amatorculist

Pronounced: uh-ma-TOR-kyuh-list, noun

Notes: I could get parts of this word

Yesterday’s word

The phrase corn salad is a herb of the valerian family that is widely cultivated for its leaves used in salads.

Background

The word came into being as a weed in grain fields — it is the salad green found growing amount rows of corn. The plant is native to southern Europe, but is found in both Europe and North America. Although the name isn’t particularly refined, there are other names; it is also known as ‘lamb salad’. In the late 1600s, English speakers started using the French name of it (mâche) in order to sound more impressive.

First usage

The word came into English in the late 1500s

peristeronic

Pronounced: puh-ris-tuh-RON-ick, adj

Notes: I had no idea of this word’s meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word acerbate means “irritate, exasperate”

Background

This word came from Latin acerbus (harsh or bitter). This word, which sounds similar to ‘exaserbate’ (to make worse), is sometimes used in place of it, but this meaning hasn’t made it into the dictionaries yet. Such usage may be an error, but it’s a good error; both words come from the same Latin root.

First usage

This word came into English in the mid-1700s

acerbate

Pronounced: A-suhr-bate (the ‘A’ is a short a, as in ‘bat’), verb

Notes: This may mean what you think

Yesterday’s word

The word quingentenary means a 500th anniversary. Another spelling is quincentenary.

Background

The word comes from Latin quingenti (five hundred), which is a combination of quinque (five) plus centum (hundred).

First used

The word was used in the late 1800s

quingentenary

Pronounced: kwin-jen-TEN-uh-ree, noun

Notes: a handy word to know

Yesterday’s word

The word garderobe means

  • a wardrobe or its contents
  • a private room : bedroom
  • privy, toilet
Background

The word comes from the French word garder (guard), and originally meant a room or closet in which clothing was stored. Its use was extended to mean a private bedroom and bathroom.

First used

The word first entered the language in the 1400s; although it is still used today (most likely in a description of an old castle), the usage has diminished since the 1800s.

garderobe

Pronounced: GAR-drobe, noun

Note: Not a robe to be worn in a garden

Yesterday’s word

The word fabulist means

  • a writer of teller of fables
  • a liar
Background

The word comes from French fabuliste, which came from Latin fabula (talk, tale, legend)

First usage

The word showed up in the late 1500s.

fabulist

Pronounced: FA-byoo-list, noun

Note: For some reason, I keep associating this word with ‘magician’ (but that’s not correct).

Yesterday’s word

The word fleer means “a word of look of derision or mockery”

Background

The word is Scandinavian in origin; it is kin to the Norwegian word flire (to giggle). It showed up in Middle English as the verb fleryen (to laugh, grin, or grimace in a coarse manner).

First usage

The noun first appeared in Shakespeare’s Othello (early 1600s)

fleer

Pronounced: flihr, noun

Notes: I thought this was flee-uhr, one who flees, but… nope

Yesterday’s word

The word morbidezza means “an extreme softness, smoothness, or delicacy, especially in words of art, sculpture, music, etc.

Background

The word comes (as you may think) from Italian morbidezza (softness, smoothness), which comes from morbido (soft, smooth). It came into Italian from Latin, and how the meaning shifted is weird: in Latin, morbidus means ‘diseased’.

First used

The word showed up in the early 1600s.

morbidezza

Pronounced: more-bih-DET-suh, noun

Note: I tried to parse this word to guess the meaning, and was wrong

Yesterday’s word

The word skirl is related to bagpipes; it means

  • to emit the high shrill tone of the chanter; also, to give forth music
  • to play [music, if you’ll forgive the word] on the bagpipe
Background

Not every musical instrument has its very own verb — but then again, there is nothing quite like a bagpipe. Some people classify the sound made by a bagpipe as ‘music’; others say it is more of a shriek than music… and that is the origin of the word: skirl was first used to shrieking maids or winds, etc. Since it was first used (presumably disparagingly) of bagpipes, the meaning has shifted and it is no longer an offensive description of bagpipe playing.

First used

Scottish poet Robert Sempill first applied the word to bagpipes in the mid-1600s.

skirl

Pronounced: skuhrl (alternatively, skuhr-uhl), verb

Note: Some people (I’m thinking Caroline Buck or Cindy Haw) might know this word, but it was new to me

Yesterday’s word

The word aggrate means “to please or gratify”

Background

The word comes from Italian aggradare (to please), which itself came from Latin aggratare, having a root of gratus (pleasing or grateful).

First usage

The word showed up in the late 1500s