Pronounced: NO-mist, noun

Notes: Nothing to do with gnomes, at least by the definition

---

Yesterday’s word

The word bromidic means “commonplace; trite”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1900s

Background / Comments

Another great word to sprinkle (or “sparge” [heh, see yesterday’s comments]) into my conversation. Our word comes from the use of bromide in various compounds used as sedatives. Bromine came from the Greek word bromos (stench) because of its strong smell. But I like this word as an alternative to “commonplace”.

Pronounced: broh-MID-ick, adj

Notes: Another useful word to learn

---

Yesterday’s word

The word sparge means, as a verb, “to scatter or sprinkle”. As a noun, it means “a sprinkling”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

Our word is a nice alternative to sprinkle; I hope I remember to use it. It comes from the Latin word spargere (to sprinkle; to scatter).

Pronounced: spahrj, verb/noun

Notes: I may have heard this word, but I don’t have a recollection of it

---

Yesterday’s word

The word appetence means “a strong desire or inclination”

First usage

This word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

Our word is a good one to know; there is an old word “lust” that meant something similar – however, the modern meaning has changed, so our word is a good one to mean this one. Our word comes from the French word appétence (desire), which comes from the Latin word appetentia, which comes from appetere (to seek after), which is made of ad- (to) and petere (to seek).

Pronounced: AP-ih-tuhns, noun

Notes: I don’t know this word, but it is a good word to know

---

Yesterday’s word

The word crapulous means “characterized by excess eating or drinking”

First usage

This word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

The word comes from the Late Latin word crāpulōsos (inclined to drunkenness). Who would have thought it?

Pronounced: KRAP-yuh-luhs, adj

Notes: Not what one might think

---

Yesterday’s word

The word alembic means

• an apparatus formerly used in distilling
• something that refines, purifies, or transforms

First usage

This word came into English in the early7 1400s

Background / Comments

I cannot recall ever hearing or reading of a still called an alembic, but the word has made quite a journey into English. It came to us from Old French, and it came there from the Latin word alembicus, which comes the the Arabic word al-anbiq (the still), which itself came from the Greek word ambix (cup).

Pronounced: uh-LEM-bick, noun

Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word

---

Yesterday’s word

The word gloze means “to explain away something; to extenuate or make seem less serious; to gloss over”

First usage

This word goes way back to the mid- to late 1200s

Background / Comments

The word came from Middle English, and into Middle English from the Old French word gloser and into Old French from the Medieval Latin word glossāre.

Pronounced: glowz (like it sounds), verb

Notes: I don’t know this word, but I know a close phrase

---

Yesterday’s word

The word sybaritic means “devoted to or related to luxury and pleasure”

First usage

This word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

This word comes from an ancient Greek city called Sybaris, located in southern Italy. It was noted for its wealth; its residents were notorious for their love of luxury. This is a good word to know to describe someone devoted to pleasure.

Pronounced: sib-uh-RIT-ick, adj

Notes: I have run across this word in reading (but I don’t remember where), but I didn’t know the meaning

---

Yesterday’s word

The word imprest means “a loan or advance of money”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

It is thought that our word, a noun, came from the obsolete verb imprest (to advance money to). That word came from the Italian word imprestare, which came from Medieval Latin imprestāre (to lend), which came from Latin im- plus praestāre (to tender; offer; present)

Pronounced: IHM-prest, noun

Notes: A useful word, but I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word before

---

Yesterday’s word

The word cramoisy means, as an adjective, “of a crimson color”. As a noun, it is “crimson cloth”

First usage

This is an old word, going back to the early 1400s

Background / Comments

Our word had an interesting journey. It came into English from the French word cramoisi, which came from the Spanish word carmesi, which comes from the Arabic word qirmizi (of kermes [kermes is a red dye made from insects]).

Pronounced: KRAM-oy-zee (alt: kruh-MOY-zee), adj/noun

Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word

---

Yesterday’s word

The word chuffed is British slang for “pleased or delighted”; oddly enough, it can also mean the opposite: “annoyed or displeased”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

I’ve only heard this used for the first meaning (pleased/delighted). Our word comes from chuff (to please or delight), which comes from an obsolete meaning of chuff (a puffed out cheek).