Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: BEH-nuh-dikt, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word existed Yesterday’s word The word gramarye is “occult learning; magic” First usage Our word is old; coming into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments I don’t do much reading in that area, so the word was unknown to me. It comes from the OldContinue reading “benedict”

Pronounced: GRAM-uh-ree, noun Notes: Some people may know this; it has a pretty specific meaning Yesterday’s word The word flack means “to provide publicity: engage in press-agentry” First usage Our word didn’t come into English until the 1960s Background / Comments After seeing the definition, I recalled hearing or reading the phrase “to flack forContinue reading “gramarye”

Pronounced: FLAK, verb Notes: I know the noun, but do you know the verb? Yesterday’s word The word bibulous means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments As I noted, I was close to the definition because the word made me think of the Spanish word “beber” (toContinue reading “flack”

Pronounced: BIB-yuh-luhs, adj Notes: I was close to the definition Yesterday’s word The word quidnunc is “a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip; busybody” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments While the word “busybody” is very descriptive, our word is a goodContinue reading “bibulous”

Pronounced: KWID-nunk, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I like it a lot Yesterday’s word The word fastuous means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments As I noted, I know the word fatuous”, but that’s not related. A word that is related to our word isContinue reading “quidnunc”

Pronounced: FAS-choo-us, adj Notes: I know a similar word (fatuous), but not this one Yesterday’s word The word benison means “blessing; benediction” First usage Our word is old; it came into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments Our word shares the same background as “benediction”: it comes form the Latin word benedicere (toContinue reading “fastuous”

Pronounced: BEH-nuh-suhn, noun Notes: I’ve never run across this word, but I hope to remember it and use it on occasion Yesterday’s word The word torpid means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Once again, I am familiar with the first definition, but the second and thirdContinue reading “benison”

Pronounced: TORE-pid, adj Notes: I was somewhat familiar with the word, but not completely Yesterday’s word The word visceral means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I am most familiar with the first definition; it is used in this sense for something felt “deep down”, and it turnsContinue reading “torpid”

Pronounced: VIH-suh-ruhl, adj Notes: I’ve certainly run across this word, but found that I could not define it to my satisfaction Yesterday’s word The word bathos means “an abrupt descent from lofty or sublime to the commonplace; anticlimax” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word looks likeContinue reading “visceral”

Pronounced: BAY-thas (alt: BAY-thos), noun Notes: I think I’ve heard or read this word, but did not know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word subreption is “the act of obtaining something (such as a prize or reward) by concealing pertinent facts” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / CommentsContinue reading “bathos”