Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: DEH-swih-tood, noun Note: I think I’ve run across this word in reading Yesterday’s word The word satisfice means “to satisfy the minimum requirements in a given situation” First usage This word came into being in 1956 (but see the comments below). Background / Comments There was a word satisfice that came into English inContinue reading “desuetude”

Pronounced: SAT-uhs-fys, verb Notes: An interesting word and useful Yesterday’s word The word frigorific means “causing cold; chilling” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Once I knew the definition, it seems obvious. The word comes from Latin frigorificus, the adjective form of frigus (frost, cold). This Latin rootContinue reading “satisfice”

Pronounced: frih-guh-RIH-fik, adj Notes: I should have been able to guess the correct meaning Yesterday’s word The word scrouge means “to squeeze, press, or crowd” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I mis-read this word as “scourge”, which is entirely different. Our word wasContinue reading “frigorific”

Pronounced: skrowge, verb (alt pronunction: skrooge) Notes: I confused this word with “scourge” (so I was really wrong) Yesterday’s word The word longanimity means “a disposition to bear injuries patiently; forbearance” First usage Our word showed up in English in the 1400s Background / Comments My first guess was that it was a synonym ofContinue reading “scrouge”

Pronounced: lawng-guh-NIH-muh-tee, noun Notes: Both of my guesses were wrong Yesterday’s word The word senectitude simply means “old age” First usage This word came into English in the late 1700s Background / Notes Our word comes from the Latin word senectus (old age), which came from senex (old). “Old age” is a simpler word –Continue reading “longanimity”

Pronounced: sih-NECK-tih-tood (alternate ending -tyood) Notes: A long word (an “inkhorn” word) for something simple Yesterday’s word The word velar means formed with the back of the tongue touching or near the soft palate of, forming, or relating to a velum and especially the soft palate The “g” sound in egg is said to beContinue reading “senectitude”

Pronounced: VEE-luhr, adj Notes: I couldn’t remember the definition, but I think I’ve seen the word before Yesterday’s word The word fabian means “avoiding direct confrontation; cautious; delaying” First usage This word goes back to the late 1500s Background / Comments This word is named after a real person, not someone in fiction; in thisContinue reading “velar”

Pronounced: FAY-bee-uhn, adj Notes: I was incorrectly thinking of Dickens, but I was incorrect Yesterday’s word The word nepenthe is a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering First usage Our word came into English in the 1500s Background / CommentsContinue reading “fabian”

Pronounced: nuh-PEN(t)-thee Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word before Yesterday’s word The word hymeneal means, as an adjective “relating to a wedding or marriage”. As a noun, it means “a wedding song or poem”. First usage This word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments This word derives fromContinue reading “nepenthe”