Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: ten-DEN(t)-shuhs, adj Notes: I didn’t know the word when I saw it Yesterday’s word The word athwart, as an adverb, means “from side to side; crosswise”. As a preposition, it means “from side to side of; across” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments Our word is aContinue reading “tendentious”

Pronounced: uh-thwart, adv/prep Notes: Not a word I’ve heard of; it may be useful Yesterday’s word The word prolegomenon means “prefatory remarks; specifically a formal essay or critical discussion serving to introduce and interpret an extended work First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word is a scholarlyContinue reading “athwart”

Pronounced: pro-lih-GAH-muh-nahn, noun Notes: A word I don’t know Yesterday’s word The word wherewith means, as an adverb, “with which”. As a pronoun, it means “the thing(s) with which”. As a conjunction, it means “by means of which” First usage Our word came into English in the very early 1200s Background / Comments As IContinue reading “prolegomenon”

Pronounced: where-WITH, adv/pronoun/conjunction Notes: I am familiar with “wherewithal”, but not our word Yesterday’s word The word interlocutor is “one who takes part in dialogue or conversation” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1500s Background / Comments I have heard our word in old-time Jack Benny radio shows, and also inContinue reading “wherewith”

Pronounced: in-turh-LAH-kyuh-tuhr, noun Notes: Not what I thought Yesterday’s word The word constellate means “to gather or form a cluster” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments I thought this had to do with stars because I recognized the origins: Our word came from the Latin words con-Continue reading “interlocutor”

Pronounced: CON-stuh-late, verb Notes: I was correct in the origins of the word, but not the meaning Yesterday’s word The word palimpsest is writing material (such as a parchment) used after earlier writing has been erased something having (usually) diverse layers or aspects First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background /Continue reading “constellate”

Pronounced: PA-lum(p)-sest, noun Notes: I have recollection of running across this word in a mystery story Yesterday’s word The word tellurian, as an adjective, refers to “relating to or inhabiting Earth”. As a noun, it means “an inhabitant of Earth” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I’ve heardContinue reading “palimpsest”

Pronounced: teh-LOOR-ee-uhn, adj/noun Notes: When I first saw this word, I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word whipsaw means “to beset with two or more adverse conditions or situations at once” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I thought our word meant something like “to pull inContinue reading “tellurian”

Pronounced: WHIP-saw, verb Notes: This doesn’t mean what I thought it meant Yesterday’s word The word venery means the practice or pursuit of lust or prurient feelings hunting First usage The first definition came into English in the late 1400s; the second definition is earlier, coming into English in the mid-1300s Background / Comments AsContinue reading “whipsaw”

Pronounced: VEN-uh-ree, noun Notes: Two definitions from two different sources Yesterday’s word The word girandole means an ornamental branched candlestick a pendant earring usually with three ornaments hanging from a central piece First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Originally, our word refered to a kind of firework withContinue reading “venery”