Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: PRO-tee-uhn, adj Notes: I think I may have seen this word somewhere, but I didn’t know the definition Yesterday’s word The word gleichschaltung means “the forced standardization of political, economic, and cultural institutions, as in an authoritarian state” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments Our word cameContinue reading “protean”

Pronounced: GLICK-shalt-toong, noun Notes: Not a word I know; it seems a bit limited for general use Yesterday’s word The word Cockaigne is “an imaginary land of great luxury and ease” First usage Our word came into English in the mid- to late 1200s Background / Comments Our word came from the Middle French phraseContinue reading “gleichschaltung”

Pronounced: kah-CANE, noun Notes: I’ve not run across this word before Yesterday’s word The word ambagious means “roundabout; circuitous” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word is a nice one to use in place of “roundabout” – it came from the Middle English word ambages (equivocation), whichContinue reading “Cockaigne”

Pronounced: am-BAY-juhs, adj Notes: It looks like ambiguous misspelled Yesterday’s word The word scaramouch (can also be spelled scaramouche) is a cowardly buffoon rascal; scamp First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments People with a background in or knowledge of theater or pantomime may know our word — orContinue reading “ambagious”

Pronounced: SCAR-uh-moosh, noun Notes: Although the word looks familiar, I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word wonted means “usual; accustomed” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments I don’t think that our word is very well known; personally, I’m more familiar with the phrase “as wasContinue reading “scaramouch”

Pronounced: WAHN-tid Notes: Not a misspelling of “wanted” Yesterday’s word The word interdigitate means “to become interlocked like the fingers of folded hands” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I thought our word meant to lace the fingers; it means other things that are look like it (asContinue reading “wonted”

Pronounced: in-tuhr-DIH-juh-tate, verb Notes: The word doesn’t mean what I thought it might mean Yesterday’s word The word frustraneous means “useless; unprofitable” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments A fun word to drop into conversations. Our word came from the Latin word frustra (in vain).

Pronounced: fruhs-TRAY-nee-uhs, adj Notes: A nice word to be able to use Yesterday’s word The word futurity means time to come; future the quality or state of being future future events or prospects First usage Our word came into English around 1600 Background / Comments Our word would appear to be coined by Shakespeare inContinue reading “frustraneous”

Pronounced: fyoo-TUR-eh-tee, noun Notes: Although you may be able to guess the definition, I didn’t know that this word existed Yesterday’s word The word refection is refreshment with food or drink a light meal The reingesting of fecal pellets, as practiced by rabbits First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s BackgroundContinue reading “futurity”

Pronounced: rih-FECK-shun, noun Notes: This is not a misspelling of “reflection”, but a different word entirely Yesterday’s word The word totem is an animal or plant serving as the emblem of a family or clan a revered emblem or symbol; a person or thing that represents an idea First usage Our word came into EnglishContinue reading “refection”