aperçu

Pronounced: a-per-SUE, noun

Notes: I thought I’d previously used this word, but apparently not

Yesterday’s word

The word loblolly means

  • a thick gruel
  • mire; mudhole
  • an assistant to a ship’s surgeon
  • a pine tree with long needles and strong wood
  • an evergreen – loblolly-bay
First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

A pretty bewildering set of definitions, isn’t it? As strange as it may seem, they are all related to the origin, which came from lob (an onomatopoeic word representing the bubbling sound of something boiling) combined with lolly (an English dialectal word for broth or soup). Thus, we can see that the first definition is the bubbling sound that porridge or oatmeal may make while boiling. In the same way, some mudholes have the consistency of porridge. How about the surgeon’s assistant? He was usually the one who fed the doctor’s patience. The final two definitions came from the fact that these trees are usually found in swap lands.

vatic

Pronounced: VAH-tik, adj

Notes: A new word for me

Yesterday’s word

The word plutomania is “an obsession with money or wealth”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comment

Our word comes from the Greek word pluto- (wealth) combined with the word -mania (excessive enthusiasm; craze).

plutomania

Pronounced: ploo-tuh-MAY-nee-uh, noun

Notes: I was on the right track for this word, but had the wrong meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word chiliad is

  • a group of 1,000
  • a period of 1,000 years; especially one reckoned from the beginning of the Christian era
First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

I am used to the term millennium for a 1,000-year period; however, chiliad is the older term (millennium came into English in the early 1600s). Our word comes from the Greek word chilioi (thousand). Just for the record, the word “millennium” came from the Latin word for “thousand”.

chiliad

Pronounced: KIH-lee-ad, noun

Notes: I know a different word

Yesterday’s word

The word luftmensch is “an impractical dreamer”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1909)

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Yiddish words luft (air) and mensch (man; person).

luftmensch

Pronounced: LOOFT-mensh, noun

Notes: Not a word I’m familiar with

Yesterday’s phrase

The phrase lord of misrule is “a master of Christmas revels in England especially in the 1400s and 1500s”

First usage

Our phrase came into English in the 1400s

Background / Comments

The tradition back in medieval England in the royal court, in the houses of noblemen, and many colleges and universities was to appoint a lord of misrule (also called the “abott of misrule”) to manage their Christmas festivities. He had to arrange all of the Christmas entertainment – plays, processions, and feasts. He normally had some kind of mock court and received mock homage from the revelers. The name is thought to have originated from an older New Year’s celebration (“the Feast of Fools”).

lord of misrule

Pronounced: LORD of miss-RULE, noun

Notes: Another phrase I think I’ve read, but I didn’t know the actual meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word dactyloscopy is “the analysis of fingerprints for identification of individuals”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1900s (that is, 1900-1909)

Background / Comments

I normally hear and use the word “fingerprinting”, but this word would be a much more fun word to use. It comes from the Greek word dactylo- (finger; toe) and -scopy (observation).

dactyloscopy

Pronounced: dak-tuh-LOS-kuh-pee, noun

Notes: This is a fancy word for something else we knew

Yesterday’s word

The word élan means “vigorous spirit or enthusiasm”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1800s

Background / Comments

As I noted yesterday, I’ve run across this word in reading, but I could not recall the definition. Our word came (as you might expect) from the Middle French word eslan (dash; rush), which came from s’eslancer (“to hurl oneself forth” -that is, to rush or dash). When the word was adopted into English, we dropped the literal idea of “rush” or “dash” but used the word for the enthusiasm of such things.

élan

Pronounced: ay-LAHN

Notes: I’ve run across this word in reading, but I wasn’t sure of the meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word xerophilous means “adapted to a very dry or desert environment”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

As I noted yesterday, I recognized part of the word — the suffix -philous (liking). The prefix is xero- (dry) — both of these came from the Greek language.

xerophilous

Pronounced: zee-ROF-uh-luhs, adj

Notes: Well, I recognized one part of this word, but it still didn’t help with the definition

Yesterday’s word

The word tergiversation means

  • evasion of straightforward action or clear-cut statement; equivocation
  • desertion of a cause, position, party, or faith
First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin word tergiversari (to show reluctance), which is created from tergum (back) and versare (to turn). It would be fun to drop this word when dealing with someone who won’t give a straight answer.