Category Archives: word

Pronounced: KAY-lee, noun Notes: Notice the pronunciation; not what one would think from the spelling Yesterday’s word The word dithyramb is a usually short peom in an inspired wild irregular strain a statement or writing in an exalted or enthusiastic vein First Usage The word came into English in the late 1500s Background / CommentsContinue reading “ceilidh”

Pronounced: DIH-thih-ram(b), noun Notes: Another word I’ve never run across as far as I know Yesterday’s word The word droog means “a member of a gang; a henchman” First usage This word was coined in the early 1960s Background / Comments The word was coined by Anthony Burgess in A Clockwork Orange – it isContinue reading “dithyramb”

Pronounced: droog, noun Notes: You may know this word; I didn’t Yesterday’s word The word rugose means full of wrinkles having the veinlets sunken and the spaces between elevated First usage This word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments This word came into English from the Latin word rugosus (wrinkled), whichContinue reading “droog”

Pronounced: ROO-gohs, adj Notes: An interesting word to know Yesterday’s word The word blate, as a verb, means “to babble; to cry” — as an adjective, it means “timid” First usage The verb goes back to the late 1800s; the adjective goes way back to 1000 Background / Comments The verb form is thought toContinue reading “rugose”

Pronounced: blate, verb/adj Notes: Such a simple word, but I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word crepitate means “to make a crackling sound: to make a series of short, sharp noises” First usage This word came into English twice; first in the early 1600s, and then in the mid-1800s (see below) Background / CommentsContinue reading “blate”

Pronounced: KREH-puh-tate, verb Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this word Yesterday’s word The word metathesis means the transposition of letters, sounds, or syllables in a word in chemistry, double decomposition First usage This word goes back to the mid-1500s Background / Comments It’s the first definition that I referred to yesterday. AnContinue reading “crepitate”

Pronounced: muh-TATH-uh-sis, noun Notes: Something that some people do more than others Yesterday’s word The word precipitate means falling, flowing, or rushing with steep descent precipitous; steep exhibiting violent of unwise speed First usage This word goes back to the early-to-mid 1500s Background / Comments Words snobs (sorry if you consider yourself one – howContinue reading “metathesis”

Pronounced: prih-SIH-puh-tuht, adj Notes: I pretty much know this word, but I found the background interesting (come back tomorrow!) Yesterday’s word The word adulatory means “praising or admiring slavishly” First usage This word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments I am familiar with the word adulation, which is a form ofContinue reading “precipitate”

Pronounced: AJ-uh-luh-tor-ee, adj Notes: You can probably figure this one out, but an interesting feature kept this on the list. Admin: I schedule these posts to go out each morning, but erred in the settings for today’s, so it is late Yesterday’s word The word edentulous means “having no teeth; toothless” First usage The wordContinue reading “adulatory”

Pronounced: ee-DEN-chuh-luhs, adj Notes: A more fancy word for a word we know better Yesterday’s word The word mondain, as a noun, is “a sophisticated man; a man belonging to fashionable society”. As an adjective, it means “wordly, fashionable” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments The word cameContinue reading “edentulous”