Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day
Words that I do not know
Pronounced: kah-CANE, noun
Notes: I’ve not run across this word before
The word ambagious means “roundabout; circuitous”
Our word came into English in the mid-1600s
Our word is a nice one to use in place of “roundabout” – it came from the Middle English word ambages (equivocation), which traces to the Latin word ambages, composed of ambi- (both; around) and agere (to drive).
Pronounced: am-BAY-juhs, adj
Notes: It looks like ambiguous misspelled
The word scaramouch (can also be spelled scaramouche) is
Our word came into English in the mid-1600s
People with a background in or knowledge of theater or pantomime may know our word — or at least probably know the term commedia dell’arte (Italian comedy). I was introduced to it through the writings of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers; there are some references to the commedia dell’arte, and several references to Harlequin, one of the stock characters in the commedia dell’arte. Our word comes from another character in the commedia dell’arte called Scaramouch – he was often beaten by Harlequin because of his boasting or cowardice. Scaramouch actually came from the Italian word meaning “skirmish; a minor fight”. In the late 1600s, our word was used in a derogatory sense for a cowardly buffoon. It’s not heard very often these days, but I’m told that it is used in the relatively well-known rock song “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. In addition, you can sound erudite by using it in the appropriate conversational place.
Pronounced: SCAR-uh-moosh, noun
Notes: Although the word looks familiar, I didn’t know the meaning
The word wonted means “usual; accustomed”
Our word came into English in the early 1400s
I don’t think that our word is very well known; personally, I’m more familiar with the phrase “as was his wont” to describe a habit. Our word came from the Middle English word woned or wont (accustomed), which was the past participle of wonen (to be used to; well).
Pronounced: WAHN-tid
Notes: Not a misspelling of “wanted”
The word interdigitate means “to become interlocked like the fingers of folded hands”
Our word came into English in the mid-1800s
I thought our word meant to lace the fingers; it means other things that are look like it (as muscle fibers, or the teeth of old-fashioned bear traps). Our word came from a combination of the prefix inter- (between) and the Latin word digitus (finger).
Pronounced: in-tuhr-DIH-juh-tate, verb
Notes: The word doesn’t mean what I thought it might mean
The word frustraneous means “useless; unprofitable”
Our word came into English in the mid-1600s
A fun word to drop into conversations. Our word came from the Latin word frustra (in vain).
Pronounced: fruhs-TRAY-nee-uhs, adj
Notes: A nice word to be able to use
The word futurity means
Our word came into English around 1600
Our word would appear to be coined by Shakespeare in the play Othello. It was also used by Benjamin Franklin and Sir Walter Scott. It is merely a combination of future and the suffix -ity. There is also a “futurity race” (usually for two-year-old horses) in which entries for the race are made are made well before the event — usually at the birth of the horse (or even before then).
Pronounced: fyoo-TUR-eh-tee, noun
Notes: Although you may be able to guess the definition, I didn’t know that this word existed
The word refection is
Our word came into English in the late 1300s
Our word came from French — and into French from the Latin word reficere (to renew; to restore), made up of re- (back; again) and facere (to make). If it weren’t for the third definition, this would be a great word to use to refer to a light meal in casual conversation.
Pronounced: rih-FECK-shun, noun
Notes: This is not a misspelling of “reflection”, but a different word entirely
The word totem is
Our word came into English in
I thought our word was just short for a “totem pole”, but clearly that isn’t the case. After reading the definition, it is clear that a totem pole is merely a pole containing totems. As most people associate totem poles with American Indians, you might think that the word comes from there — and you’d be correct. Our word comes from Ojibwa, a language of the Algonquian people who lived in the regions around Lake Superior. The root Ojibwa word is ote (to dwell in), but most English speakers heard the word ototeman (his totem) or nintotem (my totem). These words became totem.
Pronounced: TOE-tum, noun
Notes: I thought I knew the meaning of this word, but I didn’t
The word tegular means “relating to, resembling, or arranged like tiles”
Our word came into English in the mid-1800s
Our word came from the Latin word tegula (tile), which came from tegere (to cover). There isn’t much to say about our word other than what I said yesterday.
Pronounced: TEG-yuh-luhr, adj
Notes: Not what I thought (and NOT a misspelling of “regular”)
The word biannual means
Our word came into English in the late 1800s
Just like “biweekly”, our word can have different meanings. Some people teach that “semiannual” should be used for things that occur twice a year, and our word for things occurring every two years; however, this practice is not followed by everyone. A clear word for something that occurs every two years is “biennial”. Our word came from Latin – the second part came from annu (yearly). The first part is bi- (twice; two) and this is the source of the confusion: it could mean “twice yearly” or “two years”.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day