Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: sklaf, verb Notes: Many people may know this word; I didn’t — do you? Yesterday’s word The word extrality is “exemption from local laws: the privilege of living in a foreign country, but subject only to the home country’s jurisdiction” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments OurContinue reading “sclaff”

Pronounced: ek-STRAL-ih-tee, noun Notes: Not a word I know Yesterday’s word The word palinode means an ode or song recanting or retracting something in an earlier poem a formal retraction First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word came from the Greek word palinōidia, which is madeContinue reading “extrality”

Pronounced: PAH-luh-node, noun Notes: Our word makes me think of “paladin”, but it is not related Yesterday’s phrase The phrase Mother Hubbard is “a loose shapeless dress for a woman” First usage Our phrase came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our phrase came from the nursery rhyme “Old Mother Hubbard”. TheContinue reading “palinode”

Pronunciation: MUHTH-uhr HUHB-urhd, noun Notes: I didn’t know that this was a word Yesterday’s word The word millefleur means “having an allover pattern of small flowers and plants” First usage This is odd; there seem to be two different ideas: some reference material said that our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910); otherContinue reading “Mother Hubbard”

Pronounced: meel-FLUHR, adj Notes: I didn’t know this was a word, but you may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word eidolon means an idealized form a phantom First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Greek word eidos (form; idea).

Pronounced: eye-DOH-luhn, noun Notes: Another new word for me Yesterday’s word The word titivate means “to make or become smart or spruce” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1700s to early 1800s Background / Comments Our word came (it is thought) from a combination of tidy and elevate — thus, “toContinue reading “eidolon”

Pronounced: TIH-tuh-vate, verb Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this word Yesterday’s word The word verigreen is “a simple or gullible person” First usage Our word came into English in the 1950s Background / Comments Our word came from very, which came from the Old French word verai (true), which came from theContinue reading “titivate”

Pronounced: VER-ih-green, noun Notes: I thought that this word might mean “very green”, but that’s not really the correct meaning Yesterday’s word The word kegler means “bowler” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments Our word came from medieval Germany, where bowling was practiced as a test of religiousContinue reading “verigreen”

Pronounced: KEH-gluhr, noun Notes: I am a bit surprised that I don’t know this word Yesterday’s word The word akrasia is “the lack of will or self-control resulting in one acting against one’s better judgment” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the GreekContinue reading “kegler”

Pronounced: uh-KRAY-zhuh (alt: uh-KRAY-zhee-uh), noun Notes: Another new word Yesterday’s word The word habiliments means characteristic apparatus; trappings the dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion clothes (usually used in plural) First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s to early 1400s Background / Comments I can almost see the word “habit”Continue reading “akrasia”