Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: en-KOH-mee-uhm, noun Notes: I’ve not heard this word before Yesterday’s word The word faience means “glazed earthenware, especially decorated tin-glazed pottery” First usage This word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments This is kind of a specialized word; I’ve never done much with pottery, even though I have read aContinue reading “encomium”

Pronounced: fay-AHNS (alt: fie-AHNS), noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve every seen this word Yesterday’s word The word pinnate means “having the look of a feather, in shape or arrangement; botanical term for symmetrical, blade-like leaves” First usage This word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from theContinue reading “faience”

Pronounced: PIN-ate, adj Notes: Another word I wasn’t sure about, but it was familiar Yesterday’s word The word newgate, as a verb, means “to imprison”. As a noun, it means “a prison or a prison-like place or situation”. First usage This word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word wasContinue reading “pinnate”

Pronounced: NOO-gate (alt: NYOO-gate), verb/noun Notes: This word is another one I didn’t know, but it made sense after I saw the origin Yesterday’s word The word rodomontade, as a noun, means “boasting, bragging or talking big”. As an adjective, it means “blustering and pretentious talk” First usage This word goes back to the earlyContinue reading “newgate”

Pronounced: rod-uh-mon-tayed (alt: -tahd), noun/adj Notes: I’ve run across this word in Rex Stout’s books with Nero Wolfe. Rex Stout had a very high IQ and often sprinkled the books with long words (such as this one) Yesterday’s word The word acerate means “needlelike” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s BackgroundContinue reading “rodomontade”

Pronounced: AS-uh-rate, adj Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this useful word Yesterday’s word The word psittacism means “chattering; parroting or mimicking; mechanical, repetitive, and meaningless speech” First usage This word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments When I read the definition, a memory kicked in – a memoryContinue reading “acerate”

Pronounced: SIT-uh-sihz-uhm, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but after seeing the definition, I was pretty sure I knew the origin Yesterday’s word The word vedette has a couple of varied meanings a leading state of film star a mounted sentry or a scouting boat posted in an advanced position to observe the movementsContinue reading “psittacism”

Pronounced: vuh-DEHT (alternatively, vih-DEHT), noun Notes: Another interesting history Yesterday’s word The word saturnine means “sluggish or gloomy; slow or listless as though suffering from lead poisoning” First usage Our word came into English in the early to mid-1400s Background / Comments Our word came into English from the Latin word sāturnīnus (Saturn-like). This isContinue reading “vedette”

Pronounced: SAT-uhr-nine, adj Notes: I have run across this word in literature, but I didn’t know the correct meaning Yesterday’s word The word parboil means “to cook partially by boiling” First usage This word came into English in the late 1300s Background / Comments I find the background of our word very interesting. It originatedContinue reading “saturnine”

Pronounced: PAR-boil, verb Notes: Cooks will know this word; it has an interesting history Yesterday’s word The word frangible means “easily broken; fragile and delicate” First usage This word came into English in the late 1300s or early 1400s Background / Comments Our word came into late Middle English from Old French, and into OldContinue reading “parboil”