louche

Pronounced: lush, adj

Notes: Interesting word

Yesterday’s word

The word adventitious means

  • arising from an external source
  • happening by chance
  • appearing in an unusual place
First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

I thought that our word was related to “adventure”, thinking it may mean “adventurous”, but I was clearly wrong. Our word came from the Latin word adventicius (coming from outside; foreign), which came from advenire (to arrive), which was made of ad- (toward) and venire (to come). Our word, by the way, has all five vowels in order.

adventitious

Pronounced: ad-ven-TIH-shuhs, adj

Notes: Not what I thought

Yesterday’s word

The word panoply is

  • a full suit of armor; ceremonial attire
  • something forming a protective covering
  • a magnificent or impressive array; a display of all appropriate appurtenances
First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Greek word panoplia (the full suit of armor worn by hoplites — heavily armed infantry soldiers of ancient Greece), which is made up of pan- (all) and hopla (armor; arms). This is the sense of the first definition above; the other definitions grew from the idea of “armor” and “full set” from the original meaning.

panoply

Pronounced: PAH-nuh-plee, noun

Notes: I seem to remember reading this word, but I didn’t really know the correct definition

Yesterday’s word

The word silvicolous means “living or growing in the woods”

First usage

Our word came into English in the first decade of the 1900s

Background / Comments

I should have worked out the meaning of our word; after I saw the definition, I remembered the word “silvan” that is related to forests. Indeed, our word came from the Latin words silvi- (wood) and -colous (inhabiting).

silvicolous

Pronounced: sil-VIK-uh-luhs, adj

Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but I could have guessed it

Yesterday’s word

The word zibeline is “a soft lustrous wool fabric with mohair, alpaca, or camel’s hair”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

I wasn’t sure what “mohair” was; it turns out that it is fabric made from Angora goats. So, then, what is “Angora wool”? “Angora wool” is fabric made from Angora rabbits. Our word came into English from Middle French, which came from Old Italian, which came from a Slavic word for the sable (a small mammal related to the weasel). Originally, our word referred to this animal (or its fur). Over time, it became used for a soft, smooth, slightly furry material woven from a mixture of animal hairs — well-suited to women’s suits or coats.

zibeline

Pronounced: ZIH-buh-leen, noun

Notes: I didn’t have a clue about this word, but it’s not an area I know much about

Yesterday’s word

The word deontology is “the theory or study of duty and obligation, with a focus on the right action as determined by a set of rules, irrespective of the consequences of the action”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

As I noted, this word has nothing whatsoever to do with teeth. It came from the Greeks words deont- (obligation) and -logy (study). Seeing the definition above, one may think that naturally, the rules should determine what one does. However, there are other rules that are used to determine what should be done. Some popular ones are “pragmatism”, which validates actions by their results; that is, “does it work?”. (People following pragmatism would agree that the end justifies the means). Another way to judge something is “utilitarianism”, which maintains that happiness is the best judge of an action; that is, “whatever floats your boat”.

deontology

Pronounced: dee-ahn-TAH-luh-jee, noun

Notes: I was sure this had something to do with teeth (nope!)

Yesterday’s word

The word apodictic means “expressing or relating to necessary truth or absolute certainty”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

One can use our word to describe a conclusive concept or a conclusive person — or even the conclusive remarks of a conclusive person. Our word came from the Latin word apodīcticus, which came from the Greek word apodeiktikós (proving fully), which is made up of apo- (away; off; apart) and deiktikós (demonstrative [able to be proven]).

apodictic

Pronounced: a-puh-DIK-tik, adj

Notes: I have run across the word, but I didn’t know the meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word misocainea is “a hatred of new ideas”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1930s

Background / Comments

There are many who don’t like new ideas; it is nice to know that there is a word for this kind of thing. Our word came from the Greek words miso- (hate) and -cainea (new).

misocainea

Pronounced: mis-oh-KY-nee-uh (ALT: mih-soh-KY-nee-uh), noun

Notes: Another useful word to know and use

Yesterday’s word

The word tragus is “the prominence in front of the external opening of the ear”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1600s

Background / Comments

When I saw our word, I confused it with “trocar”, which I heard in an episode in the fourth season of the drama Foyle’s War. I couldn’t properly remember the word, so I thought it might be our word. Our word has an unusual plural: it is tragi. Our word came from the Greek word tragos – it refers to the hairy part of the ear, but its literal meaning is “he-goat”.

tragus

Pronounced: TRAY-guhs, noun

Notes: Not what I thought

Yesterday’s word

The word urticaceous means

  • relating to a nettle
  • stinging
First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin word urtica (nettle), which came from urere (to burn). This isn’t really a word that I’d probably use very often. It is worth noting that this is another word that uses all five vowels.

urticaceous

Pronounced: uhr-tih-KAY-shuhs, adj

Notes: A new word to me

Yesterday’s word

The word velleity is

  • the lowest degree of volition
  • a slight wish or tendency; inclination
First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

I find today’s word an excellent one to know; it expresses the idea of a very insignificant wish or desire — one so low that one barely feels like putting forth an effort to achieve it. It has the idea of a very faint wish. Thus, it is a good word to know to express things like a slight inclination. Our word came from the new Latin word velleitas, which came from the Latin verb velle (to wish; to will).