Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: pyou-suh-LAH-nuh-muss, adj Notes: I thought this word had to do with boxing, but I was wrong Yesterday’s word The word plutonian means relating to the dwarf planet Pluto relating to Pluto, the god of the underworld in Greek mythology relating to the underworld First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600sContinue reading “pusillanimous”

Pronounced: ploo-TOE-nee-uhn, adj Notes: I didn’t know all of the meanings of this word, but each was logical Yesterday’s word The word mansuetude is “the quality of state of being gentle; meekness; tameness” First usage Our word came into English in the middle to late 1300s Background / Comments Of the definitions above, I findContinue reading “plutonian”

Pronounced: MAN(T)-swih-tood, noun Notes: This word sounds familiar, but I don’t remember running across it Yesterday’s word The word double-dome means “an intellectual” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments It’s nice to have an alternative word for “intellectual”. Our word was merely a combination of double (two) andContinue reading “mansuetude”

Pronounced: (duh) double-dome, noun Notes: I have not heard this term – have you? Yesterday’s word The word schadenfreude is “enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word came (as you probably guessed) from the German word Schadenfreude, which isContinue reading “double-dome”

Pronounced: SHAW-d(uh)n-froy-duh, noun Notes: The word is familiar, but I was not sure of the definition Yesterday’s word The word blackleg means one who works while other workers are on strike a swindler, especially in games such as gambling one of various diseases of plants or cattle First usage Our word came into English inContinue reading “schadenfreude”

Pronounced: BLACK-leg, noun Notes: I have no memory of this word Yesterday’s word The word meed is “a fitting return or recompense” First usage Our word goes back a long way; it was in use before 900 Background / Comments People aren’t sure how old our word is; an Old English form appeared in Beowulf.Continue reading “blackleg”

Pronounced: meed, noun Notes: Such a short word, yet I did not know it Yesterday’s word The word longhair is an intellectual one having a deep interest in the arts, especially in classical music a male with long hair; especially a hippie a cat having long hair First usage Our word came into English inContinue reading “meed”

Pronounced: LONG-hair (duh), noun Notes: I knew one of the definition; some of the others are obvious Yesterday’s word The word eristic means “characterized by disputatious and often subtle and specious reasoning” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word can also take the form “eristical”, although thisContinue reading “longhair”

Pronounced: ih-RIH-stick, adj Notes: Good word, but I don’t think I know it Yesterday’s word The word tribology is “the study of interacting surfaces in relative motion and associated issues, such as friction, lubrication, and wear”. First usage Our word came into English in the 1960s Background / Comments Your misunderstanding of this word dependsContinue reading “eristic”