Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: rue-AYE (long a), noun Notes: This is a word that most everybody has heard, but may not realize that they have heard it, or even what it means. Yesterday’s word The word chiaroscuro is “the distribution of light and shade in a picture or sketch” First usage Our word came into English in theContinue reading “roué”

Pronounced: kee-ahr-uh-SKYOOR-oh, noun Notes: This is a somewhat technical word Yesterday’s word The word ecdysiast is “a person who disrobes to provide entertainment for others” First usage Our word was created in the 1940s Background / Comments Our word was created by HL Mencken from ecdysis (shedding; molting), which came from the Greek word ekdysisContinue reading “chiaroscuro”

Pronounced: ek-DIZ-ee-ast, noun Notes: I don’t know this word Yesterday’s word The word oeuvre means “the complete works of a writer, painter, musician, or the like, taken as a whole” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word comes directly from French word oeuvre (work), which comesContinue reading “ecdysiast”

Pronounced: ERV-ruh, noun (the UK pronunciation has this as a one-syllable word) Notes: I think I’ve heard this word, but wasn’t clear on the spelling or meaning Yesterday’s word The word snowclone refers to a cliche adapted to a new use First usage Our word came into English in the first decade of the 2000sContinue reading “oeuvre”

Pronounced: SNOW-klone, noun Notes: I have run across snowclones, but did not know this word Yesterday’s word The word frisson means “a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill” First usage Our word came into English in the mid- to late 1700s Background / Comments The key part of this definition isContinue reading “snowclone”

Pronunciation: free-SONE, noun Notes: I’ve run across the word, but could not properly define it Yesterday’s word The word windrow, as a noun, means As a verb, it meas “to arrange in a windrow” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1500s Background / Comments Growing up on a farm, I haveContinue reading “frisson”

Pronounced: WIND-roh, noun/verb Notes: Looks like “window” misspelled Yesterday’s word The word cacography means First usage Our word came into English in the mid- to late 1500s Background / Comments I recognized recognized the parts of our word caco- (bad), which comes from the Greek word kakos (bad) and graphy (writing), which comes from theContinue reading “windrow”

Pronounced: kuh-KOG-ruh-fee, noun Notes: You might be able to figure out this word Yesterday’s word The word unwonted means “unusual or unaccustomed” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I’ve run across this word in reading, and I had a sense of the meaning from the context. However, IContinue reading “cacography”

Pronounced: un-WON-tid, adj Notes: This word is a bit of a cheat; I do happen to know the word, but I don’t think it is well known. However, I did not know if well enough to pronounce it properly. Yesterday’s word The word lambent means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600sContinue reading “unwonted”

Pronounced: LAM-bunt, adj Notes: A word I don’t know Yesterday’s word The word gapeseed means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word is a combination of gape, which comes from the Old Norse word gapa (to open the mouth; stare) and seed, which comes from theContinue reading “lambent”