Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: PRO-licks, adj Notes: An interesting word Yesterday’s word The word clerihew is “a humorous, pseudo-biographical verse of four lines of uneven length, using the rhyming scheme AABB and with the first line containing the name of the subject” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments Our word cameContinue reading “prolix”

Pronounced: KLER-uh-hyoo, noun Notes: I save off words to use in these posts; this word I ran across nine years ago, and I don’t remember it at all. Yesterday’s word The word depredate means to lay waste; plunder; ravage to engage in plunder First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s BackgroundContinue reading “clerihew”

Pronounced: DEH-pruh-date, verb Notes: I get this word confused with a similar one Yesterday’s word The word tumulus is a mound of earth placed over prehistoric tombs; a barrow a dome-shaped swelling formed in cooling lava First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments I have heard “barrow” forContinue reading “depredate”

Pronounced: TOO-myuh-luhs (alt: TYOO-myuh-luhs), noun Notes: I’ve never heard this word, but I do know a synonym Yesterday’s word The word phatic means “of, relating to, or being speech used for social or emotive purposes rather than for communicating information” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments If youContinue reading “tumulus”

Pronounced: FAH-tick, adj Notes: Not what I thought, and not related to the word I thought it was Yesterday’s word The word poltroon is “an utter coward” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I keep thinking I first heard this word during an after-school cartoon (maybe Bugs Bunny?Continue reading “phatic”

Pronounced: pol-TROON Notes: I’ve heard this word, but wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word trenchant means keen; sharp vigorously effective and articulate; caustic sharply perceptive; penetrating clear-cut; distinct First usage Our word came into English in the late 1200s or the early 1300s Background / Comments I thought that our word meantContinue reading “poltroon”

Pronounced: TREN-chuhnt, adj Notes: Not quite what I thought (but at least I pronounced it correctly) Yesterday’s word The word imprimis means “in the first place” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comment For some reason, I thought that our word had to do with books. It is aContinue reading “trenchant”

Pronounced: im-PRY-miss (alt: im-PREE-miss), adv Notes: This word wasn’t quite what I thought Yesterday’s word The word insouciance is “lighthearted unconcern; nonchalance” First usage Our word came into English around 1800 Background / Comments Our word came from French, where is it a combination of in- (negative) and soucier (to trouble or disturb). The wordContinue reading “imprimis”

Pronounced: in-SOO-see-uhns (alt: in-SOO-see-uhnts), noun Notes: I have certainly seen this word, but I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word seism means “earthquake” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments As I noted, once I saw the definition, I felt foolish because I immediately saw “seismologist”Continue reading “insouciance”

Pronounced: SIGH-zuhm, noun Notes: I didn’t have any idea of the definition, but after I saw it, I felt rather dumb Yesterday’s word The word glabrous means “smooth; especially having a surface without hairs or projections” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word has been used byContinue reading “seism”