Category Archives: word

Pronounced: by-oh-FIH-lee-uh, noun Notes: This word is new to me Yesterday’s word The word lissom (or lissome) means “agile; graceful” First usage Our word came into English around 1800 Background / Comments Our word is simply an altered spelling of “lithesome”, which came from the Old English word lithe (flexible; mild) combined with -some (havingContinue reading “biophilia”

Pronounced: LISS-uhm, adj Notes: Also spelled “lissome” – kind of knew this word, but chose to include it Yesterday’s word The word samara is “a dry indehiscent usually one-seeded winged fruit” (such as the fruit of a maple, ash, or elm tree). First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background /Continue reading “lissom”

Pronounced: sah-MAH-ruh, noun Notes: Not only did I not know our word, I didn’t know a word in the definition Yesterday’s word The word os is First usage The first definition came into English in the mid-1800s; the second definition came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments The first definition came fromContinue reading “samara”

Pronounced: aws Notes: An interesting word, but I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word swivet is “a state of extreme agitation” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments I have not run across our word, but I have (and probably you have, too) heard other words thatContinue reading “os”

Pronounced: SWIH-vuht, noun Notes: A new word to me Yesterday’s word The word intractable means “not easily handled, managed, or controlled” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I thought that this word meant something like “stubborn”. Our word came from the Latin word tractare (to handle), which cameContinue reading “swivet”

Pronounced: in-TRAK-tuh-bull, adj Notes: I’ve read this word enough that I recognize it, but my understanding was off a bit Yesterday’s word The word winkle means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1910s or early 1920s Background / Comments I have run across our word in the Peter Wimsey stories byContinue reading “intractable”

Pronounced: WING-kuhl, verb Notes: This word is more common in the UK; it was a borderline case for me Yesterday’s word The word opisthograph is “a text written on both front and back” (can refer to paper, stone, parchment, etc). First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments TheContinue reading “winkle”

Pronounced: o-PISS-thuh-graf, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I really like it and hope I get to use it soon! Yesterday’s word The word raffish means First usage Our word came into English in either the very late 1700s or very early 1800s Background / Comments Originally, the reference material for our wordContinue reading “opisthograph”

Pronounced: RAH-fish, adj Notes: I think I’ve run across this word in reading Yesterday’s word The word codex is “a manuscript volume (as opposed to a scroll), especially of an anicent text” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments As noted, I get our word confused with anotherContinue reading “raffish”

Pronounced: KOH-decks, noun Notes: I keep getting this word and another one confused Yesterday’s word The word jawboning is “the use of public appeals to influence the actions especially of business and labor leaders” – such an appeal is often made by a political leader such as a president. First usage Our word came intoContinue reading “codex”