Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: UN-juh-lunt, adj Notes: I knew one of the definitions Yesterday’s word The word Rosinate is “an old, worn-out horse” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Although I have not read Don Quixote, I have a general knowledge of the story, but our word was new to meContinue reading “undulant”

Pronounced: roz-uh-NAN-tee Notes: Literary types may know this word (I didn’t) Yesterday’s word The word fissile means capable of being split or divided in the direction of the grain or along natural planes of cleavage capable of undergoing fission First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s (but see below) Background / CommentsContinue reading “Rosinate”

Pronounced: FIH-suhl, adj Notes: I knew one definition, but not the other Yesterday’s word The word Lothario refers to “a man who indiscriminately seduces women” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments Although I knew the word, the origin surprised me. The word became popular from the play TheContinue reading “fissile”

Pronounced: low-THAR-ee-oh, noun Notes: I knew this word, but the background surprised me Yesterday’s word The word poutine is “a dish of French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds” (mostly found/used in Canada) First usage Our word came into English in the 1980s Background / Comments The dish was apparently created in theContinue reading “Lothario”

Pronounced: POO-teen, noun Notes: Some people may know this word Yesterday’s word The word Sancho is “a companion or sidekick, especially one who joins another in an adventure” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments If you have are familiar with Don Quixote, you’ll know our word. Don QuixoteContinue reading “poutine”

Pronounced: SAN-choh, noun Notes: You may know this word Yesterday’s word The word blowdown is an instance of trees being blown down by the wind a tree blown down; an area of such trees First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments After seeing the definition, I felt aContinue reading “Sancho”

Pronounced: BLOW-down, noun Notes: I haven’t heard the word, but I probably should have known this word Yesterday’s word The word holophrasm means a one-word sentence (such as “Leave.”) A complex idea conveyed in a single word (as an example, “Howdy” to “How do you do?”) First usage Our word came into English in theContinue reading “blowdown”

Pronounced: HOL-uh-fraz-um, noun Notes: An interesting word (new to me) Yesterday’s word The word junket means a festive social affair a trip made by an official at public expense a promotional trip made at another’s expense First usage Our word came into English in the mid- to late 1300s Background / Comments Our word hasContinue reading “holophrasm”

Pronounced: JUNG-kuht, noun Notes: I knew one meaning, but not the other Yesterday’s word The word pochismo means an English word borrowed into Spanish, often given a Spanish form or spelling (for example, using “mopear” [to mop] instead of “limpiar” or “trapear”) American customs, attitudes, etc, adopted by a Hispanic in the US and perceivedContinue reading “junket”

Pronounced: poe-CHEESE-moh, noun Notes: I have not run across this word Yesterday’s phrase The phrase dead hand means an inalienable possession of property by a church or corporation the oppressive influence of the past First usage Our phrase came into English in the 1300s Background / Comments Our phrase came from the Middle English phraseContinue reading “pochismo”