Category Archives: word

Pronounced: BIB-yuh-luhs, adj Notes: I was close to the definition Yesterday’s word The word quidnunc is “a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip; busybody” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments While the word “busybody” is very descriptive, our word is a goodContinue reading “bibulous”

Pronounced: KWID-nunk, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I like it a lot Yesterday’s word The word fastuous means haughty; arrogant pretentious First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments As I noted, I know the word fatuous”, but that’s not related. A word that is related toContinue reading “quidnunc”

Pronounced: FAS-choo-us, adj Notes: I know a similar word (fatuous), but not this one Yesterday’s word The word benison means “blessing; benediction” First usage Our word is old; it came into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments Our word shares the same background as “benediction”: it comes form the Latin word benedicere (toContinue reading “fastuous”

Pronounced: BEH-nuh-suhn, noun Notes: I’ve never run across this word, but I hope to remember it and use it on occasion Yesterday’s word The word torpid means sluggish or inactive apathetic dormant as when hibernating First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Once again, I am familiar withContinue reading “benison”

Pronounced: TORE-pid, adj Notes: I was somewhat familiar with the word, but not completely Yesterday’s word The word visceral means felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body not intellectual; instinctive located on or among the internal organs of the body First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500sContinue reading “torpid”

Pronounced: VIH-suh-ruhl, adj Notes: I’ve certainly run across this word, but found that I could not define it to my satisfaction Yesterday’s word The word bathos means “an abrupt descent from lofty or sublime to the commonplace; anticlimax” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Our word looks likeContinue reading “visceral”

Pronounced: BAY-thas (alt: BAY-thos), noun Notes: I think I’ve heard or read this word, but did not know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word subreption is “the act of obtaining something (such as a prize or reward) by concealing pertinent facts” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / CommentsContinue reading “bathos”

Pronounced: sub-REP-shun, noun Notes: This word comes from my reading Yesterday’s word The word farrago means “a confused mixture” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, I’ve been mispronouncing this word; I thought it was “FAIR-uh-go”. I have read the word and had an ideaContinue reading “subreption”

Pronounced: fuh-RAH-go, noun Notes: I did not pronounce this word right, but I was close to the meaning Yesterday’s word The word nescience means “lack of knowledge or awareness; ignorance” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments I did not properly parse this word; for some reason, IContinue reading “farrago”

Pronounced: NEH-shuns (alt: NEH-shunts; alt-2: NEH-she-uns; alt-3: NEH-she-unts), noun Notes: I believe I’ve run across this word, but I didn’t know the meaning of it Yesterday’s word The word rechauffe means warmed leftover food rehash; old reworked material First usage Our word came into English in the late 1700s Background / Comments I love theContinue reading “nescience”