Category Archives: word

Pronounced: DAB-stir, noun Notes: A simple, but strange word Yesterday’s word The word vinous means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments People with experience of wines may know this word. I thought it was referred to vines, not wines. Our word came from the Latin word vīnum (wine).

Pronounced: VIE-nuss, adj Notes: Another word that some people will know Yesterday’s word The word foozle means, as a verb, “to botch or bungle: especially to make a poor shot in golf”. As a noun it means “a botched attempt at something” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / CommentsContinue reading “vinous”

Pronounced: FOO-zuhl, verb/noun Notes: You may know this word, especially some people Yesterday’s word The word subfuscous means “slightly dark, dusky, or somber” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments Yesterday, I noted that I had “sort of” run across our word. In the Lord Peter Wimsey story GaudyContinue reading “foozle”

Pronounced: sub-FUSS-kuss, adj Notes: I’ve sort-of run across this word, but didn’t look it up, I’m ashamed to say Yesterday’s word The word floccinaucinihilipilification means “estimating as worthless” First usage Our word appeared in the mid-1700s Background / Comments Our word was one used in the funny and long-running British radio word show “My Word!”Continue reading “subfuscous”

Pronounced: FLOCK-see-NAH-see-NIL-ih-PILL-ee-fih-KAY-shun, noun Notes: I happen to know this from a radio show, but I wanted to share it Yesterday’s word The word solander is “a case for maps, plates, etc, made to resemble a book, having a front cover and hinged fore edge” First usage Our word came into being in the late 1700sContinue reading “floccinaucinihilipilification”

Pronounced: suh-LAN-der, noun Notes: When I saw the pronunciation, it reminded me of “slander” stretched to three syllables (more in comments). Yesterday’s word The word calumniate means “to make false statements about someone maliciously” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments It is a total coincidence that our wordContinue reading “solander”

Pronounced: kuh-LUHM-nee-ate, verb Notes: This was another close one; I had a sense of the meaning, but was a bit off Yesterday’s word The word affinal means “related to or concerning marriage” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments After seeing the definition, I thought our word wasContinue reading “calumniate”

Pronounced: ah-FINE-l (alt: uh-FINE-l), adj Notes: This is a word that I thought I figured out “backwards” – meaning that after I saw the definition, I could see how the word could mean it. Yesterday’s word The word comport means “to conduct (oneself)” or “to agree with” First usage Our word came into English inContinue reading “affinal”

Pronounced: come-PORT, verb Notes: I was pretty close to the right definition Yesterday’s word The word sophrosyne is “moderation; discretion; prudence” First usage Our word is another one that didn’t have information about when it came into English Background / Comments Our word is a great one to sprinkle into conversation; with the idea ofContinue reading “comport”

Pronounced: suh-FROSS-uh-nee, noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this word, but it’s a good, usable word to know Yesterday’s word The word kakistocracy means “government by the least qualified or worst persons” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments The only reason I figured out ourContinue reading “sophrosyne”