perforce

Pronounced: purr-FORCE, adv

Notes: This didn’t mean what I thought it meant…

Yesterday’s word

The word dundrearies is “long, flowing sideburns”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Our was named after Lord Dundreary, a character in the play Our American Cousin by Tom Taylor. Lord Dundreary had long, busy sideburns. You may remember that this was the play Abraham Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Our word can also be called “dundreary whiskers”. In England, these kind of sideburns are called “Piccadilly weepers”.

dundrearies

Pronounced: done-DRIR-eez, noun

Notes: This word has an interesting tie-in with a US President

Yesterday’s word

The word totes means “totally; absolutely; definitely”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 2000s (2000-2009)!

Background / Comments

I think our word is the first one from the 21st century. It is merely a shortening of “totally”, which came from total, which came from the Latin word totus (whole; entire).

totes

Pronounced: tohts, adv

Notes: This may be newest word I’ve featured to date (and it’s not a brand name)

Yesterday’s word

The word salvo means

  • a simultaneous discharge of two or more guns or bombs
  • a sudden burst
  • a spirited attack
First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

The first meaning was the original meaning, and it referred to a salvo used as a salute (somewhat amusing as “salute” itself traces back to the same word). The definition then broadened to include simultaneous gunfire, as it war. Over time, the meaning has shifted to the other definitions – one is more likely to find the word used in a figurative sense. Our word came from Italian and French, which came from the Latin adjective salvus (healthy). Another form of the word [salve], meaning “hail!” was used as a greeting by ancient Romans. Although the Latin word meant healthy, the English word “salve” does not come from this word – in spite of the similar appearance to our word.

salvo

Pronounced: SAL-voh, noun

Notes: I thought this was a synonym for “gunfire”, but that’s not correct

Yesterday’s word

The word ambivert is “one having the characteristics of both an extrovert and an introvert”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1920s

Background / Comments

At first glance, our word seems to have contradictory definitions; after all, an “extrovert” and an “introvert” are opposite characteristics. However, our word came refer to difference in situations — one can be an extrovert with family or good friends, and be very shy and introverted around strangers. The word can also describe someone who falls someone in between and thus has some characteristics of both. Our comes from the Latin words ambi- (both) and -vert [from introvert/extrovert], which came from vertere (to turn).

ambivert

Pronounced: AM-bih-vuhrt, noun

Notes: This is another word that I didn’t know the meaning of, but after reading it, it made sense

Yesterday’s word

The word zaftig means “having a full rounded figure; pleasantly plump”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1930s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Yiddish word zaftik (juicy; succulent), which came from zaft (juice; sap).

zaftig

Pronounced: ZAFF-tig, adj

Notes: Not a word I know about

Yesterday’s word

The word superbious means “proud; insolent”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1500s

Background / Comments

It is nice to have another word for “proud” in my vocabulary. Our word came from the Latin word superbiosus (proud; insolent), which came from superbia (pride), which came from superbus (superb; proud).

superbious

Pronounced: su-PUHR-bee-us, adj

Notes: A new word for me – and a useful one!

Yesterday’s word

The word bioturbation is “the restructuring of sedimentary deposits (such as at the bottom of a lake or seabed) by moving organisms (such as worms or burrowing clams)”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1960s

Background / Comments

Our word is a combination of bio- (living) and turbation (a disturbance). Although our word is relatively recent, the root word turbation” goes back to the 1400s to 1600s, when it was used as a synonym for “perturbation” (a word I like) and “disturbance”.

bioturbation

Pronounced: by-oh-tuhr-BAY-shun, noun

Notes: This is one of the words about which I had no inkling of the meaning, but when I saw it, I thought “of course!” (perhaps you will do better than me)

Yesterday’s word

The word handfast, as a noun, means “a contract or agreement, especially about a betrothal of marriage”. As a verb, it means “to engage to be married or to bind in wedlock”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1200s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Old English handfaesten (to pledge or to betroth), which is made up of hand- and faesten (to fasten). This certainly refers to the old custom of betrothals made by joining of hands. We see remnants of this in modern marriage ceremonies, where the couple to be wed joins hands.

handfast

Pronounced: HAND-fast, noun/verb

Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this — you may be able to guess one of the definitions

Yesterday’s word

The word wifty means “eccentrically silly or scatterbrained; ditzy”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1910s (but see Comments below)

Background / Comments

The reference material indicated that our word may have been around in audible form before the first written appearance (which is generally what is used for the “First usage”). The origins of wifty are not really known.

wifty

Pronounced: WHIFF-tea, adj

Notes: Another word that I have not heard about

Yesterday’s phrase

The phrase dead hand means

  • the stifling influence of something, especially of the past on the present
  • the perpetual ownership of property by institutions, such as churches
First usage

Our phrase came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

I knew the first definition from reading; it is used in the original Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov. I think I have run across it elsewhere; I have an idea I’ve run across it discussing a controlling will or trust account. The other definition is not one that I knew about. Our word is a literal translation of the term “mortmain” (which also looked a bit familiar to me).