Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: GA-duh-reen, adj Notes: I didn’t know the word, but I was amazed at the background Yesterday’s word The word balk (baulk), as a verb, means to stop, hesitate, or refuse to proceed to thwart or hinder As a noun, it means a check or hindrance a defeat or disappointment a beam or rafter aContinue reading “gadarene”

Pronounced: bawk, noun/verb Notes: Also spelled “baulk”; there is one definition of this word that I did not know Yesterday’s word The word delectation means “delight; enjoyment” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s Background / Comments Our word came from the Middle English word delectacioun, which came from the LatinContinue reading “balk”

Pronounced: dee-lek-TAY-shun, noun Notes: A nice, useful word to add to one’s vocabulary Yesterday’s word The word consanguineous means “related by blood; having a common ancestor” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word consanguineus, which is made up of con- (with)Continue reading “delectation”

Pronounced: kon-sang-GWIN-ee-uhs, adj Notes: You may be able to figure out the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word fulminate means “to complain loudly or angrily; to send forth censures or invectives” First usage Our word came into English around 1400 (either in the late 1300s or the early 1400s) Background / Comments IContinue reading “consanguineous”

Pronounced: full-muh-nate, verb Notes: I think I confused this word with another word Yesterday’s word The word yichus means “prestige, social status, or pedigree” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Yiddish word yichus/yikhus (pedigree), which came from the Hebrew word yihus (pedigree).Continue reading “fulminate”

Pronounced: YEEKH-uhs, noun Notes: I could guess at the origin, but not the meaning Yesterday’s word The word mugwump is a Republican that did not support his party’s candidate in the 1884 election a person who is independent (as in politics) or who remains undecided or neutral First usage Our word came into English inContinue reading “yichus”

Pronounced: MUG-wuhmp, noun Notes: I have heard this word, but I only had vague ideas of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word yahoo, as a noun, is “a person who is boorish, loud, disruptive, etc”. As an interjection, it means “expressing excitement, delight, or triumph”. First usage The noun form came into English in theContinue reading “mugwump”

Pronounced: YAH-hoo, noun; yah-HOO, interjection Notes: One of a few words whose pronunciation changes the meaning (and type of speech) Yesterday’s word The word canorous means “pleasant sounding; melodious” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin verb canere (to sing). Our word isContinue reading “yahoo”

Pronounced: kuh-NOR-us, adj Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but after seeing it, it made sense Yesterday’s word The word rostrum is a platform, stage, dais, etc, for public speaking a beaklike projection on a warship, used for ramming another ship a snout, beak, or bill of an animal First usage Our word came intoContinue reading “canorous”

Pronounced: ROS-truhm (alt: RO-struhm), noun Notes: I thought I knew this word, but it had meanings I did not know Yesterday’s word The word zydeco is “popular music of southern Louisiana that combines elements of French and Caribbean music and the blues and that features guitar, washboard, and accordion” First usage Our word came intoContinue reading “rostrum”