transmogrify

Pronounced: trans-MAH-gruh-fie, verb

Notes: I first ran across this word in Calvin and Hobbes, but my understanding from the context was a bit off.

Yesterday’s phrase

The phrase stormy petrel occurs in the Sherlock Holmes story The Naval Treaty – at least, the one I remember: Sherlock Holmes says to Watson “You are the stormy petrel of crime“. I was surprised to see that it also occurs in the story The Reigate Puzzle. The first meaning below is the usage in the Sherlock Holmes stories, but the second definition was a surprise.

  • One who brings trouble or whose appearance is a sign of coming trouble
  • A small sea bird of the family Hydrobatidae having dark feathers and lighter underparts; also known as Mother Carey’s Chicken
Background

The “storm” or “stormy” part of the name of the bird was given because old-time sailors believed that the bird’s appearance foreshadowed a storm. The “petrel” part is unclear; one theory is that is comes from Peter – the disciple of Jesus that walked on the water in the gospel of Matthew. The petrel’s habit of flying low over the water with legs extended gives the appearance that it is walking on the water. The first meaning above is a generalized extension of the idea that the bird foreshadowed a storm.

First usage

The word was used in the mid-1700s

stormy petrel

Pronounced: STOR-mee PEH-truhl, noun

Notes: I ran across this phrase in Sherlock Holmes. I knew the meaning from the context, but reading the definition gave me a surprise — there was a second meaning of which I was unaware. Do you know this phrase?

Yesterday’s word

The word pluvial means

  • of or relating to rain
  • characterized by abundant rain
  • (in geology) resulting from the action of rain
Background

In the early 1600s, clerics began wearing long cloaks known as pluvials for protection against the rain during processions. The word came from the Latin word for ‘rain’ — pluvia. By the mid-1600s, pluvial was used as an adjective meaning ‘or or related to rain’. The geological usage came into being in the 1800s; for example, ‘pluvial lakes’ (a lake formed by rain).

First usage

The word first showed up in the early 1600s.

pluvial

Pronounced: PLOO-vee-uhl, adj

Notes: I have a recollection of having run across this word in reading a long time ago, but I just couldn’t quite remember the definition.

Yesterday’s word

The word abnegation means “self-denial”.

Background

It comes from Latin abnegation, made up of ab- (away or off) and negare (to deny).

First usage

The word was first used in the late 1300s.

abnegation

Pronounced: ab-nih-GAY-shun

Notes: I should have known this word; I’ve read it, but my understanding was off a bit.

Yesterday’s word

The word rowel means

  • to goad with or as if with a pointed disk at the end of a spur
  • vex, trouble
Background

If you’ve seen a Western movie, you’ve seen a rowel; the noun is the circular point-covered disk on the end of a spur that is used to urge the horse to greater speed. However, they weren’t invented by cowboys; knights in shining armor had them before 1100. The word came from Anglo-French roele (small wheel). It became a verb in the late 1500s for any process of prodding or goading that was as irritating as being poked in the side with a rowel.

First usage

The word goes back to the mid-1300s (as a noun); late 1500s for the verb.

rowel

Pronounced: rawl (or raw-uhl), verb

Notes: I didn’t know this word at all, and my guesses were way off

Yesterday’s word

The word amatorculist means “a pretend or insignificant lover”.

Background

The word comes from Latin amatorculus (a little lover), which is a diminutive of amator (lover).

First usage

The word was first used in the mid-1700s

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.