qui vive

Pronounced: key-VEEV, noun

Notes: I do know this word, but not the origin or the correct pronunciation

Yesterday’s word

The word ingurgitate means “to swallow greedily or in large amounts”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

I did not know that this word exists, but it is surely very similar to the verb “wolf” (as in “wolf one’s food”, except that our word applies to drink instead of food. It sounds like a fun word to drop into conversation (if it can be remembered). It comes from the Latin word gurgitare (to flood), which came from gurges (whirlpool).

ingurgitate

Pronounced: in-GUR-jih-tate, verb

Notes: Interesting word, but it’s new to me

Yesterday’s word

The word eisteddfod is “a (usually Welsh) competitive festival of the arts especially in poetry and singing”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1800s

Background / Comments

As the spelling (especially the double-‘d’) indicates, this is a Welsh word; my understanding is that the Welsh letter ‘dd’ is pronounced like the ‘th’ in “then”. Our word comes from the Welsh word esiteddfod (session). The eisteddfod goes back to Medieval times, but the practice had declined by the 1600s. It was in the 1800s that they came back. My reference material says that there is still a National Eidsteddfod of Wales held each year – there are awards for music, prose, drama, and art, but the main event is poetry.

eisteddfod

Pronounced: aye-STETH-vahd, noun

Notes: The spelling and punctuation give a clue to where the word comes from

Yesterday’s word

The word emollient, as an adjective, means “soothing or softening”. As a noun, it means “something that soothes or softens”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

I didn’t expect this meaning at all; I seem to recall reading or hearing some similar word related to nobility: I thought it meant something like ‘the advantages that comes with the position’. However, I don’t remember where I ran across it, so I cannot check what the actual word was — but clearly not our word, which comes from the Latin word emollire (to soften), which is composed of ex-, an intensifier prefix and mollire (to soften), which comes from mollis (soft).

emollient

Pronounced: ih-MOLL-yuhnt, adj/noun

Notes: This word doesn’t mean what I thought it meant

Yesterday’s word

The word lagniappe is “a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; in a broad sense, something given or obtained gratuitously”.

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1800s

Background / Comments

Some reference material notes that our word is mainly used in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas. Our word came to us from the word lagniappe, which was used by French-speaking citizens of Louisiana. However, they in turn took it from the Spanish words la ñapa (the addition; the bonus) which originated with the Qeuchua word yapa (that which is added).

lagniappe

Pronounced: LAN-yap, noun

Notes: I’ve read this word, but did not know the meaning

Yesterday’s word

The word probity means “integrity and honest”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1400s

Background / Comments

I was uncertain of whether or not to use our word; I now know the meaning, but when I first ran across our word cold, I was not certain of the meaning. Thus, I decided to use it. Our word comes from the Latin word probus (upright; good).

probity

Pronounced: PRO-bih-tee, noun

Notes: I wasn’t sure about this using this word, but I decided to do so

Yesterday’s word

The word multifarious means “having or occurring in great variety; diverse”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1500s

Background / Comments

Our word is not related at all to “nefarious”, as I thought. Our word came from the Latin word multifariam (in many places; on many sides). Interestingly, in the century before our word came into being, a similar word was in use: “multifary” (in many ways). That word did not last long; it was gone long before our word appeared.

multifarious

Pronounced: mull-tuh-FERR-ee-us, adj

Notes: This word reminds me of “nefarious”, but the meaning isn’t the same

Yesterday’s word

The word anodyne, as an adjective, means

  • relieving pain; soothing
  • bland or insipid: not likely to provoke or offend

As a noun, it means

  • something that soothes or comforts
  • a medicine that relieves pain
First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

As I said, I have a recollection that I have read this word somewhere — I’m just not sure where. Our word came from the Latin word anodynos, which came from the Greek word anodynos, which is made up of a- (not) and odyne (pain).

anodyne

Pronounced: AN-uh-dine, adj/noun

Notes: I did not know the definition, but I think I have run across it in some reading

Yesterday’s word

The word calumet is “a highly ornamented ceremonial pipe of the American Indians”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1600s

Background / Comments

The more well-known term for our word is “peace pipe”. Our word came from the American French word calumet, who began using it in the 1600s to refer to the highly ornamented clay pipes of the American Indians. The French word came from the Latin word calamus (reed; pen), which came from the Greek word kalamos (reed; pen).

calumet

Pronounced: KAL-yuh-met, noun

Notes: There is a well-known alternative to this word

Yesterday’s word

The word brabble means “to argue over petty matters”

First usage

Our word came into English in the very early 1500s

Background / Comments

This word would be a good one to use; it comes from the Middle Dutch word brabbelen (to quarrel or jabber).

brabble

Pronounced: BRAB-uhl, verb

Notes: I don’t know this word either

Yesterday’s word

The word fauve means

  • of or relating to painters practicing Fauvism
  • vivid in color
First usage

Our word came into English in the 1910s

Background / Comments

Our word is related to painting and painters, about which I have a pretty limited knowledge. There is a movement called “Fauvism”, which started in the early 1900s. The group used vivid coloring, and our word came to mean anything vivid in color. Our word comes from the French word fauve (wild beast).