Pronounced: pill-GAR-lick, noun

Notes: An older word; it doesn’t stir any memories for me

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Yesterday’s word

The word McDonaldization means

• standardization that focuses on efficiency, predictability, control, etc at the expense of individuality or creativity
• the spread of the influence of American culture

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1970s

Background / Comments

As you might expect, our word came from the fast food chain known as McDonald’s; I always thought Ray Kroc started it, but it was started by two brothers named McDonald (Richard & Maurice); Ray Kroc became their franchising agent in 1954. In 1961, Ray Kroc purchased the restaurant from the McDonald bothers, and began to expand rapidly.

Pronounced: muck-dah-nuhl-die-ZAY-shun (alt: muck-dah-nuhl-duh-ZAY-shun), noun

Notes: You probably know the origin of this word, but do you know what it means?

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Yesterday’s word

The word maquette is “a usually small preliminary model (as of a sculpture or a building)”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910)

Background / Comments

A maquette is generally intended to serve as a rough model of a larger design. Our word came directly from the French word maquette, which came from the Italian noun maccietta (sketch), which came from the Latin word macula (spot).

Pronounced: ma-KET, noun

Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word Oakley is “a complimentary ticket or pass”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1910s

Background / Comments

Our word is named after Annie Oakley, the famous sharpshooter. I think I’ve heard or read this word somewhere, and I had a sense of the meaning. However, I thought it referred to any ticket, not a complimentary one. In order to prevent such tickets from being resold, they had holes punched in them. As Annie Oakley was famous for shooting holes in various targets, such a tickets was called an “Annie Oakley”, or just “Oakley”. Annie Oakley was quite a shot: she could split a playing card hit edge on; she could hit dimes tossed into the air; she could snuff out candles with a bullet; and she could knock corks off of bottles.

Pronounced: OAK-lee, noun

Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but after reading it, I think I’ve heard it used somewhere

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Yesterday’s word

The word blandish means

• to coax with flattery; cajole
• to act or speak in a flattering or coaxing manner

First usage

Our word came into English in the middle to late 1300s

Background / Comments

I was aware of the noun “blandishments”, which is action or speech that tends to entice. Our word (and that word, too) came from the Middle English word blandisshen, which came from the Anglo-French/Middle French word blandiss, which came from the Latin word blandīirī (soothe; flatter).

Pronounced: BLAN-dish, verb

Notes: I didn’t quite know this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word Arrow-collar means “conventionally attractive and suave”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1910s

Background / Comments

In the early 1900s, a company called Cluett, Peabody & Co. sold detachable collars called “Arrow Collars” (I don’t know if it is related, but I remember having some Arrow shirts). The advertising for these collars featured a (supposedly) ideal man — known as the Arrow Collar Man; the idea caught on and our word came into being.

Pronounced: AR-oh-kol-uhr, adj

Notes: I did not now that this was a word

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Yesterday’s word

The word theriac is

• a mixture of many drugs and honey formerly held to be an antidote to poison
• a remedy for all ills; cure-all; panacea

First usage

Our word came into English a long time ago (sometime before 1000 is what I found)

Background / Comments

Our word was originally used to mean “an antidote for poison”, and this is reflected in the origins. Our word came from the Latin word thēriaca (antidote to poison), which came from the Greek word thēriakē, the feminine form of thēriakós, which came from thēríon (wild beast). The early theriac was created in the 100s by a Greek doctor who combined 70 drugs mixed with honey.

Pronounced: THIR-ee-ack, noun

Notes: An interesting word to add to one’s vocabulary

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Yesterday’s word

The word journeyman is “a worker, athlete, performer, etc who is competent and reliable, although undistinguished”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1400s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Old French word jornee (a day’s work or travel), which came from the Latin word diurnum (day), which came from dies (day).

Pronounced: JUHR-nee-muhn, noun

Notes: While I have heard the word, I could not properly define it

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Yesterday’s phrase

The phrase fata morgana means “mirage”

First usage

Our phrase came into English in the early 1800s

Background / Comments

Our phrase is the Italian name for Morgan le Fay (literally, “Morgan the Fairy”); the sister of the legendary King Arthur. She was reputed to have magical powers; some stories state that she can change shape. She was blamed for causing complex mirages in bodies of water, and the Straits of Messina in particular. Atmospheric conditions was the real cause of the optical illusions in the Straits, but the phrase fata morgana came to be another word for “mirage”.

Pronounced: fah-tuh more-GAH-nuh, noun

Notes: I think I’ve run across this phrase in reading, but I could not define it

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Yesterday’s word

The word bruit means, as a noun

• rumor
• report
• noise

As a verb, the word means

• to report
• to repeat
• to spread a rumor

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1400s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Anglo-Norman word bruire (to make a noise), which came from the Latin word brugere, which is a blend of rugire (to roar) and bragire (to bray). I seem to remember reading somewhere the phrase “it has been bruited about…” — but I have no idea where I read it.

Pronounced: broot, noun/verb

Notes: Another word I think I’ve run across, but wasn’t sure of the meaning

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Yesterday’s word

The word zoomorphic means

• having the form of an animal
• or, relating to, or being a deity conceived of in animal form or with animal attributes

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from two Greek words: zoo- (or zo-), which derives from the Greek word zōion (animal), and -morph, which came from the Greek word morphē (form).