Category Archives: word

Pronounced: teh-luh-gra-feez, noun Notes: You can probably guess the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word sulfurous means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments Clearly, the first two definitions are pretty clear; sulfur is a pale yellow element. It had been previously known as “brimstone”, and thatContinue reading “telegraphese”

Pronounced: SULL-fur-us (alt: sull-FYOOR-us), adj Notes: Also spelled “sulphurous” – there are multiple definitions: how many do you know? Yesterday’s word The word haplology is “the contraction of a word by omission of one or more similar sounds or syllables” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments AnContinue reading “sulfurous”

Pronounced: ha-PLAH-luh-jee, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but many of us have run across haplologies Yesterday’s word The word fulminate, as a noun, is “an explosive salt of fulminic acid”. As a verb, it means First usage Our word came into English around 1500 Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I recognizedContinue reading “haplology”

Pronounced: FUHL-muh-nate (alt-1: FUHL-mih-nate; alt-2: FOOL-muh-nate; alt-3: FOOL-mih-ate), noun/verb Notes: I think I knew one of the definitions Yesterday’s word The word solatium is “a compensation (such as money) given as solace for suffering, loss, or injured feelings” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments Our word isContinue reading “fulminate”

Pronounced: soh-LAY-she-uhm, noun Notes: The plural of our word is “solatia” Yesterday’s word The word noesis is First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Greek word noesis (thought), which came from the word noein (to think; to perceive), which came from nous (mind).

Pronounced: no-EE-sis, noun Notes: I don’t know this word Yesterday’s word The word friable means “easily crumbled or pulverized” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments Our word came into English either from Middle French or from the Latin adjective friabilis, which came from the verb friare (to crumble),Continue reading “noesis”

Pronounced: FRY-uh-bull, adj Notes: I think I have run across this word, but I don’t remember where, and I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word perfuse means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word perfundere (to drench), which isContinue reading “friable”

Pronounced: purr-FUSE, verb Notes: This word didn’t mean what I was thinking Yesterday’s word A Wellerism is “an expression of comparison comprising a usually well-known quotation followed by a facetious sequel” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments An example would be helpful – here’s a common Wellerism: IContinue reading “perfuse”

Pronounced: WEH-luh-rih-zuhm, noun Notes: Another word that I don’t know Yesterday’s word The word reprehend means “to disapprove or to reprimand” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s Background / Comments The reason you might guess at the meaning of this word is that it is the verb form of theContinue reading “Wellerism”

Pronounced: rep-rih-HEND, verb Notes: You may be able to guess the meaning of this word Yesterday’s word The word Lucullan means “marked by profusion or excess; lavish; luxurious” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-180s Background / Comments Our word comes from ancient Rome, where there was a general named Lucius LiciniusContinue reading “reprehend”