Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: VAN-word, adj Notes: You might know the meaning; I didn’t Yesterday’s word The word epanalepsis is “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated after intervening text” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments There is a Bible phrase that I believe fitsContinue reading “vanward”

Pronounced: ep-uh-nuh-LEP-sis, noun Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but I have run across this Yesterday’s word The word mawkish means lacking flavor or having an unpleasant taste exaggeratedly or childishly emotional First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Gross… our word’s background opens up a can of… maggots!Continue reading “epanalepsis”

Pronounced: MAW-kish, adj Notes: I (pretty much) knew one of the definitions Yesterday’s word The word synecdoche is “a figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole (or vice verse). First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s Background / Comments I am pretty sure that I have usedContinue reading “mawkish”

Pronounced: sih-NEK-duh-kee, noun Notes: This word seemed familiar to me – see tomorrow’s comments Yesterday’s word The word banausic means “relating to or concerned with earning a living (used pejoratively); utilitarian; practical” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word goes back to Greek society – the consideredContinue reading “synecdoche”

Pronounced: buh-NAW-sik, adj Notes: Interesting word I didn’t know Yesterday’s word The word zeugma is “the use of a word to refer to two or more words, especially in different senses” (example in the comments) First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments In the sentence “We have beenContinue reading “banausic”

Pronounced: ZOOG-muh, noun Notes: Familiarity: 0% – a new word for me Yesterday’s word The word yawp means to make a raucous noise; squawk clamor; complain First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1300s Background / Comments The background of our word is interesting to me. There was a Middle English verb yelpenContinue reading “zeugma”

Pronounced: YAWP, verb Notes: I didn’t really know the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word antimetabole is “a repetition of words or an idea in a reverse order” (an example is “to fail to plan is to plan to fail”). First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background /Continue reading “yawp”

Pronounced: AN-tih-muh-TAB-uh-lee, noun Notes: A mouthful! Whether or not you know the definition, you’ve run across them Yesterday’s word The word repine means to feel or express dejection or discontent; complain to long for something [but see Comments below] First usage Our word came into English in the early 1500s Background / Comment As noted,Continue reading “antimetabole”

Pronounced: rih-PINE, verb Notes: I think I’ve only run across this word in a song Yesterday’s word The word gemeinschaft is “social relationships based on personal ties, affection, kinship, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments Our word came from the German word Gemeinschaft (community), which is madeContinue reading “repine”

Pronounced: guh-MYN-shaft, noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word protean means of or resembling Proteus in having a varied nature or ability to assume different forms displaying great diversity or variety; versatile First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments OurContinue reading “gemeinschaft”