Category Archives: word

Pronounced: JAW-boh-ning Notes: I had two different thoughts about the meaning; neither were correct Yesterday’s word The word bibligony is “the art of producing or publishing books” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments An alternative word to our word is “bibliogenesis” (of which I would have been ableContinue reading “jawboning”

Pronounced: bib-lee-OG-uh-nee, noun Notes: I saw “biblio-” at the start of the word and thought that I would know it, but I didn’t Yesterday’s word The word pleonasm is “the use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense; redundancy” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s. Background /Continue reading “bibliogony”

Pronounced: PLEE-uh-nah-zuhm, noun Notes: A great word to know and use – it was unknown to me Yesterday’s word The word hauteur means “haughtiness” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word kind of looks like “haughty” (if you take a quick glance). It came from the FrenchContinue reading “pleonasm”

Pronounced: hoe-TURR, noun Notes: You may know, or be able to guess, the meaning Yesterday’s word The word inanition is First usage Our word came into English in the second half of 1300s Background / Comments Our word describes a state of suffering due to emptiness — either literally due to lack of nourishment orContinue reading “hauteur”

Pronounced: ih-nuh-NIH-shun, noun Notes: I haven’t run across this word, and I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t Yesterday’s word The word astringent, as a noun, is “a substance that constricts body tissues”. As an adjective, it means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I was thinking thatContinue reading “inanition”

Pronounced: uh-STRIN-juhnt, adj/noun Notes: This doesn’t mean what I thought it did Yesterday’s word The word comix refers to comic books or comic strips (but see comments below). First usage Our word came into English in the 1960s Background / Comments Some people make a distinction between our word and “comics” by saying that ourContinue reading “astringent”

Pronounced: KAH-mix, noun Notes: Perhaps not what you might think Yesterday’s word The word junto is “a small (usually secret) group of people united for a common purpose” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word came from the Spanish/Portuguese word junta (committee; association), which came from theContinue reading “comix”

Pronounced: JUHN-too, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word in English Yesterday’s word The word arriviste means “one that is a new and uncertain arrival (in social position or artistic endeavor)” First usage Our word came into English in Background / Comments I assume that we can all remember joining a new group or startingContinue reading “junto”

Pronounced: a-rih-veest, noun Notes: We all probably have been one or know someone who has been one Yesterday’s word The word scop is “a poet or minstrel” First usage Our word came into English in the late 800s Background / Comments A very old word! I don’t think I’ve run across is anywhere before. ItContinue reading “arriviste”

Pronounced: shop (alt: skop), noun Notes: I would not have guessed the first pronunciation Yesterday’s word The word epistolary means First usage Our word came into English in the 1600s Background / Comments If you think that our word looks related to “epistle”, you are right – it was formed from that word. I haveContinue reading “scop”