Category Archives: word

Pronounced: yore-ih-TAH-pik, adj Notes: I’ve not run across this word (and I don’t think I can use it very much) Yesterday’s word The word borstal is “a reformatory for young offenders” First usage Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910) Background / Comments I have either read this word somewhere, or perhaps heardContinue reading “eurytopic”

Pronounced: BORE-stuhl, noun Notes: I’ve run across this word, but I didn’t really know the definition Yesterday’s word The word decussate means “to intersect or cross” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word is mostly found in scientific contexts; it came from the Latin word decussatus (dividedContinue reading “borstal”

Pronounced: DEH-kuh-sate, verb Notes: Another of the words I haven’t seen before Yesterday’s word The word vardy means “judgment or opinion” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments Our word is a from a dialect variant of verdit, which is from verdict, which is from the Anglo-Normal words verContinue reading “decussate”

Pronounced: VAR-dee, noun Notes: A useful word, but not one I know Yesterday’s word The word extenuate means to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of by making partial excuses; mitigate to lessen the strength or effect of First usage Our word came into English in the early to mid-1500s BackgroundContinue reading “vardy”

Pronounced: ick-STEN-yuh-wait, verb Notes: You probably know the phrase “extenuating circumstances” (as I do), but do you know the meaning of the verb? Yesterday’s word The word noctilucent means “shining at night” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments After reading the definition, I felt a little foolishContinue reading “extenuate”

Pronounced: nok-tuh-LOO-sunt, adj Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I should have been able to figure it out Yesterday’s word The word doch-an-dorris is “a parting drink” First usage It is not clear when our word came into English Background / Comments Our word is more common in Scotland and Ireland. In American English,Continue reading “noctilucent”

Pronounced: dak-un-DOOR-us, noun Notes: Not a word I’ve ever run across Yesterday’s word The word caesious means “bluish or grayish green” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word caesius, which is thought to come from caelum (sky). Keen-eyed readers will note thatContinue reading “doch-an-dorris”

Pronounced: SEE-zee-uhs, adj Notes: A word I didn’t know, and probably won’t use Yesterday’s word The word plumply means “in a wholehearted manner and without hesitation or circumlocution; forthrightly” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments In the 1300s, the word “plump” was used to refer to the soundContinue reading “caesious”

Pronounced: PLUM-plee, adv Notes: This word has nothing to do with being fat Yesterday’s word The word airling is “a carefree, thoughtless person” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments An interesting word to drop into conversation, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard it. It cameContinue reading “plumply”

Pronounced: AIR-ling, noun Notes: Interesting word that I didn’t know Yesterday’s word The word qualm means a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea a sudden feeling of doubt, fear, or uneasiness especially in not following one’s conscience or better judgment First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments LikeContinue reading “airling”