Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: HAL-see-uhn, adj Notes: There are multiple definitions; I knew one of them Yesterday’s phrase The phrase de rigueur means “required by fashion, custom, or etiquette” First usage Our phrase came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I know I have read this phrase; I think it was in one of the LordContinue reading “halcyon”

Pronounced: duh-ree-GURR, adj Notes: The phrase is familiar to me, but I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word chin-wag means “conversation; chat” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word is an informal British word (perhaps slang): I don’t believe I’ve heard or read itContinue reading “de rigueur”

Pronounced: (as it looks), noun Notes: This may be as easy one Yesterday’s word The word politesse means “formal politeness or courtesy” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments Like me, you may not be familiar with our word, but you could probably guess the meaning. It cameContinue reading “chin-wag”

Pronounced: pol-ih-TESS (alt: poe-lee-TESS), noun Notes: You might be able to guess the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word esemplastic means “shaping or having the power to shape disparate things into a unified whole” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments I was very surprised toContinue reading “politesse”

Pronounced: eh-sem-PLAS-tik, adj Notes: I thought this was a specialized type of plastic Yesterday’s word The word swidden is “an area of land cleared for farming by slashing and burning the vegetation” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments As noted, people with knowledge of farming may know ourContinue reading “esemplastic”

Pronounced: SWID-n, noun Notes: You might need special knowledge to get this word Yesterday’s word The word oneiric means “of or relating to dreams; dreamy” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments When I saw this word, I thought it might be related to wine (thinking of oenophile, IContinue reading “swidden”

Pronounced: oh-NIGH-rick, adj Notes: Not at all what I thought it meant Yesterday’s word The word turbid means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I think I was confused (turbid) because of the somewhat similar “turgid”, which has a different meaning. Our word came from the Latin wordContinue reading “oneiric”

Pronounced: TURR-bid, adj Notes: I’m pretty sure I’ve read this word, but I wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word ketzenjammer means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word was originally used to describe hangovers or other distressing inner states. Over time, the idea ofContinue reading “turbid”

Pronounced: KAT-suhn-jah-muhr, noun Notes: A longish word, but I don’t know it Yesterday’s word The word tenebrous means “dark, gloomy, or obscure” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments It’s a nice word to use as a substitute. Our word came from the Old French tenebreus, which cameContinue reading “katzenjammer”

Pronounced: TEN-uh-bruss, adj Notes: A handy word, but not one I knew Yesterday’s word The word demiurge is “one that is an autonomous creative force or decisive power” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments In the Platonic school of philosophy, the Demiurge is a deity who fashionsContinue reading “tenebrous”