Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: POP-luh-riz-uhm, noun Notes: This word looks a lot like “popularism”, but it isn’t related Yesterday’s word The word chinoiserie is “a style in art (as in decoration) reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs; also, an object or decoration in this style” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / CommentsContinue reading “Poplarism”

Pronounced: sheen-WAHZ-ree, noun Notes: Not a word I know Yesterday’s word The word annelidous means “of or relating to worms” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the French word anneler (to ring), which came from the Latin word anellus, which is a diminutive ofContinue reading “chinoiserie”

Pronounced: uh-NEL-uh-duhs, adj Notes: I didn’t have a guess at to the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word regnant means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I have heard a similar expression to our word in the expression “regnal number”, whichContinue reading “annelidous”

Pronounced: REG-nuhnt, adj Notes: I have heard this word, but only in one particular usage Yesterday’s word The word cyngetic means “relating to the chase or hunting” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments I was thinking of the word “cygnet” and thus was wondering if our wordContinue reading “regnant”

Pronounced: sigh-nuh-JET-ik, adj Notes: I don’t know this word; I thought maybe it was related to swans Yesterday’s word The word immure means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin words in- (in; within) and murus (wall); thus, the literally meaning isContinue reading “cynegetic”

Pronounce: ih-MYOOR, verb Notes: This word sounded familiar, but I couldn’t define it Yesterday’s word The word Coventry means “a state of ostracism” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments Yes, our word comes from the city in the UK. However, no one knows for sure how theContinue reading “immure”

Pronounced: CUV-uhn-tree, noun Notes: Not the city in the UK; there is a different meaning Yesterday’s word The word flat-hat means “to flow how in an airplane in a reckless manner; hedgehop” First usage Our word came into English in the 1940s Background / Comments The word used in the definition above (“hedgehop”) is anContinue reading “Coventry”

Pronounced: FLAT-hat, verb Notes: I haven’t heard this word Yesterday’s word The word Turveydropian means “overly concerned with one’s appearance, demeanor, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word is named after the character of Mr Turveydrop in the 1852 book Bleak House by Charles Dickens.Continue reading “flat-hat”

Pronounced: tuhr-vee-DROH-pea-uhn, adj Notes: This word was new to me; well-read readers may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word cozen means First usage Our word came into English in the late mid-1500s Background / Comments There are some linguists that think our word came from the Italian noun cozzone (horse trader)Continue reading “Turveydropian”

Pronounced: KUH-zuhn, verb Notes: I see “cozy” in this word, so I was completely off on the meaning Yesterday’s word The word sialoquent means “spraying saliva when speaking” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I remember the phrase “say it, don’t spray it!”, but I didn’t know thereContinue reading “cozen”