Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: vah-luhn-TOOR-ih-zuhm, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but you might be able to guess the definition Yesterday’s word The word epigone means “a follower; a disciple – also an inferior imitator” First usage This word came into English in the 1800s Background / Comments Well, I was distantly correct as to Greek origins.Continue reading “voluntourism”

Pronounced: EH-puh-goan, noun Notes: This looked Greek to me, but I couldn’t figure out the meaning Yesterday’s word The word hokum means nonsense Trite material introduced to evoke an emotional response from an audience First usage This word is just over 100 years old, coming into English in the 1910s Background / Comments I thoughtContinue reading “epigone”

Pronounced: HOE-kum, noun Notes: I wasn’t sure about this word; there are two meanings. Yesterday’s word The word claque is a group hired to applaud at a performance a group of servile flatterers First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word comes from French; the verb for “toContinue reading “hokum”

Pronounced: klak, noun Notes: I thought this may be related somehow to clique. Yesterday’s word The word squirl means “a flourish or curve, especially in handwriting” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments It is thought that this word is a blend of squiggle and twirl (maybe whirl). IContinue reading “claque”

Pronounced: skwuhrl, noun Notes: This is not a misspelling of squirrel, but it does sound similar Yesterday’s word The word desuetude means “discontinuance from use or exercise; disuse” First usage This word goes back to the mid-1400s Background / Notes Though similar in meaning to “disuse”, the origin of desuetude is quite different. It comesContinue reading “squirl”

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”