Words in Order
In July 2001 I began receiving a word a day from the Merriam Webster dictionary site; I would read them and if I liked something about them: sense, etymology, sound, etc. I would save them. After a while I decided to do something with them.
So I began to write sentences using each saved word in the order I received it, one or two in a complete sentence without knowledge of the next word to come. I began the first sentence without any idea of overall meaning beyond the first word. As I wrote each subsequent sentence I tried to make sense of the thoughts as the words appeared and the sentences continued. I ended the paragraphs when they seemed to be complete.
In February 2006 the words inexplicably stopped coming so I stopped writing. About six months later the words began coming again, but something had changed and I didn’t begin again.
This is the 3rd of 21 paragraphs
August 23 – October 18, 2001
The tome(1) was prestigious(2). The evening light, crepuscular(3). The kangaroo court(4) was now in session. What all this would devolve(5) into was anybody’s guess and I had a visceral(6) feeling that did not bode well. At the least it would mean a diminution(7) in my position or worse, my being superceded(8). Need I say, this soiree(9) was unavoidable. I choose not to asperse(10) those responsible; fastidious(11) as they might be and skilled in sophistry(12). My stellar(13) representative’s defense was perspicuous(14) to a fault. His brevity, a lampoon(15) of verbiage(16).
The inexorable(17) justice made as if to peruse(18) the air. “You’re a totem(19) of depravity,” she said. “Eponymous(20) will be thy name.”
“[sic] (21)?” I whispered to my agent.
“You’re a yahoo(22), but the moment is fortuitous(23),” she announced. “I will not proselytize(24),” she continued. “I will not expatiate(25) further and you will not expatiate(25) any farther then the hole of your precipitate(26) decline.”
And so my bildungsroman(27) begins. As a bumptious(28) arriviste(29) to the enclave(30) of the good and truthful, I reiterate(31) my plaintive(32) state. In a swivet(33) of portentous(34), yet reticent(35) soul-searching, I abandon the tchotchke(36) of obtuseness(37). Catachresis(38) as well. From now on, foursquare(39) will I be. I proffer(40) my previous torpor(41) not as a stratagem(42). My chagrin(43) is real, in fact spumescent(44). I embrace neither the invective(45) nor the snivel(46). Despite my paucity of attributes, my destitute(48) condition; I will orientate(49) myself to the tocsin(50) of the circadian(51) flow, in a world rife(52) with new moments. In fact, I see the lucky jitney(53) to tomorrow approaching.
1) tome \TOHM\ (noun)
1 : a volume forming part of a larger work
*2 ; a book; especially : a large or scholarly book
Example sentence:
Alice is always carrying around that tome on medieval philosophy, but I’ve never seen her read it.
“Tome” comes from the Latin “tomus,” which comes from the Greek “tomos,” meaning “section” or “roll of papyprus.” “Tomos” comes from the Greek verb” temnein,” which means “to cut.” In ancient times, some of the longest scrolls of papyrus occasionally were divided into sections. When it was first used in English in the 16th century, “tome” was a book that was a part of a multi-volume work. Now a tome is most often simply a large and often ponderous book.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
2) prestigious \preh-STIH-juss or preh-STEE-juss\ (adj.)
: having an illustrious name or reputation : esteemed in general opinion
Example sentence:
“The White House is still among the most prestigious beats in journalism.” The Wilson Quarterly, Spring 1991
You may be surprised to learn that “prestigious” actually had more to do with trickery than respect when it was first used in 1546. The earliest (now archaic) meaning was “of, related to, or marked by illusion, conjuring, or trickery.” “Prestigious” comes to us from the Latin word “praestigiosus,” which meant “full of tricks, deceitful.” The words “prestige” and “prestigious” are related, of course, though not as directly as you might think – they share a Latin ancestor, but they entered English by different routes. “Prestige,” which was borrowed from French in 1656, initially meant “conjurer’s trick,” but in the 19th century it developed an extended sense of “blinding or dazzling influence.” That change in turn influenced “prestigious,” which now means simply “illustrious or esteemed.”
3) crepuscular \krih-PUSS-kyuh-ler\ (adjective)
*1 : of, relating to, or resembling twilight : dim
2 : active in the twilight
Example sentence:
In the crepuscular light of the shuttered room, it took several seconds for Manuel to make out the identity of the dim figure sitting at the table.
The early Romans had two words for “twilight.” “Crepusculum” was favored by Roman writers for the half-light of evening, just after the sun sets; it is a diminutive formation based on their word for “dark,” which is “creper.” “Diluculum” was reserved for morning twilight, just before the sun rises – it is related to “lucidus,” meaning “bright.” We didn’t embrace either of these Latin nouns as substitutes for our Middle English “twilight,” but we did form the adjective “crepuscular” in the 17th century. At first it only meant “dim” or “indistinct,” often used in a figurative sense. In the 1820s, we added its special zoological sense, describing animal who are most active at twilight.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
4) kangaroo court \kang-guh-ROO- KORT\ (noun)
1 : a mock court in which principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted
*2 : a court characterized by irresponsible, unauthorized, or irregular status or procedures.
Example sentence:
The press derided the tribunal as nothing more than a kangaroo court, meting out savage and arbitrary justice.
A Kangaroo court is not a court by or for kangaroos, but beyond that, little is known about its etymology. What is known is that the first kangaroo courts originated in the United States at approximately the time of the 1849 California Gold Rush, and the word saw its earliest use in the southwestern U.S. – it first turned up in print in 1853 in a book about Texas. It has been suggested that kangaroo courts got their name because they were initially marked by rapid and unpredictable movement from one place to another, or that they were in some way associated with Australian miners or with “jumping” (i.e., illegally occupying) mining claims. These hypotheses are all unsubstantiated, however.
5) devolve \ dih-VAHLV or dee-VAHLV \ (verb)
1 : to pass (as rights or responsibility) by transmission or succession
2 : to come by or as if by flowing down
*3 : to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution
Example sentence:
“Tennis . . . has devolved from a quiet, gentlemanly contest to a raucous spectacle . . . “ Laurence Shames, Town and Country, January 1990
“Devolve” evolved from Latin “volvere,” a word that means “to roll.” The prefix “de-“ means “down.” (Other words that revolve around “volvere” are the five other words containing “-vol-“ found in this paragraph.) Knowing which preposition to use with “devolve” and seem a bit involved, but it’s really not all that convoluted. Responsibility or rights devolve “on,” “upon,” or “to” someone. When something comes into a present state by flowing down from a source, either literally or figuratively, we say “devolve from,” as in “customs that devolve from old beliefs.” And when the devolving is a downward evolution to a lower state we say “devolves into” (or something “devolves to”), as in “order devolves in to chaos.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
6) visceral \VIH-suh-rul or VISS-rul \ (adjective)
1 : felt in or as if in the viscera
*2 : not intellectual : instinctive
3 : if or relating to the viscer
Example sentence:
The news story about the abandoned animals elicited such a visceral reaction in Nicole that within minutes she was in the phone offering to adopt one of the dogs.
The “viscera” re the internal organs of the body – especially those located in the large cavity of the trunk (e.g., the heart, the liver, and intestines). The word “viscera” comes from Latin, in which it has essentially he same meaning. Something “visceral” has to do with the viscera. In a more figurative sense, something “visceral” is felt “deep down.” Even in the early years of its use, “visceral” often referred to things emotional rather than physiological. For example, in 1640, an English bishop named Edward Reynolds wrote, “Love is of all other the inmost and most visceral affection.” This figurative use is the most common use of “visceral,” but the word continues to be used in medical contexts.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
7) diminution \ dih-muh-NOO-shun or dih-muh-NYOO-shun \ (noun)
: the act, process, or an instance of diminishing : decrease
Example sentence:
At age 101, Hannah’s physical stamina is somewhat curtailed, but there’s been no diminution of her mental powers.
We find “diminution” laid down in print for the first time in Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetical work Troilus and Criseyde. Chaucer used “make diminution” in contrast to the verb “increase” ( he could have used the verb “decrease,” but he needed to create a weak rhyme with “discretion”). Not unusually, “diminution” came to English by way of Middle French from Latin. Its Latin ancestor”deminuere” (“to diminish”) is also an ancestor of “diminishment,” a synonym of “diminution” that English speakers have been using since the 16th century.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
8) supersede \ soo-per-SEED \ (verb)
*1 ; to cause to be set aside
2 : to take the place, room, or position of
3 : to displace in favor of another
Example sentence:
Other, more important duties superseded work on that project for a time.
“Supersede” is ultimately derived from the Latin verb “supersedere,” meaning “to be superior to.” However, “supersede” also passed through Middle English, where it was rendered “superceden.” It may be no surprise that modern English speakers can be confused as to how to spell this word – it sometimes turns up as “supercede.” In fact, the earliest record of the word in English shows it spelled with a “c” (although the “s” spelling has been the dominant choice since it first appeared in the late 15th century). Although both spellings can be etymologically justified, “supersede” continues to be regarded as the “correct” version. “Supercede” could be considered a variant (albeit the less frequent one) after several centuries of use, but it may still draw criticism.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
9) soiree \ swah-RAY \ (noun)
: a party or reception held in the evening
Example sentence:
“The soiree would scarcely break up before two; and by this hour the vehicle was to be at the door, when . . . Madame L. could easily enter it unobserved.” (Edgar Allan Poe, “The Spectacles”)
“Soiree” is borrowed from French, in which it means “evening party” or simply “evening.” The French word comes from the Latin adverb “sero” (meaning “at a late hour”), which comes from the Latin adjective “serus” (meaning “late”). English speakers began using “soiree” early in the 19th century, and later in the century, some began to use the word as a verb meaning “to entertain at an evening party.” The verb use of the word never became firmly established, but the sophisticated sounding noun “soiree” remains a popular alternative to the comparatively prosaic “party.”
10) asperse \ uh-SPERSS \ (verb)
1 : to sprinkle; especially : to sprinkle with holy water
*2 : to attack with evil reports or false or injurious charges
Example sentence:
The politician chose to asperse his opponent rather than deal with the issues.
You may be more familiar with the idea of “casting aspersions” than with “aspersing,” although they mean essentially the same thing. Both “asperse” and “aspersion” are descendents of the Latin word “aspersus,” which is the past participle of the verb “aspergere” (or “adspergere”), meaning “to sprinkle.” “Asperse” is the older word, dating to at least 1490, while “aspersion” first appeared in print in English around 1587. “Aspersion” also has an earlier meaning of “a sprinkling with holy water,” but in both cases the “sprinkling” now tends to be more figurative (and less well meaning).
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
11) fastidious \ fas-TIHB-dee-uss \ (adjective)
1 : having high and often unpredictable standards
*2 : showing a meticulous or demanding attitude
Example sentence:
The exquisite decorative objects (especially the celebrated imperial Easter eggs) designed by goldsmith Peter Carl Faberge are regarded as the ultimate in fastidious workmanship.
There’s nothing offensive about fastidious workmanship, and yet the word “fastidious” traces to the Latin noun “fastidium,” meaning “aversion” or “disgust.” “Fastidium” itself is most likely a combination of the Latin words “fastus,” meaning “arrogance,” and “taedium,” meaning “irksomeness” or “disgust.” (“Taedium” also gave us “tedium.”) In keeping with its Latin roots, “fastidious” once meant “haughty,” “disgusting,” and “disgusted,” although those uses are now archaic or obsolete. The word came to be applied to someone who was overly difficult to please or squeamish, and later, to work which reflected a demanding or precise attitude.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
12) sophistry \ SAH-fuh-stree \ (noun)
*1 : subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation
2 : an argument apparently correct in form but actually invalid; especially : such an argument used to deceive
Example sentence:
Sally argued that “technically” she hadn’t told a lie, but her sophistry failed to win her mother over
The original Sophists were ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric and philosophy prominent in the 5th century B.C. In their heyday, these philosophers were considered adroit in their in their reasoning, but later philosophers (particularly Plato) described them as sham philosophers, out for money and willing to say anything to win an argument. Thus “sophist” (which comes from Greek “sophists,” meaning “wise man” or “expert”) earned a negative connotation as a “captious or fallacious reasoner.” “Sophistry” is reasoning that seems plausible on a superficial level but is actually unsound, or reasoning that is used to deceive.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
13) stellar \ STEH-ler \ (adjective)
1 a : of or relating to the stars : astral b : composed of stars
2 : of or relating to a theatrical or film star
3 a : principal, leading *b : outstanding
Example sentence:
Maggie’s clothing company is a stellar example of a business that successfully marries civic responsibility and the bottom line.
“Stella” the Latin word for “star,” shines brightly in the word “constellation,” but “stella” words have been favored by scientists to describe earthly things as much as heavenly bodies. “Stellar” was once used to mean “star-shaped.” That use is no longer current, but today biologists and geilisists might use “stellular,” and “stelliform.” Poets, too, have looked to “stella.” John Milton used “stellar” in its infancy when he wrote in Paradise Lost : “these soft fires shed down their stellar virtue.” “Stellar” shot into its leading role as a synonym of “star” (as when we say “stellar pupil”) in the late 1800s.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
14) perspicuous \ per-SPIH-kyuh-wus \ (adjective)
: plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation
Example sentence:
The explanation Adri gave her teacher of why she was late for school was amazingly perspicuous for a five-year-old.
“Perspicuous” is based on Latin “perspicere,” meaning “to see through,” so that which is perspicuous is clear and understandable. “Perspicuous” has a close cousin, “perspicacious,” which is used okf a person with astute insight. Both words come directly from Latin adjectives hat mean the sam e thing they do: “perspicuous” from “perspicuous,” and “perspicacious” from “perspicax.” Needless to say, it’s possible to confuse the two. One easy way to keep out of trouble is to think of “perspicUous” ad the “U” word, and remember that it means “Understandable”—in contrast to the “A” word, “perspicAcious,” that means “Astute.”
15) lampoon \ lam-POON \ (verb)
: to make the subject of a lampoon : ridicule
Example sentence:
A local cartoonist lampooned the mayor, portraying him as a slow, drawling bumpkin.
“Lampoon can be a noun or a verb. The noun “lampoon” (meaning “satire,” or specifically “a harsh satire usually directed against an individual”) was first used in English in 1645. The verb followed about a decade later. The words come from the French “lampon,” and probably originated with “lampons,” the first person plural imperative of “lamper” (“to guzzle”). “Lampons!” (meaning “Let us guzzle!”) was a refrain in 17th century satirical poems.
16) verbiage \ VER-bee-ij \ (noun)
*1 : a profusion of words usually of little or obscure content
2 : manner of expressing oneself in words : diction
Example sentence:
One of the tasks of an editor is to remove verbiage and render a piece concise and coherent.
“Verbiage” descends from Middle French “verbier” (“to chatter”), itself and offspring of Latin “verbum” (“word”) . The usual sense of the word implies an overabundance of possibly unnecessary words. It is similar to “wordiness,” except that it stresses superfluous words themselves more than the quality that produces them. In other words, a writer with a fondness for “verbiage” might be accused of wordiness. Some people think the phrase “excess verbiage” is redundant, but that’s not necessarily true. In the early 19th century, “verbiage” developed a second sense meaning, simply, “wording,” with no suggestion of excess. This second definition has sometimes been treated as an error by people who insist that “verbiage” must always imply excessiveness, but that sense is well established and can be considered standard.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
17) inexorable \ ih-NEKS-ruh-bul or ih-NEK-suh-ruh-bul \ (adj)
: not to be persuaded or moved by entreaty : relentless
Example sentence:
“In the end his art is about time – its inevitable course and its inexorable weight upon us.” (Alfredo Triff, Miami New Times, June 7, 2001)
The Latin antecedent of “inexorable” is inexorabilis,” which is itself a combination of the prefix “in-,” meaning “not,” plus “exorabilis,” meaning “pliant” or “capable of being persuaded by entreaty.” “Exorabilis” in turn derives ultimately from the Latin verb “orare,” meaning “ to speak or plead.” It’s a fitting etymology for “inexorable.” You can beseech and inplore until you’re blue in the face, but that won’t have any effect on something that’s inexorable. “Inexorable” has been a part of the English language since the 1500s. Originally, it was often applied to persons, or sometimes to personified things (“deaf and inexorable laws”). These days, it is usually applied to things, as in “inexorable monotony” or “an inexorable trend.” In such cases, it essentially means “unyielding” or “inflexible.”
18) peruse \ puh-ROOZ \ (verb)
1 a : to examine or consider with attention and in detail b : to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner
*2 : to read; especially : to read over in an attentive or leisurely manner
Example sentence:
“The [Web] site features a section where visitors can peruse a listing of great toasts for any occasion.” (PR Newswire, August 2001)
“Peruse” has long been a literary word, used by such famous authors as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Tennyson, and it tends to have a literary flavor even in our time. “Peruse” can suggest paying close attention to something, but it can also simply mean “to read.” The “read” sense, which is nor especially new and was in fact included by Samuel Johnson in his 1755 dictionary, has drawn some criticism over the years for being too broad. Some commentators have recommended that “peruse” be reserved for reading with great care and attention to detail. But the fact remains that “peruse” is often used in situation where a simple “read” definition could easily be substituted. It may suggest either an attentive read or a quick reading.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence
19) totem \TOH-tum \ (noun)
1 : an object (as an animal or a plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan; also : something usually carved or painted to represent such an object
*2 : something that serves as an emblem or revered symbol
Example sentence:
“Libraries are icons of our cultural intellect, totems to the totality of knowledge.” (Mark Y. Herring. The Herald [Rock Hill, S.C.] , July 7, 2001)
“Totem” comes to us from Ojibwa, an Algonquian language spoken by an America Indian people from the regions around Lake Superior. The most basic form of the word in Ojibwa is believed to be “ote,” but 18th century English speakers encountered it as “ototeman” (“his totem”), which became our “totem.” In its most specific sense, “totem” refers to an emblematic depiction of an animal or plant that gives a family or clan its name and that often serves as a reminder of its ancestry. The term is also used broadly for any thing or person having particular emblematic or symbolic importance. The related adjective “totemic” describes something that serves as a totem, that depicts totems (“totemic basketry,” for example) , or that has the nature of a totem.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
20) eponymous \ ih-PAH-nuh-muss or eh-PAH-nuh-muss \ (adj.)
1 : of, relating to, or being one for whom something is named or is believed to be named
*2 : being or having a name that is based on or derived from the name of one associated with it
Example sentence:
There are a large number of eponymous diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s no coincidence that “eponymous” has to do with naming -- it comes to us from the Greek adjective “eponymos,” which is itself from “onyma,” meaning “name.” “Onyma” has lent its name to a numbe of English words, including “synonymous,” “pseudonym,” and “anonymous.” Traditionally, an eponymous person or thing (i.e., an “eponym”) might be a mythical ancestor or totem believed to be the source of a clan’s name. Today, however, “eponymous” more typically refers to such individuals as the front man of “Theo’s Trio” or the owner of “Sally’s Restaurant” (Theo and Sally, respectively, of course). The things that are named for such name-providers are also “eponymous.” For example, we can speak of “the eponymous ‘Ed Sullivan Show’” as well as “the eponymous Ed Sullivan.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
21) sic \ SIK or SEEK \ (adverb)
: intentionally so written – used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original
Example sentence:
“ ‘I’m a conservationalist [sic],’ she replies.” (Judy Klemesrud, New York Times, December 1, 1974)
The adverb “sic,” usually enclosed in brackets , is a word editors use in the reproduction of someone else’s speech or writing tko indicate that an unexpected form exactly reproduces the original and is not a copier’s mistake. “Sic” comes from Latin, in which it means “so” or “thus.” Though it’s a useful tool, some usage commentators feel it is bad manners to use a “sic” to needlessly call attention to someone’s error or to deride the language of a less-educated person.
22) yahoo \ YAY-hoo or YAH-hoo \ (noun)
: a boorish, crass, or stupid person
Example sentence:
The local teenagers’ reputation as a bunch of yahoos was belied by their courteous treatment of the stranded motorists.
We know exactly how old “yahoo” is because its debut in print also marked its entrance into the English language as a whole. “Yahoo” began life as a made-up word invented by Jonathan Swift in his book Gulliver’s Travels, which was published in 1726. The yahoos were a race of brutes, with the form and vices of humans, encountered by Gulliver in his fourth and final voyage. They represented Swift’s view of mankind at its lowest. It is not surprising, then, that “yahoo” came to be applied to any actual human who was particularly unpleasant or unintelligent. Yahoos were controlled by the intelligent and virtuous Houyhnhnms, a word which apparently did not catch people’s fancy as “yahoo” did.
23) fortuitous \ for-TOO-uh-tuss or for-TYOO-uh-tuss \ (adj.)
1 : occurring by chance
2a : fortunate, lucky *b : coming or happening by a lucky chance
Example sentence:
How fortuitous that the day before the rattlesnake bit little Jessica, her Dad had completed a first aid course.
For some 250 years, until the early part of the 20th century, “fortuitous” meant on thing only: “happening by chance.” This was no accident; its Latin forebear, “fortuitus,” is based on the Latin word for “chance,” which is “fors.” But the fact that “fortuitous” sounds like a blend of “fortunate” and “felicitous” (meaning “happily suited to an occasion”) may have been what ultimately led to a second meaning: “fortunate.” That use has been disparaged by critics, but it is now well established. Perhaps the seeds of the newer sense were planted by earlier writers applying overtones of good fortune to something that is a chance occurrence. In fact, today we quite often apply “fortuitous” to something that is a chance occurrence but has a favorable result.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
24)proselytize \ PRAH-suh-luh-tyze or PRAH-sluh-tyze \ (verb)
1 : to induce someone to convert to one’s faith
2 : to recruit someone to join one’s party, institution, or cause
*3 : to recruit or convert especially to a new faith, institution, or cause
Example sentence:
Francesca is very strict about her own vegetarianism, but she never tries to proselytize meat eaters.
“Proselytize” comes from the noun “proselyte” (meaning “a new convert”), which comes from the Latin noun “proselytus.” “Proselytus” means “a stranger” or “an alien resident,” and comes from a similar Greek word. “Proselyte” is sometimes specifically applied to converts to the Jewish religion – that is, to people who come to Judaism from other religions. When “proselytize” entered English in the 17th century, it had a distinctly religious connotation and meant simply “to recruit religious converts.” This meaning is still common, but today one can also “proselytize” in a broader sense – recruiting converts to one’s political party or pet cause, or example.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
25) expatiate \ ek-SPAY-shee-ayt \ (verb)
1 : to move about freely or at will : wander
*2 : to speak or write at length or in detail
Example sentence:
Don’t even get Mark started on his favorite subject, lepidopterology, unless you want to listen to him expariate on moths for the entire evening.
The Latin antecedent of “expatiate” is “exspatiari” which combines the prefix “ex-“ (“out of”) with “spariari” (“to take a walk”), itself from “spatium” (“space” or “course”). “Exspatiari” means “to wander from a course,” and in the figurative sense, “to digress.” But when English speakersbegan using “expatiate” in 1538, we took “wander” as simply “to move about freely.” In a similar digression from the original Latin, we began using “expatiate” in a figurative sense of “to speak at length.” That’s the sense of the word most often used these days, usually in combination with “on” or “upon.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
26) precipitate \ prih-SIH-puh-tut \ (adjective)
1a : falling, flowing, or rushing with steep descent b : precipitous, steep
*2 : exhibiting violent or unwise speed
Example sentence:
Investors are usually advised not to be precipitate in bailing out of funds when they are low or jumping into funds when they are high.
Many people, including usage commentators, are insistent about keeping the adjectives “precipitate” and “precipitous” distinct. “Precipitate,” they say, means “headlong” or “impetuous”; “precipitous” means only “steep.” And, indeed, “precipitate” is used mostly in the “headlong” sense, whereas “precipitous” usually means “steep.” But one shouldn’t be too hasty about insisting on the distinction. The truth is that “precipitate” and “precipitous” have had a tendency to overlap for centuries. Lexicographer Samuel Johnson, in his dictionary of 1744, defined “precipitate” as “steeply falling,” “headlong,” and “hasty,” while “precipitous” was “headlong; steep,” and “hasty.” Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary included much the same definitions. The word’s etymologies overlap as well. Both ultimately come from Latin “praeceps,” which means “headlong” – the same word that gave us “precipice.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
27) bildungsroman \ BIL-doongs-roh-mahn \ (noun)
: a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character
Example sentence:
“This evocative bildungsroman chronicles the summer adventures of three teenagers on the cusp of manhood in 1950s Brooklyn. “ (Sybil S. Steinberg. Publishers Weekly, April 18, 1994)
“Bildungsroman” id the combination of two German words: “Bildung,” meaning “education,” and “Roman,” meaning “novel.” Fittingly, a “bildungsroman” is a novel that deals with the formative years of the main character – in particular, his or her psychological development and moral education. The bildungsroman ends on a positive note with the hero’s foolish mistakes and painful disappointments over and a life of usefulness ahead. Goethe’s late 18th-century Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjare (Wilhem Meister’s Apprenticeship) is often cited as the classic example of this type of novel. Though the term is primarily applied to novels, in recent years, some English speakers have begun to apply the term to films that deal with a youthful character’s coming-of-age.
28) bumptious \ BUMP-shuss \ (adjective)
: presumptuously, obtusely, and often noisily self-assertive
: obtrusive
Example sentence:
“At the table and about the house generally he was bumptious, loud with fatuous misinformation, and assumed a domineering tone . . . “ (Booth Tarkington, Penrod )
Etymologists believe that “bumptious” was probably coined, perhaps playfully, from the noun “bump” plus “-tious.” When “bumptious” was first used around 1800, it meant “self-conceited,” or, as we might say, “swollen-headed.” Charles Dickens used it that way in David Copperfield: “His hair was very smooth and wavy; but I was informed . . . that it was a wig . . . and that he needn’t be so ‘bounceable’ -- somebody else said ‘bumptious’ – about it, because his own red hair was very plainly to be seen behind.”
29) arriviste \ air-ih-VEEST \ (noun)
: one that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor)
Example sentence:
“Playing in his first French Open, Ferrero, a 20-year old Spanish arriviste, reached the semifinals, all the while betraying no sense of awe.” (L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated, June 19, 2000)
An “arriviste” is someone who is just beginning to “arrive,” in the sense of achieving success or making a name for oneself. Often it can have slightly negative connotations, indicating a person who is highly aggressive or perhaps unscrupulous in his or her climb to the top. Like its synonym “parvenu,” “arriviste” can also indicate a lack of certainty or confidence in one’s newfound position. “Arriviste” is something of a new arrival itself, relatively speaking. English speakers borrowed the term from French in the early 20th century.
30) enclave \ EN-klayv \ (noun)
: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit enclosed within or as if within foreign territory
Example sentence:
“Dolpo, like Mustang, lies high on the remote Nepalese – Tibetan border, a hidden enclave of traditional Tibetan culture.” (Elaine Brook, Geographical Magazine, September 1990)
Looking for the keys to the etymology of “enclave” ? You’ll find them in French and Latin. English speakers borrowed “enclave” from French in the 19th century. The French noun derives in turn from the Middle French verb “enclaver,” meaning to “enclose.” “Enclaver” itself can be traced to the Latin prefix “in-“ and the Latin noun “clavis,” meaning “key.” “Clavis” opened the door to a few other English words, some of which might seem unlikely relatives of “enclave.” “Clavicle,” the word for the bone that joins the breastbone and the shoulder blade, comes from “clavis,” as does the musical sign “clef.”
31) reiterate \ ree-IH-tuh-rayt \ (verb)
: to state or do over again or repeatedly sometimes with wearying effect
Example sentence:
Megan rolled her eyes as her mother reiterated the rules for the umpteenth time.
Can you guess the meaning of “iterate,” a less common relative of “reiterate”? It must mean simply “to state or do,” right? Nope. Actually, “iterate” also means “to state or do again.” Its no surprise, then, that some usage commentators have insisted that “reiterate” must always mean “to say or do again AND AGAIN.” No such nice distinction exists in actual usage, however. Both “reiterate” and “iterate” can convey the idea of a single repetition or of many repetitions. “Reiterate” is the earlier of the words – it first appeared in the 15th century, while “iterate” turned up around 1533. Both stem from the Latin verb “iterare,” which is itself from “iterum” (“again”), but “reiterate” took an extra step, through the Latin “reiterare” (“to repeat”).
32) plaintive \ PLAYN-tiv \ (adjective)
: expressive of suffering or woe : melancholy
Example sentence:
“Sometimes her fingers touched the notes with a lingering fondness – a soft, plaintive, dying tenderness, unutterably beautiful and mournful to hear.” (Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White)
Like its relative “plangent,” “plaintive” is often used to describe sad sounds. “Plaintive wail,” for example, is a common use. “Plaintive” and “plangent” (along with relatives “plaintiff” and “complain”) ultimately derive from the Latin verb “plangere,” meaning “to strike,” “to beat one’s breast,” or “to lament.” This Latin verb led to “plaint,” a Middle French word (and now also an English word) meaning “lamentation.” “Plaint” is the root of the Middle English “plaintif” (meaning “grieving”), which gave rise to the modern English adjective “plaintive,” as well as the noun “plaintiff.”
33) swivet \ SWIH-vut \ (noun)
: a state of extreme agitation
Example sentence:
The residents of Cedar Hills are in a swivet over the state’s
proposal to extend the highway through their town.
People have been in a swivet over one thing or another since the 1890s. That, at least, is when the word first appeared in print, in a collection of “Peculiar Words and Usages” of Kentucky published by the American Dialect Society. In the ensuing years, swivet popped up in other pockets of the South as well. Chances are it had already been around for some time before it was recorded in writing, and by the time it was, nobody could say where or how it originated. What we do know is that its use gradually spread, so that by the 1950s it was regularly appearing in national magazines like Time and The New Yorker. Thus it entered the mainstream of American English.
34 portentous \ por-TEN-tuss \ (adjective)
1 : of, relating to, or constituting a portent
2 : eliciting amazement or wonder
*3 : self-consciously solemn or important : pompous
Example sentence:
“Mercer was known for a serious, even portentous, approach, but one night he regaled Peggy with amusing tales about the absurdities of his own life.” (Mel Gussow, The New Yorker, May 23, 1988)
Its easy to see the “portent” in “portentous,” which comes to us from the Latin adjective “portentosus,” itself the offspring of the noun “portentum” (“portent”). And indeed the first uses of “portentous” referred to portents (omens which foreshadow coming events). However, “ portentous” quickly developed a second sense, which focused upon the reactions of an observer to a portent, describing wonder and amazement. This was followed by a third sense applied to weighty self-importance and pomposity. These days, one can speak of such things as “portentous symbols,” “portentous apparitions,” and “portentous announcements.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
35) reticent \ REH-tuh-sunt \ (adjective)
*1 : inclined to be silent ir uncommunicative in speech : reserved
2 : restrained in expression, presentation, or appearance
3 : reluctant
Example sentence:
Andrew, usually so reticent at our family get-togethers, came out of his shell at the last one with his new fiancée at his side.
“Reticent” first appeared about 170 years ago, but the “reluctant” sense of “reticent” is a mid-20th century introduction. Though it is now well-established, this newer sense bothers some, particularly because it has veered away from the word’s Latin origins -- “reticent” is from the verb “reticere,” meaning “to keep silent.” But there is some sense in the way the newer meaning developed. We first tended to use the “reluctant” sense of “reticent” when the context was speech (as in “reticent to talk about her past”), thus keeping the word close to its “silent” sense. Eventually, however, exclusive association with speech was abandoned. Now on can be “reticent” to do anything.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
36) tchotchke \ CHAHCH-kuh \ (noun)
: knickknack, trinket
Example sentence:
Upon returning home from his trip to Maine, Jerry ceremoniously placed his new ceramic lobster next to the other tchotchkes on his mantelpiece.
Just as trinkets can dress up your shelves or coffee table, many words for “miscellaneous objects” or “nondescript junk” decorate our language. “Knickknack,” “doodad,” “geegaw,” and “whatnot” are some of the common ones. While many such words are of common origin, we know that
“tchotchke” comes from the Yiddish “tshatshke” of the same meaning, and ultimately from a now-obsolete Polish word, “czaczko.” “Tchotchke” is a pretty popular word these days, but it wasn’t commonly used in English until the 1970s.
37) obtuse \ ahb-TOOSS or ub-TOOSS (oo as in “shoot”) \ (adj.)
1 a : not pointed or sharp b : exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees
*2 : not quick or keen of understanding or feeling
3 : difficult to comprehend
Example sentence:
The child was so stubborn in his refusal to understand that I began to suspect he was being deliberately obtuse.
“Obtuse,” which comes tko us from the Latin word “obtusus,” meaning “dull, blunt,” can describe an angle that is not acute or a person who has a “dull” or insensitive mind. The word has also developed a somewhat controversial third sense of “hard to comprehend, unclear,” probably as a result of confusion with “abstruse.” It is now possible to speak of “obtuse language” and “obtuse explanations,” as well as “obtuse angles” and “obtuse readers.” The “unclear” sense of “obtuse” is well established, but it may attract some criticism. If you are someone who is hesitant about using new meanings of words, you should probably stick with “abstruse” when your intended meaning is “difficult to comprehend.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
38) catachresis \ kat-uh-KREE-suss \ (noun)
*1 : use of the wrong word for the context
2 : use of a forced and especially paradoxical figure of speech
Example sentence:
The newspaper’s sharp-eyed copy editor was adept at spotting any catachresis that might find its way into a reporter’s story.
As you might have guessed, “catachresis” is a word favored by grammarians. It can sometimes be used merely as a fancy label of disparagement for uses the grammarian finds unacceptable – as when Henry Fowler insisted in 1926 that “mutual” in “our mutual friend” was a catachresis. (Fowler preferred “common,” but “mutual” does have an established sense which is correct in that context.) The first recorded use of “catachresis” dates to 1553, and it has been used to describe (or decry) misuses of a word ever since. “Catachresis” comes to us by way of Latin from the Greek word “katachresis,” which means “misuse.” A word whose meaning is very close to that of “catachresis” is “malapropism,” which usually refers to an unintentionally humorous misuse of a word.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
39) foursquare \ FOR-SKWAIR \ (adjective)
1 : square
*2 : marked by boldness and conviction : forthright
Example sentence:
“Even in architecture the subtle sage of Monticello [Thomas Jefferson] did not agree with the solid foursquare principles of General Washington.” (Roger Kennedy, Smithsonian, October 1985)
You probably won’t be too surprised to learn that “foursquare” was formed in Middle English by combining “four” (or “foure”) and “square.” Equally surprising is the fact that, in the beginning, the term simply described things that had four sides forming a square. (It was once also possible to refer to “a foursquare,” or a square, but this use is now mostly obsolete.) eventually, “foursquare” developed a second sense which is used to describe persons and things that stand out “squarely” and forthrightly. One can now speak of “foursquare citizens” and “a foursquare response.” “Foursquare” can also be an adverb meaning “solidly” or “forthrightly.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
40) proffer \ PRAH-fer \ (verb)
: to present for acceptance : tender, offer
Example sentence:
“Impulses of sympathy came naturally to her, and it was instinctive to proffer her help to Mrs. Fisher.” (Edith Wharton, House of Mirth )
You may notice a striking similarity between “proffer” and “offer.” Are the two words connected by etymology? Yes, indeed. “Proffer” comes from the Anglo-French “profrer,” which comes from the Old French “poroffrir.” That word in turn combines “por-“ (which means “forth” and is related to our “pro-“ and “offrir” (which means “to offer” and is an ancestor of our word “offer”). “Proffer” entered English in the 14th century. A more literary word than plain “offer,” it adds or puts stress on the idea of voluntariness, spontaneity, or courtesy on the part of the one doing the tendering.
41) torpor \TOR-per \ (noun)
*1 : a mental or spiritual sluggishness : apathy, lethargy
2 : a state of mental and motor inactivity with partial or total insensibility
Example sentence:
On the first crisp, autumn weekend, I finally shook off the torpor that had set in with the seemingly endless dog days of summer.
Our English word “torpor” looks the same and means the same thing as Latin “torpor.” It stems from the Latin verb “torpere,” which means “to be sluggish or listless.” “Torpor” appeared around 1225 in an English text – the “Ancren Riwle,” a guide for religious recluses – but apparently it was the Latin word that was being used in that case. Not until nearly 400 years later, in the early 1600s, did we instate “torpor” as a truly English word for both mental and physical sluggishness. The related adjective “torpid” (from Latin “torpidus”) also entered the language at about the same time.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
42) stratagem \ STRAT-uh-jum or STRAT-uh-jem \ (noun)
1 a : as artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy
*b : a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end
2 : skill in ruses or trickery
Example sentence:
Putting ten-year old Jake in charge of dog walking in the morning proved a successful stratagem for keeping him out of his sister’s hair while she got ready for school.
Parents often need to come up with various stratagems to get the family out the door on time each morning. A “stratagem” is any clever scheme –- sometimes one that’s part of an overall “strategy” (i.e., a carefully worked out plan of action). Clearly, we no longer limit ourselves to the original military sense of “stratagem,” as 15th century users of the term did. The military meaning can be traced back to the word’s Greek ancestor “strategema,” which is itself based on “strategein,” meaning “to act as a general.” “Strategien” is turn comes from “strategos” (“general”), which comes from “stratos” (“army”) and “agein” (“to lead”). “Strategos” is an ancestor of “strategy” as well.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
43) chagrin \ shuh-GRIN \ (noun)
: disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure
Example sentence:
“Holmes had taken out his watch, and as minute followed minute without result, an expression of utmost chagrin and disappointment appeared upon his features.” (Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet)
“Chagrin” comes from French, in which it means “sad”, or, as a noun, “grief.” In the past, some etymol,ogists associated it with another French “chagrin,” meaning “rough leather” or “rough skin.” Though these words are spelled the same, they aren’t related, The “chagrin” that means “grief” supposedly comes from “chat,” meaning “cat,” plus “grigner,” an obsolete French word related to the grinding of teeth. It has been suggested that origin of “chagrin” might be connected to the lamenting noises of a cat and to distress expressed by teeth-grinding; this is just speculation, however. What we do know is that English speakers borrowed the term in the late 17th century.
44) spumescent \ spyoo-MEH-sunt \ (adjective)
: frothy, foamy
Example sentence:
“Beat egg whites until foamy,” the directions said, and Frank beat them until they were splendidly spumescent.
“Spume,” from the Latin ”spuma,” is a word for froth or foam that has been a part of the English lexicon for more than 600 years. An early example is found in the following quotation from 14th-century English poet John Gower: “She set a cauldron on the fire. . . . and let it boil inn such a plight, till that she saw the spume [was] white.” “Spumescent” joined the older adjectives “spumous “ and “spumy,” which also mean “foamy” or “frothy,” in the mid-1800s, but it has remained rare. Etymologists aren’t positive whether it was adopted directly from the Latin adjective “spumescens,” or whether it’s simply an instance, like “alkalescent,” of adding the suffix “-escent” to a noun to create an adjective.
45) invective \ in-VEK-tive \ (noun)
1 : an abusive expression or speech
*2 : insulting or abusive language : vituperation
Example sentence:
Joe honked his car’s horn and hurled a stream of invective at the driver who was recklessly weaving in an out of traffic.
“Invective” began life in the 15th century as an adjective meaning “of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse.” In 1523, it appeared I print as a noun meaning “an example of abusive speech.” Eventually, the noun developed a second sense applying to abusive language as a whole. “Invective” comes to us from the Middle French word “invectif,” which in turn derives from the Latin “invectivus,” meaning “reproachful, abusive.” (“Invectivus” comes from the Latin “invectus,” past participle of the verb “invehere,” one form of which means to “to assail with words.”) “Invective” is similar to “abuse,” but it tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence, but also verbal and rhetorical skill. It sometimes implies public denunciation, as in “blistering political invective.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
46) snivel \ SNIH-vul \ (verb)
1 : to run at the nose : snuffle
2 : to cry or whine with snuffling
*3 : to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner.
Example sentence:
I heard Mom tell my sister, “Stop sniveling about how mistreated you are; you’re free to go out as soon as your chores are done!”
There’s never been anything pretty about sniveling. “Snivel,” which originally meant simply “to have a runny nose,” was probably “snyflan” in Old English. It’s related to “sniffle,” not surprisingly, and also to an Old English word for mucus, “snofl.” It’s even related to the Middle Dutch word for a cold, “snof,” and the Old Norse word for “snout,” which is “snoppa.” There’s also a connection to “nan,” a Greek verb meaning “flow.” Nowadays we mostly use “snivel,” as we have since the 1600s, to refer to self-pitying whining, whether or not such sniveling is accompanied by unchecked nasal flow.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
47) paucity \ PAW-suh-tee \ (noun)
*1 : smallness of number : fewness
2 : smallness of quantity : dearth
Example sentence:
“I’ve noticed a surprising paucity of pears on my favorite tree this year, said Aunt Clara.
“Paucity” was first recorded in English in the 15th century, when it referred to “smallness of number” or “a small number.” The term comes to us from the Middle French word “paucite,” and is ultimately derived from the Latin word for “little,” which is “paucus.” It is not surprising, then, that “paucity” came to refer to a “littleness” not only of numbers (e.g., a paucity of facts or studies), but also of overall quantity (a paucity of evidence). One can even describe a paucity of abstract concepts, as a paucity of experience or knowledge.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
48) destitute \ DESS-tuh-toot or DESS-tuh-tyoot (“oo as in “shoot,” not “foot”) (adjective)
1 : lacking something needed or desirable
*2 : lacking possessions and resources; especially : suffering extreme poverty
Example sentence:
“He gave thanks for our food and comfort, and prayed for the poor and destitute in great cities, where the struggle for life was harder then it was here with us.” (Willa Cather, My Antonia)
You may be surprised to learn that “destitute” is related to such words as “statue,” “statute,” and even “statistics.” The Latin word “status,” meaning “position” or “state,” is the source of these other English words. Some terms of this family are directly related to “status,” while others come to English through “statuere,” a Latin verb from “status” that means “to set up.” “Destitute” came from “destituere” (“to abandon, deprive”) , a joining of “statuere”and the prefix “de-.” “Statuere” also gave us “constitute,” “institute,” and “restitution,” among other similar-sounding words.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
49) orientate \ OR-ee-un-tayt or OR-ee-en-tayt\ (verb)
1 : to point or turn toward the east
2 : to set in a definite position especially in relation to the points of the compass; also : to ascertain the bearings of
*3 : to acquaint with a situation or environment
Example sentence:
The film’s opening sequence orientates the viewer and sets the stage for the story to unfold.
“Orientate” is a synonym of “orient,” and it has attracted criticism as a consequence. “Orient,” which dates from the mid-18th century, is in fact the older of the two verbs – “orientate” joined the language in the mid-19th century. Both can mean “to cause to face toward the east” (not surprisingly, they are related to the noun “Orient,” meaning “the East”). Both also have broader meanings having to do with setting or determining direction or position, either literally or figuratively. Some critics dislike “orientate” because it contains an unnecessary extra syllable, but you can decide for yourself how important that consideration is for you. Personal choice id the primary deciding factor, although “orientate” tends to be used more often in British English then it is in American.
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
50) tocsin \ tahk-sun\ (noun)
1 : an alarm bell or the ringing of it
*2 : a warning signal
Example sentence:
A coalition of parents was sounding the tocsin for the school music program -- if voters didn’t approve a tax increase, the program was sure to be axed.
When 16th century writers wanted a word for ringing church bells to warn of impending danger, they borrowed the Middle French word “toquassen.” That word came from the Old Provencal “tocar,” meaning “to ring a bell,” plus “senh,” meaning “bell”or “sign.” By the end of the 18th century, we’d switched to the modern French spelling “tocsin” (not to be confused with “toxin,” for a poisonous substance). “Tocsin” can still refer to literal bell ringing, but nowadays it’s more likely to suggest a verbal warning, often of some dire consequence. It frequently occurs in the somewhat ominous sounding phrase “sound the tocsin.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
51) circadian \ ser-KAY-dee-un \ (adjective)
: being, having, characterized by, or occurring in approximately 24-hour periods or cycles (as of biological activity or function)
Example sentence:
“Set regular times for going to bed and waking up to promote predictable circadian rhythms.” (Washingtonian, June 2001)
Fifty years ago, no one talked about “circadian rhythms” – because “circadian” hadn’t even been coined yet. In 1959, a scientist formed the work from Latin words “circa” (“about”) and “dies” (“day”), and it became popular pretty quickly. “Circadian” appeared in periodicals throughout the sixties, and appeared in a Merriam-Webster dictionary before the decade was up. Most often, it’s seen as heard in the term “circadian rhythm,” which refers to the inherent cycle of about 24 hours that appears to control various biological processes, such as sleep, wakefulness, and digestive activity. If you want to impress your friends, you can also use the term “circadian dysrhythmia,” a fancy synonym of “jet lag.”
52) rife \ RYFE\ (adjective)
1 : prevalent especially to an increasing degree
2 : abundant, common
*3 : copiously supplied : abounding
Example sentence:
“Nature is rife with cheats. Think of the bumblebee who sucks nectar and darts away without pollinating the flower.” (Erik Stokstad, New Scientist, July 27, 1996)
English is rife with words that have Germanic connections, many of which have been handed down to us from Old English. “Rife” is one of these words – it’s related to Middle Low German “rive,” meaning “abundant.” Not a whole lot has changed with “rife” in its 900- year history. We continue to use the word, as we have since the 12th century, for negative things, especially those that are widespread or prevalent. Typical examples are “shoplifting was rife” or “rife with misspelled words.” “Rumors” and “speculation” are frequently described as “rife” as well. But “rife” can also be appropriately used, as it had been for hundreds of years, for good or neutral things. For example, you might speak of “the summer garden, rife with scents.”
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
53) jitney \ JIT-nee \ (noun)
: a small bus that serves a regular route on a flexible schedule
Example sentence:
Guests at the hotel could ride from its parking lot to the beach in a battered jitney that seated 15 comfortably, but that held 20 or more on most trips.
Jitneys weren’t worth a dime – just a nickel. In the early1900s, “jitney” was slang for “nickel,” but it wasn’t long before the term applied to a new mofe of public transportation that only cost a nickel. When they were introduced in American cities at the beginning of the century, vehicular jitneys could be any automobiles that carried passengers over a set route for a cheap fare, but eventually the term was applied specifically to small buses that charged a nickel for a ride.
