Category Archives: word

Pronounced: ar-KAY-num, noun Notes: You may know this word; the plural may be more well-known Yesterday’s word The word azymous means “unleavened; unfermented” First usage This word goes back to the mid-1700s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, this word is one that Christians and Jews may know: the Jewish feat of Passover isContinue reading “arcanum”

Pronounced: ay-ZIGH-muss, adj Notes: Nice, fancy word for something that Christians and Jews know well Yesterday’s word The word phosphene is “a luminous impression due to the excitation of the retina” — the shapes of light you see if you close your eyes and press on them with your fingers. First usage This word showedContinue reading “azymous”

Pronounced: FAHS-feen, noun Notes: A word for something most of us know; I didn’t know there was a word for it. Yesterday’s word The word vaquero means “a livestock handler; cowboy” First usage The word came back into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Today’s word is from the Spanish word vaquero (cowboy), whichContinue reading “phosphene”

Pronounced: vah-KER-oh, noun Notes: I was a little off on this word Yesterday’s word The word fatidic means “of or relating to prophecy” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments This word has an interesting double reference. First of all, it comes from the Latin word fatum (fate), makingContinue reading “vaquero”

Pronounced: fay-TIH-dik, adj Notes: A simple word, but I’ve never heard of it Yesterday’s word The word expergefaction means awakening or arousing the state of being awakened or aroused First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word expergefacere (to awaken), which is madeContinue reading “fatidic”

Pronounced: ex-SPUR-juh-fak-shun, noun Notes: A long word for a common thing Yesterday’s word The word scofflaw is “a contemptuous law violator” First usage This word goes back to the 1920s Background / Comments A wealthy Prohibitionist sponsored a contest in the 1920s to create a word to mean “a lawless drinker” (he wanted a wordContinue reading “expergefaction”

Pronounced: SKAFF-law, noun Notes: An interesting word — you may know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word widdershins means a counterclockwise (anticlockwise in the UK), left-handed, or wrong direction. It is also spelled withershins, which seems to be the original version. First usage The word goes back to the early 1500s Background / Comments TheContinue reading “scofflaw”

Pronounced: WID-uhr-shins, adv Notes: I ran into this word years ago in a book by Dorothy Sayers; I find this a fun word, if not much used these days. Yesterday’s word The word frumious means “very angry” First usage This word came into being in the mid-1800s Background / Comments The word was coined byContinue reading “widdershins”

Pronounced: FROO-mih-us, adj Notes: I think many people, especially if they have read classic books, have probably run across this word Yesterday’s word The word Demogorgon is “a mysterious spirit or deity often explained as a primeval creator god who antedates the gods of Greek mythology” First usage This word showed up in the lateContinue reading “frumious”

Pronounced: dee-muh-GORE-guhn, noun Notes: This is late due to a scheduling error. I’ve never seen this word Yesterday’s word A ceilidh is “a social gathering, typically involving folk music, dancing, and storytelling” First Usage This word showed up in the late 1800s Background / Comments If you know the word, you probably know its originContinue reading “Demogorgon”