ochlocracy

Pronounced: ahk-LAHK-ruh-see, noun

Notes: I keep seeing “och-” and thinking it has something to do with eight (but no)

Yesterday’s word

The word collimate means “to make parallel” (usually refers to light rays)

First usage

The word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Notes

I have heard of this word relating to lasers, but was uncertain of the meaning. The word has an interesting background. The word comes from the Latin collimare, but that word is a misreading / corruption of collineare (to direct in a straight line). (I can see the ‘n’ and ‘e’ getting pushed together and looking like an ‘m’). Roman statesmen and scholars used the incorrect word (collimare), and the error was picked up by Johannes Kepler (who wrote in Latin). And thus, the incorrect word collimare came into English as our word; in theory, the word should have been ‘collineate’.

collimate

Pronounced: KAH-luh-mate, verb

Notes: Nothing to do with collies… I have heard the word, but wasn’t sure of the meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word enantiodromia is “the tendency of things, beliefs, etc, to change into their opposites.

First usage

This isn’t that old; it came into English in the early 1900s

Background / Notes

I am not sure that I believe that in enantiodromia; I know it happens, but I’m not sure that it always happens. An example would be a group fighting for freedom, and, once they win it, their leader goes on to become a dictator himself. The word is from the Greek enantio- (opposite) with dromos (running).

enantiodromia

Pronounced: ih-nan-tee-uh-DROH-mee-uh, noun

Notes: I’m in a quandry about this word; I didn’t know the word, but I don’t believe the philosophy it describes (more tomorrow).

Yesterday’s word

The word splenetic means “marked by bad temper, malevolence, or spite”

First usage

This word came into English in the late-1300s

Background / Comments

I should have known this word because of the word word “spleen”, which I’ve seen in old writing to refer to bad temper for very little reason. This idea goes back to the belief (now discredited, I believe) that a person was made up of differing amounts of four basic temperaments. One of these was influenced by the spleen; people with excess spleen production could be easily irritated, and thus we have the origin of today’s word. (the Latin for spleen is splen). This word could also mean “of the spleen”, but the definition above is more interesting, I think.

splenetic

Pronounced: splih-NEH-tick, adj

Notes: This is a word I should have known, but didn’t

Yesterday’s word

The word cremnophobia is “a fear of precipices or cliffs”

First usage

This is a relatively recent word; it showed up in the early 1900s

Background / Comments

As I noted, this is not fear or cremation; the -phobia we known to be “fear of”, and the first part comes from Latin cremnos (overhanging cliff). As someone said, “I’m not afraid of heights; just of falling from them.”

Rejected word

I don’t know how well known it is, but I happen to know the meaning of quisling from my reading, so I didn’t use it. If you don’t know it, look it up and enjoy the origin.

cremnophobia

Pronounced: krem-no-FOE-bee-uh, noun

Notes: Fear of — what? Something… my (wrong) guess was being cremated.

Yesterday’s word

The word exoteric means

  • suitable to be imparted to the public
  • belonging to the outer or less initiate circle
  • external
First usage

This word showed up in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

This word’s relationship with esoteric is an opposite. Something that is esoteric is only known/understood by the inner circle or initiated. Something that is exoteric can be known by the public at large. Posts on social media should be exoteric in nature, but it seems as though people are prone to forget this good advice. Our word comes from Latin exotericus, which comes from Greek exōterikos (external); the prefix exo- means “outside”.

exoteric

Pronounced: ek-suh-TER-ick, adj

Notes: This word has a relationship to the better-known esoteric (more tomorrow)

Yesterday’s word

The word metanoia means “a profound transformation in one’s outlook”

First usage

This word showed up in English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

The word comes from Greek metanoia (a change of mind), which comes from metanoein (to change one’s mind). I think we tend to use the phrase “a wake-up call” to mean a metanoia. Anyway, it’s a word I hope to remember and find a use for.

metanoia

Pronounced: met-uh-NOY-uh, noun

Notes: Another word I could find a use for – I’m more familiar with a different way to express this meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word probity means “adherence to the highest principles and ideals : uprightness”

First usage

This word dates back to the early 1500s

Background / Comments

As I noted, I happen to know the word, mostly because of reading of English authors from around 100 years ago. I’m not sure how well known this word it. It comes from the Latin word probus (honest).

Probity, honesty, honor, and integrity are similar words; they all mean uprightness of character, but have different shades of meaning. Honesty, for example, implies a refusal to lie or deceive in any way. Honor suggests an active or anxious regard for the standard of one’s profession, calling, or position. Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable to being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge. Our word probity implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.

probity

Pronounced: PRO-buh-tee, noun

Notes: This is kind of a “cheating” entry; I know this word, but I don’t know how well-known it it. I’ve run across it in some older English reading.

Yesterday’s word

The word Marinism means “a literary style marked by extravagant imagery, elaborate metaphors, etc.”

First usage

This word showed up in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

This word is named after a person (which is why it is capitalized), the Italian poet Giovanni Battista Marino who wrote in this baroque style. He was considered “the” reference for this kind of writing while it was popular. In the 1700s, this kind of poetry fell out of favor, and his work was considered to be the perfect example of Baroque bad taste. In the latter part of the 20th century, his word has undergone a re-evaluation, and it is not viewed to negatively these days.

Marinism

Pronounced: muh-REE-nih-zuhm, noun

Notes: I had not heard of this word before

Yesterday’s word

The word lorn means “desolate; forsaken”

First usage

Another old word, going back to the late 1200s

Background / Comments

If you are thinking that this word means the same as “forlorn”, you’re right; they are synonyms. Our word comes from Middle English loren, a past participle of the verb lesen (to lose), descended from the Old English word lēosan (to lose). Although the words are now synonyms, the for- prefix used to mean “completely”, “excessively”, or “to exhaustion”, so being ‘forlorn’ would be a more complete desolation than merely being ‘lorn’. Nevertheless, forlorn is far more commonly used today.

lorn

Pronounced: lorn, adj

Notes: A good word to know!

Yesterday’s word

A wen is

  • a benign tumor of the skin
  • a large overcrowded city
First usage

Very old; it goes back to the year 1000.

Background / Comments

It comes from the Old English word wen (tumor, wart). This is the same source for the word ‘wound’.