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’.

wen

Pronounced: wen, noun

Notes: This is exactly how I pronounced “when”, but some people may distinguish between the “w” in this word and the “wh” in when — possibly using more air in the latter.

Yesterday’s word

The word passim means “here and there”

First usage

This word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

I had trouble finding ‘first usage’ information. The word is most often found in footnotes and reference material. For example: “item, pp 35-40 passim” means that item is discussed here and there in pages 35 to 40. However, the Latin phrase “sic passum” means “so throughout” and I would have loved to know this when reviewing documents. Many times, an error is made and continues throughout the document. Often times I (and other viewers) have noted the first few errors, and then written something like: “this error occurs throughout the document. Please search for and correct all of the errors”. Instead, I could have written, after the 3rd of 4th entry “sic passim”. The word is from the Latin word passus (scattered).

passim

Pronounced: PAH-sum, adv

Notes: A really cool word that I wish I had known when doing document reviews

Yesterday’s word

The word skail, as a noun means “a scattering or dispersal”. As a verb, it means

  • to scatter out, spill, or disperse
  • to dismiss or to disband an assembly, group, etc
First usage

This word goes back to the early 1300s

Background

The origin is a little uncertain; it is from either Scottish or Scandinavian origin. A nice one-syllable alternative for disperse.