desacralize

Pronounced: dee-SAY-kurh-lize (alt: dee-SAK-ruh-lize), verb

Notes: Another word I didn’t know, but it made sense after I saw the origin

Yesterday’s word

The word vicissitude means “the change or variation in the course of something; cyclical ups and downs”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

As I wrote yesterday, I had this word wrong; I thought the definition meant “weariness” or “exhaustion”. The word comes from a Latin word vicissitūdō, which is equivalent to the word visissim (in turn).

vicissitude

Pronounced: vih-SIS-ih-tood (alt -tyood), noun

Notes: I had the wrong meaning for this word

Yesterday’s word

The word pernoctate means

  • to stay up all night
  • to pass the night somewhere
First usage

This word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

What a great word! This is another one I hope to remember and sprinkle into conversation. Our word comes from the Latin word pernoctare (to spend the night). The Latin word is composed of per- (through) and nox (night).

fubsy

Pronounced: FUHN-zee, adj

Notes: A nice word to know

Yesterday’s word

The word slacktivism means “activism that requires minimal effort” (examples are forwarding a message, or clicking a “like” button).

First usage

This word came into English in the 1990s

Background / Comments

Our word is a blend of slack and activism. As I said, for some people today, forwarding an email, or filling out a form online, or clicking “Like” are how they pat themselves on the back for being “involved”. Another word – “clicktivism” – is also used.

slacktivism

Pronounced: SLACK-tuh-viz-uhm, noun

Notes: This seems like a word for the modern age, but I don’t think I’ve seen it

Yesterday’s word

The word encomium is “a formal expression of praise; a eulogy”

First usage

This word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

A eulogy is often associated with funerals, but our word is not. The word came from Latin and into Latin from the Greek word enkṓmion (in reveal)

encomium

Pronounced: en-KOH-mee-uhm, noun

Notes: I’ve not heard this word before

Yesterday’s word

The word faience means “glazed earthenware, especially decorated tin-glazed pottery”

First usage

This word came into English in the early 1700s

Background / Comments

This is kind of a specialized word; I’ve never done much with pottery, even though I have read a little about it. Nevertheless, I don’t recall this word. Our word came from the French word faïence (earthenware), which in turn came from Faïence – the French name for the Italian city of Faenza, known for its glazed earthenware.

faience

Pronounced: fay-AHNS (alt: fie-AHNS), noun

Notes: I don’t think I’ve every seen this word

Yesterday’s word

The word pinnate means “having the look of a feather, in shape or arrangement; botanical term for symmetrical, blade-like leaves”

First usage

This word came into English in the late 1600s

Background / Comments

Our word comes from the Latin word pinnātus (feathered; winged). I think this definition was in my mind, but when I saw that it could be used to describe leaves, I’m pretty sure that this is one of the words from my childhood when we have a leaf identification book.

pinnate

Pronounced: PIN-ate, adj

Notes: Another word I wasn’t sure about, but it was familiar

Yesterday’s word

The word newgate, as a verb, means “to imprison”. As a noun, it means “a prison or a prison-like place or situation”.

First usage

This word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

Our word was named after the notorious Newgate prison in London. Once I saw this, I remembered reading about Newgate prison, and then (of course), the meanings made sense. I just couldn’t quite recall it just from seeing the word listed. The prison was called Newgate because it was located on the site of a gate in the Roman London wall called “Newgate”. It housed prisoners for over 700 years; it was enlarged/rebuilt many times, but ceased to be used in 1902 and was torn down in 1904.

newgate

Pronounced: NOO-gate (alt: NYOO-gate), verb/noun

Notes: This word is another one I didn’t know, but it made sense after I saw the origin

Yesterday’s word

The word rodomontade, as a noun, means “boasting, bragging or talking big”. As an adjective, it means “blustering and pretentious talk”

First usage

This word goes back to the early 1600s

Background / Comments

Our word came into English from Middle French, and into Middle French from Italian Rodomonte, the boastful king of Algiers in the epics poems Orlando innamorato and Orlando furioso. As I noted yesterday, I’ve run across this word in the Nero Wolfe stories by Rex Stout.

rodomontade

Pronounced: rod-uh-mon-tayed (alt: -tahd), noun/adj

Notes: I’ve run across this word in Rex Stout’s books with Nero Wolfe. Rex Stout had a very high IQ and often sprinkled the books with long words (such as this one)

Yesterday’s word

The word acerate means “needlelike”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Our word is another word whose meaning was misunderstood. It actually comes from the Latin word acerosus (full of chaff), but it was thought to comes from acus (needle) or acer (sharp), and this mistaking meaning is the one that stuck. It is a good word to have as an alternative to “needlelike”.