Category Archives: word

Pronounced: loo-KUH-luhn, adj Notes: A new word to me Yesterday’s word The word Polonian means First usage The first meaning came into English in the mid-1800s; the second meaning came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments The first definition came from the character of Polonius, a character in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. He wasContinue reading “Lucullan”

Pronounced: po-LO-nee-uhn, adj Notes: I should have guessed both of the meanings, but I didn’t get either one Yesterday’s phrase The phrase annus mirabilis means “a remarkable or notable year” First usage Our phrase came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I recognized annus as meaning “year”, but I wasn’t quite sure ofContinue reading “Polonian”

Pronounced: A-nuhs muh-RAH-buh-luhs, noun Notes: You may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word picaroon, as a verb, means “to act as a pirate”. As a noun, it means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Spanish word picarón (scoundrel),Continue reading “annus mirabilis”

Pronounced: pick-uh-ROON noun/verb Notes: Not a word I’ve run across Yesterday’s word The word bibelot is “a small household ornament or decorative object; trinket” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from French, where it is composed of bibel (bauble) plus the -ot suffix, which makesContinue reading “picaroon”

Pronounced: BEE-buh-low, noun Notes: My guesses were of the meaning were wide of the mark Yesterday’s word An arroyo is “a narrow, steep-sided watercourse, usually dry except after rain” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from the Spanish word arroyo, which came from the LatinContinue reading “bibelot”

Pronounced: uh-ROY-oh, noun Notes: I’ve run across this word in some reading, but I was not sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word esplanade is “a level open stretch of paved or grassy ground — especially one designed for walking or driving along a shore” First usage Our word came into English in theContinue reading “arroyo”

Pronounced: ES-pluh-nod, noun Notes: I wasn’t sure of the meaning, and I didn’t know how to pronounce this word Yesterday’s word The word pungle means “to make a payment; to shell out” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word came from non-Spanish people pronouncing the Spanish wordContinue reading “esplanade”

Pronounced: PUNG-uhl Notes: Another word I have no recollection of running across Yesterday’s word The word chatoyant means “having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1700s Background / Comments You may recognize the first four letters of ourContinue reading “pungle”

Pronounced: shuh-TOI-unt, adj Notes: Interesting word; you may recognize part of it Yesterday’s word The word camarilla is “a group of confidential scheming advisors” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments If you didn’t guess, our word came from the Spanish; it is a diminutive of cámara (chamber), whichContinue reading “chatoyant”

Pronounced: kam-uh-RIL-uh (alt: kah-mah-REE-yah), noun Notes: This word rings absolutely no bells in my memory Yesterday’s word The word bemuse means First usage Our word came into English around 1700 Background / Comments I like the third definition above — especially the phrase “wry or tolerant amusement”.The first definition above is also interesting: it stemsContinue reading “camarilla”