Category Archives: word

Pronounced: oh koo-RAN, adj Notes: Although I could not pronounce this correctly, I was pretty close on the definition Yesterday’s word The word mordacious means “sharp, caustic, or biting in style and tone” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Well, I (incorrectly) saw the ‘mord’ beginning of ourContinue reading “au courant”

Pronounced: more-DAY-shus, adj Notes: I couldn’t define this word, but I think I recognize some of the sub-parts of it Yesterday’s word The word pierian means “relating to learning or poetry” First usage This word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments A nice, simple, straightforward definition. I could find uses inContinue reading “mordacious”

Pronounced: pie-EER-ee-uhn, adj Notes: Another word I may find useful, but I didn’t know Yesterday’s word The word isolato means “a person spiritually or mentally isolated and out of step with their times or community” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Well! I thought about the plural ofContinue reading “pierian”

Pronounced: ete-suh-LAY-toe, noun Notes: Although I’d not run across this word, you may be able to get close to the meaning (as I did) Yesterday’s word The word dalmatic refers to “a loose, wide-sleeved outer garment worn by some monarchs at their coronations and by deacons, bishops, etc in some churches” First usage This wordContinue reading “isolato”

Pronounced: dal-MAT-ick, noun Notes: My guess at the meaning was far off the mark Yesterday’s word The word battology is “a tiring repetition of words, either spoken or written” First usage This word goes back to around 1600 Background / Comments I’ve definitely met people whose conversation was battology — just a repetition of theContinue reading “dalmatic”

Pronounced: buh-TAHL-uh-jee, noun Notes: A neat word to know; it has uses Yesterday’s word The word showboat means, as a verb, “to seek attention by showy, flamboyant behavior; to show off”. As a noun, it is “one who seeks attention in such a way; a show-off” First usage This word came into usage in theContinue reading “battology”

Pronounced: SHOW-boat, verb/noun Notes: This was a borderline word. I was pretty close to the meaning Yesterday’s word The word wuther means “the manner of wind blowing fiercely” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I got this word confused with “druther” or “druthers”. Our word is more commonlyContinue reading “showboat”

Pronounced: WUHTH-er, verb Notes: I confused this word with another word Yesterday’s word The word gaslight means “to manipulate psychologically” First usage This word came into use in the 1960s Background / Comments I assume most people know this word, and may be surprised that I didn’t know it. I know that the word comesContinue reading “wuther”

Pronounced: GAS-light, verb Notes: I’ve run across this word in reading, and had a sense of the word, but wasn’t quite right (you probably know this word) Yesterday’s phrase The phrase de profundis means “out of the depths of sorrow or despair” First usage I could not find information about when this phrase started beingContinue reading “gaslight”

Pronounced: day pro-FOON-dis, adv Notes: I didn’t know this phrase, but I tried to work it out, and didn’t get it right Yesterday’s word The word masstige, as a noun, means “products that have the perception of luxury, but are relatively affordable and marketed to masses”. As an adjective, it means “relating to such aContinue reading “de profundis”