Category Archives: word

Pronounced: DUHV-coat, noun Notes: This word has one definition that is pretty well known, but I was surprised to see a second definition. Yesterday’s word The word metagrobolize means “to puzzle or to mystify” Background This word comes from Middle French matagraboliser. First usage This word was first used in the mid-1600s.

Pronounced: meh-tuh-GRAHB-uh-lize, verb Notes: This sounds like a made-up word (but it isn’t) Yesterday’s word The word transmogrify means “to change of alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect. As I noted yesterday, Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes created a ‘transmogrifier’ – it was a cardboard box on which he put wrote whatContinue reading “metagrobolize”

Pronounced: trans-MAH-gruh-fie, verb Notes: I first ran across this word in Calvin and Hobbes, but my understanding from the context was a bit off. Yesterday’s phrase The phrase stormy petrel occurs in the Sherlock Holmes story The Naval Treaty – at least, the one I remember: Sherlock Holmes says to Watson “You are the stormyContinue reading “transmogrify”

Pronounced: STOR-mee PEH-truhl, noun Notes: I ran across this phrase in Sherlock Holmes. I knew the meaning from the context, but reading the definition gave me a surprise — there was a second meaning of which I was unaware. Do you know this phrase? Yesterday’s word The word pluvial means of or relating to rainContinue reading “stormy petrel”

Pronounced: PLOO-vee-uhl, adj Notes: I have a recollection of having run across this word in reading a long time ago, but I just couldn’t quite remember the definition. Yesterday’s word The word abnegation means “self-denial”. Background It comes from Latin abnegation, made up of ab- (away or off) and negare (to deny). First usage TheContinue reading “pluvial”

Pronounced: ab-nih-GAY-shun Notes: I should have known this word; I’ve read it, but my understanding was off a bit. Yesterday’s word The word rowel means to goad with or as if with a pointed disk at the end of a spur vex, trouble Background If you’ve seen a Western movie, you’ve seen a rowel; theContinue reading “abnegation”

Pronounced: rawl (or raw-uhl), verb Notes: I didn’t know this word at all, and my guesses were way off Yesterday’s word The word amatorculist means “a pretend or insignificant lover”. Background The word comes from Latin amatorculus (a little lover), which is a diminutive of amator (lover). First usage The word was first used inContinue reading “rowel”

Pronounced: uh-ma-TOR-kyuh-list, noun Notes: I could get parts of this word Yesterday’s word The phrase corn salad is a herb of the valerian family that is widely cultivated for its leaves used in salads. Background The word came into being as a weed in grain fields — it is the salad green found growing amountContinue reading “amatorculist”

Pronounced: korn-SA-luhd, noun Notes: Not a salad made of corn Yesterday’s word The word peristeronic means “relating to pigeons” Background The word comes from ancient Greek peristera (dove, pigeon). First usage The word was first used in the mid-1800s

Pronounced: puh-ris-tuh-RON-ick, adj Notes: I had no idea of this word’s meaning Yesterday’s word The word acerbate means “irritate, exasperate” Background This word came from Latin acerbus (harsh or bitter). This word, which sounds similar to ‘exaserbate’ (to make worse), is sometimes used in place of it, but this meaning hasn’t made it into theContinue reading “peristeronic”