Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: rek-tuh-LIH-nee-uhr, adj Notes: This word makes me think of rectangles Yesterday’s word The word perlage is “the assemblage of bubbles, in a glass of champagne (for example)” First usage Our word came into English in the 1980s Background / Comments Our word came from the French word perle (pearl), with the suffix -age (stateContinue reading “rectilinear”

Pronounced: PUHR-lizh (alt: PURH-lazh), noun Notes: Some may know the meaning of this word, but I didn’t Yesterday’s word The word lambent means playing lightly on or over a surface; flickering softly bright o radiant marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background /Continue reading “perlage”

Pronounced: LAM-bunt, adj Notes: I haven’t run across this word, and I’m a bit surprised Yesterday’s word The word plotz means “to faint, collapse, or flop down, as from excitement, frustration, surprise, exhaustion, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments Our word came from the Yiddish word platsnContinue reading “lambent”

Pronounced: PLOTS, verb Notes: Not a word I have run across Yesterday’s word The word lissome means easily flexed characterized by easy flexibility and grace; lithe nimble First usage Our word came into English in the late 1700s Background / Comments Our word can also be spelled “lissom” – it is basically an altered formContinue reading “plotz”

Pronounced: LIH-sum, adj Notes: I’ve run across this word, but I wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word diversivolent means “desiring strife” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments There are some people who just seem to enjoy strife; perhaps you know some? Our word cameContinue reading “lissome”

Pronounced: dyou-vurh-SIV-uh-lunht, adj Notes: An unknown word; interesting one Yesterday’s word The word inspissate means “to make or become thick or thicker” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments So, our word is a synonym of the verb “thicken”. I find it interesting is that (as far asContinue reading “diversivolent”

Pronounced: in-SPIH-sate, verb Notes: You may know the word (I didn’t), and it has an interesting history Yesterday’s word The word glossophobia is “the fear of public speaking” First usage Our word came into English in the 1960s Background / Comments Although I was able to parse this word correctly, it did not help meContinue reading “inspissate”

Pronounced: glas-uh-FOE-bee-uh, noun Notes: Clearly a fear of something, but what? Yesterday’s word The word impolitic means “not politic; unwise” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, our word is just in- (not) combined with politic (shrewd; sagacious; tactful). The word politic came fromContinue reading “glossophobia”

Pronounced: im-PAH-luh-tik, adj Notes: I knew enough about word to realize that this word is made up of “in-” (not) — mutated to “im-” before the ‘p’ — and “politic”; thus, “not politic”, but that didn’t really help me, and I didn’t know what “politic” means. Yesterday’s phrase The phrase Shrewsbury clock means “something preciseContinue reading “impolitic”

Pronounced: SHROOZ-ber-ee (alt-1: SHROOZ-bree-ee; alt-2: SHROOZ-buh-ree; alt-3: SHROZ-ber-ee; alt-4: SHROZ-bree-ee; alt-5: SHROZ-buh-ree) klok, noun Notes: A lot of different ways to pronounced this phrase! Yesterday’s word The word cahoot means “partnership; league” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments I had no idea that there our word existed:Continue reading “Shrewsbury clock”