Pronounced: TAHN-teen, noun

Notes: I do happen to know this word (more tomorrow), but I don’t think it is generally known

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Yesterday’s word

The word pensum is “a task given, especially as punishment”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin word pensum, which came from the Latin verb pendere (to hang; to weigh). Originally, a pensum was an amount of wool to be spun. Over time, the usage of the word shifted to a more generic meaning of any piece of work or task. It then changed again to refer to a task given as punishment – especially in schools.

Pronounced: PEN-sum, noun

Notes: My guess was an alternative of “pension” (but that’s wrong)

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Yesterday’s word

The word schwarmerei means “excessive or unwholesome sentiment”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

As you might think, our word came from the German noun Schwärmerei, which came from the German verb schwärmen (to be enthusiastic; to swarm) – this verb was used of bees; not only do they swarm, but they seem to be fanatically enthusiastic when swarming. When our word first came into English, it was considered to be “untranslatable, because the thing itself is un-English”.

Pronounced: shver-muh-ree, noun

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

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Yesterday’s word

The word shonda means

• disgrace or shame
• someone of something that brings shame or disgrace

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1960s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Yiddish word shande (shame; disgrace), which came from the German word Schande (disgrace).

Pronounced: SHOWN-duh (alt: SHAHN-duh), noun

Notes: I have not run across this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word farouche means

• unruly or disorderly; wild
• marked by shyness and lack of social graces

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1700s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the French word farouche (wild; shy), which came from the Old French word forasche, which came from the Late Latin word forasticus (living outside), which came from the Latin word foras (outdoors). The idea seems to be (when brought into English) that a socially awkward person would be one who was an outsider to the group – perhaps from living outdoors.

Pronounced: fuh-ROOSH, adj

Notes: I’m rather surprised that I have not run across this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word Poplarism is “the policy of giving generous compensation, benefits, unemployment relief, etc”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1920s

Background / Comments

Our word came from a district in London called Poplar; in 1921 the mayor, George Lansbury, along with the council decided that instead of sending the tax money to London, they would use it to provide relief to the poor. They were subsequently imprisoned for contempt of court. This incident was called the “Poplar Rates Rebellion”, and our word came about shortly thereafter.

Pronounced: POP-luh-riz-uhm, noun

Notes: This word looks a lot like “popularism”, but it isn’t related

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Yesterday’s word

The word chinoiserie is “a style in art (as in decoration) reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs; also, an object or decoration in this style”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the French word chinoiserie, which comes from chinois (Chinese). The first example of chinoiserie was a building King Louis XIV of France had built at Versailles. Such decorations were popular in the 1600s and 1700s; in the 1930s, there was a revival of the style.

Pronounced: sheen-WAHZ-ree, noun

Notes: Not a word I know

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Yesterday’s word

The word annelidous means “of or relating to worms”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the French word anneler (to ring), which came from the Latin word anellus, which is a diminutive of anus (ring). Note that our word is another one of those that contains all of the main vowels in order.

Pronounced: uh-NEL-uh-duhs, adj

Notes: I didn’t have a guess at to the meaning of this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word regnant means

• exercising rule; reigning
• having the chief power
• of common or widespread occurrence

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

As I noted yesterday, I have heard a similar expression to our word in the expression “regnal number”, which means the number after the monarch’s name, such as the “II” (2) in “Queen Elizabeth II”. Our word came from the Latin verb regnare (to reign), which traces back to the noun regnum (reign), which came from rex (king).

Pronounced: REG-nuhnt, adj

Notes: I have heard this word, but only in one particular usage

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Yesterday’s word

The word cyngetic means “relating to the chase or hunting”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1700s

Background / Comments

I was thinking of the word “cygnet” and thus was wondering if our word was somehow related, but (alas!) no. Our word came from the Greek word kunagos (hunter), which is made up of kuon (dog) and igetis (leader).

Pronounced: sigh-nuh-JET-ik, adj

Notes: I don’t know this word; I thought maybe it was related to swans

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Yesterday’s word

The word immure means

• to enclose within or as if within walls
• imprison
• to build into a wall; especially – to entomb in a wall

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

Our word comes from the Latin words in- (in; within) and murus (wall); thus, the literally meaning is “to wall in” or “to enclose with a wall”. It has been extended to mean “to imprison” and “to entomb”, and has even extended to meanings of “to shut in” or “to confine”.