Category Archives: word

Pronounced: prih-SIP-ih-tuss, adj Notes: I know one of definitions Yesterday’s word The word gravamen is “the material or significant part of a grievance or complaint” First usage Our word came into English in the very late 1500s (maybe very early 1600s). Background / Comments Our word came from the Latin verb gravare (to burden), whichContinue reading “precipitous”

Pronounced: gruh-VAY-muhn, noun Notes: A new word to me Yesterday’s word The word fructuous means “productive; fruitful; fertile” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300s Background / Comments I think our word confuses me because it looks like “fructose”. It came from the Latin word fructus (fruit), which itself came from fruiContinue reading “gravamen”

Pronounced: FRUHK-choo-us (alt: FROOK-choo-us), adj Notes: It’s been multiple years since I ran across this word, but I remembered it Yesterday’s word The word epigram is First usage Our word has a couple of entrances into English; one in the 1400s, and a second in the late 1700s (see below) Background / Comments As IContinue reading “fructuous”

Pronounced: EH-puh-gram, noun Notes: This was a borderline case for me (more tomorrow) Yesterday’s word The word prolegomenon is “a critical, introductory discussion, especially an introduction to a text”. First usage Our word came into English around 1600 Background / Comments I don’t know if I have ever read a prolegomenon. It seems a bitContinue reading “epigram”

Pronounced: proh-lih-GOM-uh-non (alt: proh-lih-GOM-uh-nuhn), noun Notes: Quite a mouthful of a word! Yesterday’s word The word deke means “to fake an opponent out of position (as in ice hockey)” First usage Our word came into English in the 1950s Background / Comments Our word is a shortened form of decoy. It was used as aContinue reading “prolegomenon”

Pronounced: DEEK, verb Notes: Not a word I’ve heard of Yesterday’s word The word livelong means “whole” or “entire” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments One might think the word refers to someone who lives a long time. However, as a child, I heard the song I’ve BeenContinue reading “deke”

Pronounced: LIHV-long, adj Notes: This is one of those words that you either know or don’t know Yesterday’s word The word brachiate means “to progress by swinging from hold to hold by the arms” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I am not sure if Tarzan, swinging fromContinue reading “livelong”

Pronounced: BRAY-key-ate, verb Notes: I didn’t know this word, but after seeing the definition, I can understand it Yesterday’s word The word bespoke means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments I didn’t know our word when I first saw it, but then I started watching a UK showContinue reading “brachiate”

Pronounced: bih-SPOKE, adj Notes: When I first ran across this word, I didn’t know it, but now I know it Yesterday’s word The word petard means First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments I know the word from the strategy game “Age of Empires II”; in that game,Continue reading “bespoke”

Pronounced: puh-TAR(d), noun Notes: I don’t think this word is well known; I happen to know it Yesterday’s word The word accidence means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments I thought that our word was related to an accident. Our word came from the Latin word accidentia, whichContinue reading “petard”