Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: TAHN-teen, noun Notes: I do happen to know this word (more tomorrow), but I don’t think it is generally known Yesterday’s word The word pensum is “a task given, especially as punishment” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word pensum, whichContinue reading “tontine”

Pronounced: PEN-sum, noun Notes: My guess was an alternative of “pension” (but that’s wrong) Yesterday’s word The word schwarmerei means “excessive or unwholesome sentiment” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments As you might think, our word came from the German noun Schwärmerei, which came from the German verbContinue reading “pensum”

Pronounced: shver-muh-ree, noun Notes: I don’t think I have run across this word Yesterday’s word The word shonda means disgrace or shame someone of something that brings shame or disgrace First usage Our word came into English in the 1960s Background / Comments Our word came from the Yiddish word shande (shame; disgrace), which cameContinue reading “schwarmerei”

Pronounced: SHOWN-duh (alt: SHAHN-duh), noun Notes: I have not run across this word Yesterday’s word The word farouche means unruly or disorderly; wild marked by shyness and lack of social graces First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments Our word came from the French word farouche (wild; shy), whichContinue reading “shonda”

Pronounced: fuh-ROOSH, adj Notes: I’m rather surprised that I have not run across this word Yesterday’s word The word Poplarism is “the policy of giving generous compensation, benefits, unemployment relief, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments Our word came from a district in London called Poplar; inContinue reading “farouche”

Pronounced: POP-luh-riz-uhm, noun Notes: This word looks a lot like “popularism”, but it isn’t related Yesterday’s word The word chinoiserie is “a style in art (as in decoration) reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs; also, an object or decoration in this style” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / CommentsContinue reading “Poplarism”

Pronounced: sheen-WAHZ-ree, noun Notes: Not a word I know Yesterday’s word The word annelidous means “of or relating to worms” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the French word anneler (to ring), which came from the Latin word anellus, which is a diminutive ofContinue reading “chinoiserie”

Pronounced: uh-NEL-uh-duhs, adj Notes: I didn’t have a guess at to the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word regnant means exercising rule; reigning having the chief power of common or widespread occurrence First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I have heardContinue reading “annelidous”

Pronounced: REG-nuhnt, adj Notes: I have heard this word, but only in one particular usage Yesterday’s word The word cyngetic means “relating to the chase or hunting” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments I was thinking of the word “cygnet” and thus was wondering if our wordContinue reading “regnant”

Pronounced: sigh-nuh-JET-ik, adj Notes: I don’t know this word; I thought maybe it was related to swans Yesterday’s word The word immure means to enclose within or as if within walls imprison to build into a wall; especially – to entomb in a wall First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500sContinue reading “cynegetic”