Category Archives: word

Pronounced: TURR-bid, adj Notes: I’m pretty sure I’ve read this word, but I wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word ketzenjammer means hangover distress a discordant clamor First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word was originally used to describe hangovers or other distressing inner states.Continue reading “turbid”

Pronounced: KAT-suhn-jah-muhr, noun Notes: A longish word, but I don’t know it Yesterday’s word The word tenebrous means “dark, gloomy, or obscure” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments It’s a nice word to use as a substitute. Our word came from the Old French tenebreus, which cameContinue reading “katzenjammer”

Pronounced: TEN-uh-bruss, adj Notes: A handy word, but not one I knew Yesterday’s word The word demiurge is “one that is an autonomous creative force or decisive power” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments In the Platonic school of philosophy, the Demiurge is a deity who fashionsContinue reading “tenebrous”

Pronounced: DEH-me-urge, noun Notes: Not what I thought Yesterday’s phrase The phrase Jerusalem syndrome is “a phenomenon in which a visitor to a holy place suffers from religious psychosis, such as believing himself or herself to be a messiah”. First usage Surprisingly, our phrase came into English in the 1980s Background / Comments The phenomenonContinue reading “demiurge”

Pronounced: jih-ROOS-uh-luhm SIN-drome, noun Notes: I have never heard this phrase Yesterday’s phrase The phrase vade mecum means a book for ready reference; manual something regularly carried about by a person First usage Our phrase came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our phrase came from the Latin phrase vade mecum (go withContinue reading “Jerusalem syndrome”

Pronounced: vay-dee-ME-kuhm, noun Notes: I’ve come across this word in reading and didn’t pronounce it correctly; in addition, I wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word spaniel, of course, refers to the dog, but it also means “a submissive or fawning person” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1300sContinue reading “vade mecum”

Pronounced: SPAN-yull, noun Notes: This word has another meaning besides the dog breed – do you know it? Yesterday’s word The word antimacassar is “a piece of covering placed over the back or arms of a seat to protect from hair oil, dirt, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s BackgroundContinue reading “spaniel”

Pronounced: an-tih-mus-KASS-suhr, noun Notes: I recognize our word, but not meaning (more tomorrow) Yesterday’s word The word luciferin is “any of various organic substances that upon oxidation produce a virtually heatless light” (such as the light fireflies produce). First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Many people knowContinue reading “antimacassar”

Pronounced: loo-SIH-fruhn (alt: loo-SIH-fuh-run), noun Notes: This word has nothing to do with the devil Yesterday’s phrase The phrase mala fide means “in bad faith” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I was aware of the phrase bona fides (in good faith), but I didn’tContinue reading “luciferin”

Pronounced: MAL-uh FIE-dee, adv/adj Notes: I didn’t know this phrase existed, but perhaps you can work out the meaning? Yesterday’s word The word thew means muscular power or development strength, vitality muscle, sinew (usually used in plural) First usage Our word came into English before 900 Background / Comments I have a recollection of readingContinue reading “mala fide”