism.

 

Examples:

"My grandson came home from school full of wild tales of kindergarten adventures I suspected were fabulations."

"The fantasy movie presented an image of modern-day Athens that was pure fabulation."

About Fabulation 

“Fabulation” is based on the Latin “fābula,” meaning “narrative,” and the Latin verb “fābulor,” meaning “to talk” or “to create a story.”

 

Did you Know?

“Fabulation” describes the action of fabulating, a verb associated with creating fables. (Both “fabulation” and “fable” share the Latin root “fābula.”) As a result, “fabulation” has always referred to the telling or creating of mythical or fictional stories, though over time the term began to refer to any invented story — including stories told as lies. In modern language, “fabulation” is a loaded term: It can be used to accuse the storyteller of inventing stories without a basis in fact, in the same way that it can be used to describe a children’s story full of magic and imaginary creatures.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: PALMARY

pronunciation: [PAL-mə-ree]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 17th century

 

Meaning:

1. Worthy of the palm; preeminent; superior.

2. Principal; chief.

 

Examples:

"Madison’s palmary performance during the spelling bee won her the grand prize."

"As a teacher, her palmary role was educational, but she considered the emotional development of her students to be equally important."

About Palmary

This comes from the Latin “palmarius,” meaning “deserving of the palm.”

 

Did you Know?

Today, palms are sometimes associated with prizes, such as the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or and the French Order of the Academic Palms. Fittingly, earlier in history, palm fronds were synonymous with honor. The adjective “palmary” refers to anything worthy of the honor of the palm — that which is palmary is exemplary and superior.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: HYPONYM

pronunciation: [HAHY-pə-nim]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, 20th century

 

Meaning:

1. A word of more specific meaning than a general or superordinate term applicable to it. For example, “spoon” is a hyponym of “cutlery.”

 

Examples:

"‘Human being’ is a hyponym of many things, including ‘animal’ and ‘primate.’"

"‘Tabby,’ ‘tortoise-shell,’ and ‘Siamese’ are three of the many hyponyms of the word ‘cat.’"

About Hyponym

“Hyponym” was formed by combining two ancient Greek terms: “ὑπό” (“hupó,” meaning “under”) and “ὄνυμα” (“ónuma,” meaning “appellation”).

 

Did you Know?

A hyponym describes a thing that is a subgrouping or subclass of another greater thing. For example, “man,” “woman,” and “child” are all hyponyms of “person,” and “person” is a hyponym of “animal” and “primate.” In order for something to be a hyponym, it must belong to a more specific group than the larger group described by the original term. “Baseball player” is a hyponym of “professional athlete,” while “pitcher,” “catcher,” “fielder,” and “batter” are all hyponyms of “baseball player.”

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: ASWARM

pronunciation: [ə-SWARM]

 

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: English, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. Crowded; full of moving beings or objects.

 

Examples:

"The hive was aswarm with bees, but the beekeeper was protected by a heavy veil and thick clothing."

"So many people arrived for the store’s sale that the parking lot was aswarm with customers and cars."

About Aswarm

“Aswarm” was formed in English by adding the prefix “a-,” indicating increasing intensity, to the English word “swarm.”

 

Did you Know?

The key component of “aswarm” is “swarm,” which is connected to a variety of similar terms in several languages, including Old English (“swearm”), proto-Germanic (“swarmaz”), Saterland Frisian (“swoorm”), Danish (“sværm”), Swedish (“svärm”), and Icelandic (“svarmur”). All these terms are synonymous with “swarm” in English — meaning “multitude” or “a mass of individuals,” as well as the verb describing a multitude acting as one. The English addition of the prefix “a-” to “swarm” is intended to emphasize the activity and intensity of the swarm, and is similar to the adjective “swarming,” which means “moving in or forming a large or dense group.”

 

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: THITHER

pronunciation: [THI-thər]

 

Part of speech: adverb

Origin: Middle English, 10th century

 

Meaning:

1. To or toward that place.

 

Examples:

"We drew the stranger directions to the service station and sent him thither."

"I enjoyed Scotland when I went thither as a child."

About Thither

“Thither” is based on the Middle English “thider,” and the Old English “þider,” both meaning “there.”

 

Did you Know?

The best way to understand “thither” is as an archaic version of “there” or “to that place,” since it’s often heard as part of the poetic expression “hither and thither” — an old and ornate way of saying “here and there.” “Thither” is often associated with “yonder,” meaning “there in the distance,” as both are charming replacements for the more common expressions “there” and “over there.” “Yonder” does not share any roots with “thither,” however, and while “yonder” appeared in English during the 14th century, “thither” is significantly older, having been first recorded in the early 10th century.

 

[DarkRavie]

What's the Word: CHRONOMETRY

pronunciation: [krə-NOM-ih-tree]

 

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Greek, 19th century

 

Meaning:

1. The science of accurate time measurement.

 

Examples:

"Charles, an expert in chronometry, has set all the clocks in his house to the exact atomic time."

"The advent of electricity was a gift to chronometry, as it allowed scientists to make even more precise measurements of time."

About Chronometry

“Chronometry” is a combination of the ancient Greek “χρόνος” (“khrónos”), meaning “time,” and the suffix “-metry,” from the ancient Greek “μέτρον” (“métron”), meaning “measure.”

 

Did you Know?

The term “mental chronometry” refers to the study of the speed of cognitive processing. It is the scientific study of reaction time and the time it takes to solve simple cognitive tasks. While chronometry on its own describes the process of accurately measuring time in general, mental chronometry studies the speed of the nervous system in processing information. A basic measure of mental chronometry is the time it takes for a person to respond when presented with a stimulus. For example, a person might be told to press a button when a screen shows them a picture, and mental chronometry studies the time it takes between first seeing the picture and then pressing the button.