Category Archives: word

Pronounced: CUV-uhn-tree, noun Notes: Not the city in the UK; there is a different meaning Yesterday’s word The word flat-hat means “to flow how in an airplane in a reckless manner; hedgehop” First usage Our word came into English in the 1940s Background / Comments The word used in the definition above (“hedgehop”) is anContinue reading “Coventry”

Pronounced: FLAT-hat, verb Notes: I haven’t heard this word Yesterday’s word The word Turveydropian means “overly concerned with one’s appearance, demeanor, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word is named after the character of Mr Turveydrop in the 1852 book Bleak House by Charles Dickens.Continue reading “flat-hat”

Pronounced: tuhr-vee-DROH-pea-uhn, adj Notes: This word was new to me; well-read readers may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word cozen means to deceive or induce to something by artful coaxing or shrewd trickery to gain by artful coaxing or tricky deception First usage Our word came into English in the lateContinue reading “Turveydropian”

Pronounced: KUH-zuhn, verb Notes: I see “cozy” in this word, so I was completely off on the meaning Yesterday’s word The word sialoquent means “spraying saliva when speaking” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I remember the phrase “say it, don’t spray it!”, but I didn’t know thereContinue reading “cozen”

Pronounced: sigh-AHL-uh-kwuhnt, adj Notes: This word describes something many of us have seen Yesterday’s word The word lotusland is a place inducing contentment especially through an idyllic living situation a state marked by contentment often achieved through self-indulgence First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word comes fromContinue reading “sialoquent”

Pronounced: LOW-tuhs-land, noun Notes: I am not sure if I have run across this word before, but it has a literary background Yesterday’s word The word psychogenic means “originating in the mind”; that is, having a psychological cause instead of a physiological cause First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s BackgroundContinue reading “lotusland”

Pronounced: sigh-kuh-JEN-ick, adj Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word anywhere, but you may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word parvenu is “one that has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated withContinue reading “psychogenic”

Pronounced: PAR-vuh-new, noun Notes: I think I’ve run across this word somewhere, but I cannot imagine it Yesterday’s word The word frum means “religious; observant of religious laws” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Yiddish word frum, which came from the MiddleContinue reading “parvenu”

Pronounced: froom (the “oo” as in “book”), adj Notes: Not a word I know Yesterday’s word The word rectilinear means moving in or forming a straight line characterized by straight lines First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our came from the Late Latin word recilineus, which is madeContinue reading “frum”

Pronounced: rek-tuh-LIH-nee-uhr, adj Notes: This word makes me think of rectangles Yesterday’s word The word perlage is “the assemblage of bubbles, in a glass of champagne (for example)” First usage Our word came into English in the 1980s Background / Comments Our word came from the French word perle (pearl), with the suffix -age (stateContinue reading “rectilinear”