Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: YEEKH-uhs, noun Notes: I could guess at the origin, but not the meaning Yesterday’s word The word mugwump is First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I enjoy learning about US Presidents, and the 1884 election is a fascinating one to me. To summarize, the incumbent Chester ArthurContinue reading “yichus”

Pronounced: MUG-wuhmp, noun Notes: I have heard this word, but I only had vague ideas of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word yahoo, as a noun, is “a person who is boorish, loud, disruptive, etc”. As an interjection, it means “expressing excitement, delight, or triumph”. First usage The noun form came into English in theContinue reading “mugwump”

Pronounced: YAH-hoo, noun; yah-HOO, interjection Notes: One of a few words whose pronunciation changes the meaning (and type of speech) Yesterday’s word The word canorous means “pleasant sounding; melodious” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin verb canere (to sing). Our word isContinue reading “yahoo”

Pronounced: kuh-NOR-us, adj Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but after seeing it, it made sense Yesterday’s word The word rostrum is First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I knew the first definition above, but the others were strange to me. In ancient Rome,Continue reading “canorous”

Pronounced: ROS-truhm (alt: RO-struhm), noun Notes: I thought I knew this word, but it had meanings I did not know Yesterday’s word The word zydeco is “popular music of southern Louisiana that combines elements of French and Caribbean music and the blues and that features guitar, washboard, and accordion” First usage Our word came intoContinue reading “rostrum”

Pronounced: ZIE-duh-koh, noun Notes: Some people may know this word; it is new to me Yesterday’s phrase The phrase Queenborough mayor is “a position involving pomp and show, but not real power or authority” First usage Our phrase came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments It is, perhaps, more common to use theContinue reading “zydeco”

Pronounced: QUEEN-buh-row may-uhr, noun Notes: I have not heard this phrase, but it is a useful one Yesterday’s word The word orchidaceous means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word literally means “belonging to the Orchidaceae” (the name of the orchid family). The first definition was relativelyContinue reading “Queenborough mayor”

Pronounced: or-kuh-DAY-shus, adj Notes: This was a borderline word; I correctly knew a definition (you probably can as well), but there is another definition that is not quite as clear Yesterday’s phrase The phrase Kentish Fire is “prolonged cheering” First usage Our phrase came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments In 1828-1829, aContinue reading “orchidaceous”

Pronounced: KEN-tish fire, noun Notes: I have not heard this phrase Yesterday’s word The word saponaceous means “resembling or having the qualities of soap” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments Our word came from the New Latin word saponaceus (soapy), which came from the Latin word sapon,Continue reading “Kentish fire”

Pronounced: sa-puh-NAY-shuhs Notes: Neat word, but probably of limited use Yesterday’s word The word autokinesy means “self-propelled or self-directed motion or energy” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Greek words auto- (self) and kinein (to move). I recognized the auto- prefix whenContinue reading “saponaceous”