Category Archives: word

Pronounced: tell-ee-AHL-uh-jee, noun Notes: I didn’t recognize this word, but after I saw the definition, I’ve run across a form of it Yesterday’s word The word balneology is “the science of the therapeutic use of baths” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments As noted yesterday, I knewContinue reading “teleology”

Pronounced: bal-nee-AH-luh-jee, noun Notes: With the “-ology” ending, it means the study or science of “something” Yesterday’s word The word fissiparous means tending to break into parts reproducing by biological fission First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Rather a fun word to use instead of “fragile”, isn’t it?Continue reading “balneology”

Pronounced: fih-SIP-uh-russ, adj Notes: Interesting word that I didn’t know; I didn’t know the proper pronunciation Yesterday’s word The word hie means to go quickly; hasten to cause (oneself) to go quickly First usage Our word came into English sometime before around 900 Background / Comments After I read the definition, I seem to rememberContinue reading “fissiparous”

Pronounced: HI, verb Notes: I did recognized this word until after I read the definition Yesterday’s word The word lief, as an adverb, means “willingly; gladly; readily”. As as adjective, it means dear; beloved willing First usage Our word came into English in the late 800s Background / Comments Our word is one of theContinue reading “hie”

Pronounced: LEEF, adv/adj Notes: I have run across this word, but I could not properly define it Yesterday’s word The word etiolate means to make pale to deprive of natural vigor; make feeble First usage Our word first came into English in the late 1700s Background / Comments Our word came from the French wordContinue reading “lief”

Pronounced: EE-tee-uh-late, verb Notes: A new word to me; I don’t believe I’ve ever run across it Yesterday’s word The word orgulous means “haughty” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1200s Background / Comments I didn’t know our word existed; it would be fun to drop it into conversation when theContinue reading “etiolate”

Pronounced: OR-gyuh-luhs, adj Notes: I (incorrectly) thought this word may be related to ogres Yesterday’s word The word aerie is the nest of a bird on a cliff or a mountaintop an elevated and often secluded dwelling, structure, or position First usage Our word came into English in the late-1500s Background / Comments I thinkContinue reading “orgulous”

Pronounced: ER-ee, noun Notes: You probably know this word; I included it for the pronunciation Yesterday’s word The word cimmerian means “very dark or gloomy” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word came from Homer’s Odyssey; the Cimmerians, who were a mythical people who lived inContinue reading “aerie”

Pronounced: sih-MIR-ee-uhn, adj Notes: I have no memory of running across this word Yesterday’s word The word moiety is one of two equal or approximately equal parts one of the portions into which something is divided one of two basic complementary tribal subdivisions First usage Our word came into English in around the mid-1400s BackgroundContinue reading “cimmerian”

Pronounced: MOT-uh-tee, noun Notes: I didn’t know this at all Yesterday’s word The word lubricious means lecherous salacious shifty; tricky smooth and slippery First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin word lubricus (slippery; smooth). I guess this is why the word lookedContinue reading “moiety”