Category Archives: word

Pronounced: suhf (alt: sau), verb/noun Notes: Another word that seems simple, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard our word Yesterday’s word The word ennead is “a group of nine” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Apparently, since ancient times, certain groups considered nine to be a sacredContinue reading “sough”

Pronounced: EH-nee-ad, noun Notes: I don’t think I have ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word pooh-bah is First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments When I think of our word, the second definition above is the one that springs to mind. Our word comes fromContinue reading “ennead”

Pronounced: POO-bah, noun Notes: You probably know this word, but do you know the origin? Yesterday’s word The word pilgarlic means First usage Our word came into English in the early to mid-1500s Background / Comments The first definition above is labeled “old-fashioned” in some places, and “obsolete” in others. The origin is interesting; itContinue reading “pooh-bah”

Pronounced: pill-GAR-lick, noun Notes: An older word; it doesn’t stir any memories for me Yesterday’s word The word McDonaldization means First usage Our word came into English in the 1970s Background / Comments As you might expect, our word came from the fast food chain known as McDonald’s; I always thought Ray Kroc started it,Continue reading “pilgarlic”

Pronounced: muck-dah-nuhl-die-ZAY-shun (alt: muck-dah-nuhl-duh-ZAY-shun), noun Notes: You probably know the origin of this word, but do you know what it means? Yesterday’s word The word maquette is “a usually small preliminary model (as of a sculpture or a building)” First usage Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910) Background / Comments A maquetteContinue reading “McDonaldization”

Pronounced: ma-KET, noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this word Yesterday’s word The word Oakley is “a complimentary ticket or pass” First usage Our word came into English in the 1910s Background / Comments Our word is named after Annie Oakley, the famous sharpshooter. I think I’ve heard or read this wordContinue reading “maquette”

Pronounced: OAK-lee, noun Notes: I didn’t know the meaning, but after reading it, I think I’ve heard it used somewhere Yesterday’s word The word blandish means First usage Our word came into English in the middle to late 1300s Background / Comments I was aware of the noun “blandishments”, which is action or speech thatContinue reading “Oakley”

Pronounced: BLAN-dish, verb Notes: I didn’t quite know this word Yesterday’s word The word Arrow-collar means “conventionally attractive and suave” First usage Our word came into English in the 1910s Background / Comments In the early 1900s, a company called Cluett, Peabody & Co. sold detachable collars called “Arrow Collars” (I don’t know if itContinue reading “blandish”

Pronounced: AR-oh-kol-uhr, adj Notes: I did not now that this was a word Yesterday’s word The word theriac is First usage Our word came into English a long time ago (sometime before 1000 is what I found) Background / Comments Our word was originally used to mean “an antidote for poison”, and this is reflectedContinue reading “Arrow-collar”

Pronounced: THIR-ee-ack, noun Notes: An interesting word to add to one’s vocabulary Yesterday’s word The word journeyman is “a worker, athlete, performer, etc who is competent and reliable, although undistinguished” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments Our word came from the Old French word jornee (a day’s workContinue reading “theriac”