Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: jinks, verb Notes: OK, we know the usual meaning, but this word also has a meaning of which I was unaware. Yesterday’s word The word alopecia means “baldness; specifically, the loss of hair, wool or feathers” Background Oddly enough, the root word from which the word comes is the Greek word alōpēx (fox)! TheContinue reading “jinx”

Pronounced: a-luh-PEA-shuh, or a-luh-PEA-shee-uh, noun Notes: This word doesn’t conform to my usual rules for selection: I only happen to know this word because of a British radio comedy show from the 1960s, so I don’t know how well know it is. Yesterday’s word The word appurtenance means “an accessory or other item associated withContinue reading “alopecia”

Pronounced: uh-PURR-tin-uhns, noun Notes: This is a word I came across in my reading (Death in the Clouds, by Agatha Christie). It is usually found as a plural Yesterday’s word The word diktat means a harsh settlement unilaterally imposed (as upon a defeated nation) decree, order Background If, like me, you saw dictate or dictatorContinue reading “appurtenance”

Pronounced: dik-TAHT, noun Notes: I couldn’t define this word properly, but I did recognize bits of it…do you? Yesterday’s word The word gyve means, as a noun: “a fetter of shackle”; as a verb: to restrain Background The origin is unknown; it may be from Middle English and somehow related to “give”. First usage ThisContinue reading “diktat”

Pronounced: jihv, noun/verb Notes: A great hangman word Yesterday’s phrase The phrase per contra means on the contrary; by way of context; on the other hand as an offset Background Well, the background is a bit confusing. One place just says tersely that it is from Latin per contrā. The more interesting one says thatContinue reading “gyve”

Pronounced: per-KAHN-truh, adv Notes: You may be able to guess this one; the history of the word was interesting Yesterday’s word The word transpicuious means “easily seen through or understood” Background The trans- part of the word is a clue to the origin; the word comes from Latin — trans- (across) plus specere (to look).Continue reading “per contra”

Pronounced: tran-SPICK-yoo-uhs, adj Notes: I was pretty close, but not quite right on this one Yesterday’s word The word opusculum means “a minor word (as of literature)”; a variant of it is opuscule. Background This word comes from Latin: many of us probably know opus (work). This word is the diminutive form of opus. InContinue reading “transpicuous”

Pronounced: oh-PUHS-kyuh-luhm, noun Notes: The word is frequently used in its plural form (opuscula). It’s a word that I should have been able to deduce the meaning of, but I didn’t Yesterday’s word The word xeric means “relating to very dry conditions” Background This word comes from the Greek word xeros (dry). First usage ThisContinue reading “opusculum”

Pronounced: ZER-ik or ZEER-ik, adj Notes: I should have been able to guess at the meaning Yesterday’s word The word waitron is a person who waits tables (as in a restaurant) : waiter/waitress/waitperson Background This word was created by blending waiter/waitress with the -tron suffix, which may be an allusion to the machine-like impersonality ofContinue reading “xeric”