Pronounced: lih-VIE-uh-thuhn, noun
Notes: I thought I knew the word, but my definition was a bit off
Yesterday’s word
The word stanch means
- to check or stop the flowing of (such as blood from a wound)
- to stop or check in its course
- to make watertight; stop up
First usage
Our word came into English around 1300
Background / Comments
It turns out that “stanch” and “staunch” are not quite as separated as I thought; our word is a verb, and is most often spelled “stanch”, but “staunch” is an acceptable spelling. In the same way, the adjective “staunch” is most often spelled that way, but it is acceptable to spell it “stanch” — no wonder I get the word confused. Both words have a entwined etymology: our word came from the Middle English word stanchen (alt: staunchen), which came from the Old French word estanchier (to close; stop; slake [thirst]), which came, it is thought, from the Vulgar Latin word stanciere.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 