Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: WHY-zuhn-hi-mer, noun Notes: I think I have heard this word, but it’s been many years since I’ve run across it Yesterday’s word The word hugger-mugger means, as a noun “confusion or secret”. As verb, it means “to keep secret or act in a secretive manner”. As an adjective, it means “confused or secret”. AsContinue reading “wisenheimer”

Pronounced: HUG-uhr MUG-uhr, noun/adj/verb/adv Notes: I own a game called “hugger-mugger”, but I did not know the meaning of the word Yesterday’s word The word rejectamenta means “things or matter rejected as useless or worthless” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments Our word reminds me of aContinue reading “hugger-mugger”

Pronounced: rih-jek-tuh-MEN-tuh, noun Notes: This word is a plural noun; you may know the word Yesterday’s word The word officious means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1400s Background / Comments I had an idea of the sense of pomposity; a kind of a stickler for details. What I did notContinue reading “rejectamenta”

Pronounced: oh-FISH-us, adj Notes: You probably know this word, as I did, but I was unaware of the background Yesterday’s word The word serein means “a fine rain falling after sunset from a sky in which no clouds are visible” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our wordContinue reading “officious”

Pronounced: suh-RAN, noun Notes: Neat word (but I didn’t know it) Yesterday’s word The word purblind means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments I find the background to our word interesting: it is a combination of pure and blind — meaning completely blind. Over time, the senseContinue reading “serein”

Pronounced: PURR-blind, adj Notes: You may know this word; I found the background interesting Yesterday’s word The word anatine means “resembling a duck, swan, or goose; a member of this family of birds, the Anatidae First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments It it walks like a duck andContinue reading “purblind”

Pronounced: AN-uh-tine (alt: AN-uh-tin), noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this word Yesterday’s word The word condign means “well-deserved; appropriate” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments Our word is another useful word to use in conversation; it helps the one using to remember theContinue reading “anatine”

Pronounced: kuhn-DINE, adj Notes: My pronunciation of this word was wrong; I had the accent on the first syllable Yesterday’s word The word rident means “laughing; smiling; cheerful” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments What a nice word to drop into conversation! It comes from the LatinContinue reading “condign”

Pronounced: RIDE-nt, adj Notes: A nice, useful word, but I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word blag, as a verb, means “to obtain something by guile; to cheat, rob, snatch, steal, scam, or beg”. As a noun, it means “a robbery, con, or theft” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930sContinue reading “rident”