Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: BOOD-ler, noun Notes: This word seems vaguely familiar; I think I’ve run across it in reading, but I’ve no idea where Yesterday’s word The word mythomane, as a noun, is “a person with a strong or irresistible habit for fantasizing, lying, or exaggerating”. As an adjective, it means “of, or pertaining to, characteristics ofContinue reading “boodler”

Pronounced: MITH-uh-main, noun/adj Notes: A useful word to know Yesterday’s word The word ambisinistrous means “clumsy with both hands” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments If you split this word into ‘ambi’ and ‘sinistrous’, and then saw “sinister” in ‘sinistrous’, and then remembered that ‘sinister’ originally meant ‘left’,Continue reading “mythomane”

Pronounced: am-bih-SIN-uh-struss, adj Notes: You might be able to correctly guess the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word hypogeum means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments The second definition above is only used when discussing ancient architecture. Our word comes to us from the LatinContinue reading “ambisinistrous”

Pronounced: high-puh-JEE-uhm (alt: hip-uh-JEE-uhm), noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word degustation is “tasting samples of a variety of similar foods or drinks” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I saw in this word “gust”, which reminds me of theContinue reading “hypogeum”

Pronounced: dee-guh-STAY-shuhn, noun Notes: This word does not mean what I thought it might Yesterday’s word The word crinose means “hairy” First usage I cannot find when this word showed up in English; I’ve tried several web sites, but no one has this information. Background / Comments I like having alternate words for common things;Continue reading “degustation”

Pronounced: CRY-nohs (alt: KRIN-ohs), adj Notes: A great word to know Yesterday’s word The word marmorean means “resembling marble or a marble statue, for example, in smoothness, whiteness, hardness, coldness, or aloofness” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word marmor (marble)

Pronounced: mahr-MORE-ee-uhn, adj Notes: Also spelled marmoreal; I think I’ve seen this word somewhere, but I didn’t know the definition Yesterday’s word The word favonian means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word Favōniānus (Favonius, the Roman personification of the west wind).

Pronounced: fuh-VOH-nee-uhn, adj Notes: I think I’ve run across this word, but I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word afflatus is “a creative impulse or inspiration” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word afflatus (a breathing on), from ad- (to)Continue reading “favonian”

Pronounced: uh-FLAY-tuhs, noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word panegyric means “a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy; formal or elaborate praise” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments I am pretty sure thatContinue reading “afflatus”

Pronounced: pan-ih-JIR-ick (alt: pan-ih-JAYE-rick), noun Notes: I’ve run across this word, but couldn’t define it well Yesterday’s word The word chunter means “to mutter, grumble, or chatter” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word is considered an imitative word – saying “chunter” several times run togetherContinue reading “panegyric”