Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: kak-uh-STOCK-ruh-see, noun Notes: You may be able to work out the meaning of this word; I couldn’t quite get there when I first ran across this word, but I can do it now Yesterday’s word The word otic means “relating to the ear” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s BackgroundContinue reading “kakistocracy”

Pronounced: OH-tik (alt: AHT-ik), adj Notes: A simple word, but I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word taphephobia means “the fear of being buried alive in a grave” First usage This word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments As with most of the “phobia” words, the origin is Greek. TheContinue reading “otic”

Pronounced: taf-uh-FOE-bee-uh, noun Notes: Clearly “a fear of” something — but what? Yesterday’s word The word rill means a small stream a narrow groove carved by erosion First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve only run across this word in song. It is inContinue reading “taphephobia”

Pronounced: rihl, noun Notes: I’ve only heard this word in songs; teachers in school encouraged students to look up words they do not know, so I’ve tried to develop the habit. However, it turns out that this word has a meaning of which I was unaware. Yesterday’s phrase The phrase ignus fatuus means a mysteriousContinue reading “rill”

Pronounced: IG-nis FACH-oo-uhs, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I have heard other words that have the same thing Yesterday’s word The word lection means a version of a text in a particular copy or edition a selection read in a religious service First usage The word came into English in the earlyContinue reading “ignis fatuus”

Pronounced: LEK-shuhn, noun Notes: I didn’t know the definition (but I did pronounced it correctly) Yesterday’s word The word coriaceous means “of, or like, leather; rough skinned” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word coriāceus (leathern – made of or resembling leather).Continue reading “lection”

Pronounced: core-ee-AY-shuhs, adj (the accented syllable is a long ‘a’ sound) Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word uberty means “abundance; fruitfulness” First usage The word goes way back to the early 1400s Background / Comments Pretty straightforward; our word comes the Latin word uber (rich; fruitful; abundant).Continue reading “coriaceous”

Pronounced: YOO-bur-tee, noun Notes: This is another word that looks like an initial letter is missing, but it is really its own word Yesterday’s word The word recondite means “dealing with, or related to, difficult, dense, or complex topics” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I tend toContinue reading “uberty”

Pronounced: REK-uhn-dite (alt: rih-KON-dite), adj Notes: The word is familiar to me (meaning I’ve read it more than once), but I couldn’t define it Yesterday’s word The word ovine means “of, relating to, or resembling, sheep” First usage This word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments This word is ‘bovine’ withContinue reading “recondite”

Pronounced: OH-vine, adj Notes: Looks like “bovine” misspelled, but it isn’t Yesterday’s word The word logophile is “a lover of words” First usage Oddly enough, this word only seems to go back to the 1920s. Background / Comments I do love words (and learning), and that’s why I do this blog, even if it neverContinue reading “ovine”