Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: KODZ-wall-up, noun Notes: This is a word that knew, but I liked the origin story Yesterday’s word The word anon means First usage Very old; the word dates back to before 1000. Background / Comments I learned this word as a freshman in high school, where Romeo and Juliet was taught in English class.Continue reading “codswallop”

Pronounced: uh-NON, adv Notes: This is not short for anonymous… Yesterday’s word The word copacetic means “excellent; satisfactory; OK” First usage Our word goes back to the 1910s Background / Comments For some reason, I thought our word was Italian, but apparently, there are multiple theories about the origin: some say it comes from BlackContinue reading “anon”

Pronounced: koh-puh-SEH-tick, adj Notes: Also copasetic. I kind of know this word (it was marginal) Yesterday’s word The word estivate means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I assume the zoological definition was first, and it became more generalized to the first listed definition. I actually have notContinue reading “copacetic”

Pronounced: ESS-tuh-vate, verb Notes: I didn’t originally know this word, but I think I’ve run across it multiple times, so it was marginal, but I added it Yesterday’s word The word Struwwelpeter is “a personStruwwelpeter with long, think, disheveled hair” (think of the famous picture of Einstein with his hair all wild) First usage OurContinue reading “estivate”

Pronounced: STROO-uhl-pea-tuhr, noun Notes: Even if you don’t know the definition, I’m sure you can guess at the origin of this word Yesterday’s word The word gallinipper is “any of various insects that sting or bite, especially a large southern US mosquito” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background /Continue reading “Struwwelpeter”

Pronounced: GAL-uh-nip-er, noun Notes: I’ve not run across this word… it may be a bit of a cheat Yesterday’s word The word Mrs. Grundy refers to “an extremely conventional or priggish person” First usage This word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments As I said, I think I’ve run across theContinue reading “gallinipper”

Pronounced: MISS-iz GRUND-ee, noun Notes: I think I’ve run across this word, but I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word epithalamion is “a song or poem in honor of a bride and bridegroom” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments This word always reminds me ofContinue reading “Mrs Grundy”

Pronounced: ep-uh-thuh-LAY-mee-on (alt: ep-uh-thuh-LAT-mee-uhn), noun Notes: I have run across this word in reading Yesterday’s word The word bovarism is “a romanticized, unrealistic view of oneself” First usage This word came into English in the first decade of the 1900s Background / Comments People with a well-read background might see bits of “Bovary” in theContinue reading “epithalamion”

Pronounced: BOH-vuh-riz-em, noun Notes: Well-read people might know this one (I guess I’m not well-read enough; I didn’t) Yesterday’s word The word garboil means “confusion” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments This is another word that comes from a poorer-quality vocabulary. I almost didn’t use it because itContinue reading “bovarism”

Pronounced: GAR-boil, noun Notes: I almost didn’t use this word; it’s not one I would encourage people to learn (more tomorrow) Yesterday’s word The word schmatte refers to First usage This word came into English in the 1970s Background / Comments Another word that came to us from the Yiddish word schmatte, which came fromContinue reading “garboil”