Category Archives: word

Pronounced: suh-NOP-tik (alt: sih-NOP-tik) Notes: I know one of the meanings Yesterday’s word The word pandiculation means “the act of stretching and yawning upon waking” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I think nearly everyone has done this at least once; some may do it daily… and nowContinue reading “synoptic”

Pronounced: pan-dik-yuh-LAY-shun, noun Notes: I love words like this one; it describes something that (nearly) everyone does Yesterday’s word The word acarophobia has multiple meanings an fear (phobia) of small insects a delusion that one’s skin is infected with bugs a fear of itching First usage Odd; most times, a word from the 20th centuryContinue reading “pandiculation”

Pronounced: ak-uh-ruh-FOE-bee-uh, noun Notes: An interesting word Yesterday’s word The word bibliotaph means “one who hoards or hides away books” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments While I enjoy having books, I don’t think I qualify as a bibliotaph; I don’t think I “hoard” books or hideContinue reading “acarophobia”

Pronounced: BIB-lee-uh-taf (alt BIB-lee-uh-tahf), noun Notes: You may know this word; at least, part of the word Yesterday’s word The word exclosure means “a fenced area, especially in a wide open area, to keep unwanted animals out” First usage This word came into English around 1920 Background / Comments Our word is the other sideContinue reading “bibliotaph”

Pronounced: ik-SKLO-zuhr, noun Notes: I should have known this word Yesterday’s word The word propinquity means “a similarity or affinity of nature or character; close kinship or relationship” First usage The word came into English in the mid to late 1300s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Middle English word propinquite, which inContinue reading “exclosure”

Pronounced: pro-PING-kwih-tee, noun Notes: You may know this word; I keep seeing “iniquity” in it, and getting thrown off — perhaps writing it here will help me remember it! Yesterday’s word The word cunctative means “delaying; slow” First usage This word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments I suppose this wordContinue reading “propinquity”

Pronounced: KUNGK-tuh-tiv, adj Notes: A pretty fancy word for something we’ve all experienced Yesterday’s word The word foudroyant means “suddenly and powerfully affected; stunned or struck, as if by lightning” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments The definition didn’t use “thunderstruck”, but that’s also a good meaning forContinue reading “cunctative”

Pronounced: foo-DROI-uhnt, adj Notes: A nice word to know; I hope I’ll remember it well enough to use it Yesterday’s word The word pudency means “modesty; bashfulness” First usage This word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Our word looks a lot like “prudish” to me, and that’s pretty close toContinue reading “foudroyant”

Pronounced: PYOOD-n-see, noun Notes: Not quite sure about this word Yesterday’s word The word bombinate means “to make a buzzing or humming noise” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Well, I thought that the word was totally unrelated to “bomb”; it turns out that there is aContinue reading “pudency”

Pronounced: BOM-buh-nate, verb Notes: Well, I thought this was related to bombs, but no Yesterday’s word The word mammothrept means a spoiled child a person of immature judgment First usage This word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments The background of our word doesn’t seem to be complete. It comes fromContinue reading “bombinate”