January 2013 – WOTDs

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Words posted this month:

31 January 2013

reify

[ree-uh-fahy, rey-]

verb (used with object)

re·i·fied, re·i·fy·ing

– to convert into or regard as a concrete thing: to reify a concept.

Origin:
1850–55; < Latin rē ( s ) thing + -ify

Related forms
re·i·fi·ca·tion, noun

30 January 2013

didaskaleinophobia

[did-azk-uhl-lahyn-oh-foh-bee-uh]

noun

– fear of going to school.

29 January 2013

abjure

[ab-joor, -jur]

verb (used with object), ab·jured, ab·jur·ing.

1. to renounce, repudiate, or retract, especially with formal solemnity; recant: to abjure one’s errors.
2. to renounce or give up under oath; forswear: to abjure allegiance.
3. to avoid or shun.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin abjūrāre to deny on oath, equivalent to ab- ab- + jūrāre to swear; see jury

Related forms
ab·jur·a·to·ry, adjective
ab·jur·er, noun
non·ab·jur·a·to·ry, adjective
un·ab·jur·a·to·ry, adjective
un·ab·jured, adjective

28 January 2013

aumildar

[aw-mil-DAHR]

noun

1. A manager or agent.
2. A collector of revenue.

Origin:

Aumildar comes from the Hindi word amaldār, a combination of the Persian word ʿamal meaning ‘work’ and the suffix -dar meaning ‘agent’.

Example sentence:

The culprit, on suspicion, is hurried away before the aumildar, and after a few loose questions regarding his criminality…
— Ya Ding, The Earth Sings

27 January 2013

Rhadamanthys

[rad-uh-man-thuhs]

noun

1. Classical Mythology . a son of Zeus and Europa, rewarded for the justice he exemplified on earth by being made, after his death, a judge in the Underworld, where he served with his brothers Minos and Aeacus.
2. an inflexibly just or severe judge.

Also, Rhad·a·man·thus.

Related forms
Rhad·a·man·thine [rad-uh-man-thin, -thahyn]  adjective

26 January 2013

recalcitrant

[ri-kal-si-truh nt]

adjective

1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.
2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate.
noun
3. a recalcitrant person.

Origin:

1835–45; < Latin recalcitrant- (stem of recalcitrāns, present participle of recalcitrāre to kick back), equivalent to re- re- + calcitr ( āre ) to strike with the heels, kick (derivative of calx heel) + -ant- -ant

Example sentences

‘A solution to the recalcitrant problem was addressed in her thesis’.

‘The recalcitrant soldier was charged with insubordination’.

25 January 2013

bellicose

[bel-i-kohs]

adjective

– inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious.

Origin:

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin bellicōsus, equivalent to bellic ( us ) pertaining to war ( bell ( um ) war + -icus -ic) + -ōsus -ose1

Related forms
bel·li·cose·ly, adverb.
bel·li·cos·i·ty [bel-i-kos-i-tee] Show IPA , bel·li·cose·ness, noun.
un·bel·li·cose, adjective.

Example sentence:

The media has become more bellicose in its reporting of politics.

24 January 2013

verisimilitude   

[ver-uh-si-mil-i-tood, -tyood]

noun

1. the appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability: The play lacked verisimilitude.
2. something, as an assertion, having merely the appearance of truth.

Origin:

1595–1605; < Latin vērīsimilitūdō, equivalent to vērī (genitive singular of vērum truth) + similitūdō similitude

Example sentence:

‘His name has simply been inserted into an anecdote created long after his death in order to provide the audience with a recognizable figure and thus lend the tale an air of verisimilitude’.

– Snopes.com, Einstein: Absence of Malice

23 January 2013

petrichor

[pet-ri-kuhr]

noun

1. The distinctive scent which accompanies the first rain after a long warm dry spell.
2. The yellow organic oil that yields this scent.

Example sentence:

Though it had yet to begin raining, the familiar smell of petrichor appeared to be already present and Neelam suddenly wished she was sitting at home with a nice cup of tea and a good book.

– Val Panesar, For the Sake of the Future.

22 January 2013

spieler

[spee-ler]

noun
1. a barker, as at a circus sideshow.
2. a person with an extravagant line of talk.
3. (Australian) – a swindler.
4. Slang. an announcer for radio or television, especially one who gives commercials.

Origin:
1885–90; < German; see spiel, -er1

Example sentence:

‘Shoe-makers, barbers, mechanics, carpenters, wardsmen from the local hospital, wrestlers, spielers, and even one with a Bachelor degree – they were all told to assemble at Port Madryn, at a date, to embark on a coastal vessel to meet the ship at Talcahuano in Chile, that would take us to Australia’.

– Emilio Duran, Memoirs, Chapter 3.

21 January 2013

terra nullius

Latin phrase meaning ‘land belonging to no-one’.

It was derived from Roman law, but was enshrined in the laws of a number of colonising powers as they settled land that was occupied by indigenous tribes.

Example sentence

Mabo Day is celebrated on 3 June and commemorates the efforts of Eddie Mabo who challenged the principle of ‘terra nullius’ in Australia. On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia overturned the principle of ‘terra nullius’, and formally recognised the right of indigenous people to their land.

20 January 2013

selcouth

[sel-kooth]

adjective, Archaic.

– strange; uncommon.

Origin:

before 900; Middle English selcouth, Old English seldcūth, equivalent to seld ( an ) seldom + cūth couth2

Related forms
sel·couth·ly, adverb.

Example sentence:

She wondered much at his so selcouth case. – Spenser.

19 January 2013

globophobia

noun

– fear of balloons.

18 January 2013

ignoble

[ig-noh-buh l]

adjective

1. of low character, aims, etc.; mean; base: his ignoble purposes.
2. of low grade or quality; inferior.
3. not noble; of humble descent or rank.
4. Falconry. noting any hawk with short wings that chases or rakes after the quarry.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin ignōbilis unknown, inglorious, equivalent to in- in-3 + OL gnōbilis ( Latin nōbilis ) noble

Related forms
ig·no·bil·i·ty, ig·no·ble·ness, noun.
ig·no·bly, adverb.

Synonyms
1. degraded, dishonorable, ignominious, contemptible. 3. lowly, obscure, plebeian, peasant.

Antonyms
1. honorable. 2. superior.

17 January 2013

zabernism

noun obs.

– the misuse of military power or authority; bullying, agression

Example sentence:

‘Both countries have been slaves to Kruppism and Zabernism’. – H.G. Wells

16 January 2013

Rastaquouere

social climber, social upstart

1883, from Fr. rastaquouère “social intruder, upstart” (especially one of exaggerated manners and dress, from a Mediterranean or S.Amer. country), thus “dashing but untrustworthy foreigner,” from S.Amer. Sp. rastacuero “upstart.” Short form rasta attested from 1905.

15 January 2013

widdiful

[fr. Sc. widdy, a rope for hanging]

Scot. (n)

– one who deserves hanging, a gallows-bird; a scamp, rascal

(a) fit for a halter, deserving to be hanged; scampish, rascally

Example sentence:

Because he had killed a prominent leader, some members of the public believed that the prisoner was widdiful.

14 January 2013

couthie

[koo-thee]

adjective, Scot.

agreeable; genial; kindly.

Origin:
1715–25; couth2 + -ie, spelling variant of -y1

Related forms
couth·i·ly, adjective.
couth·i·ness, noun.

Example sentences:

The couthie old man would let us pick apples from his orchard.

13 January 2013

dalliance

dalliance

[dal-ee-uh ns, dal-yuh ns]

noun

1. a trifling away of time; dawdling.
2. amorous toying; flirtation.

Example sentence:

After a brief dalliance with life in the country, he realised he much preferred the hustle and bustle of the big city.

12 January 2013

hagiography

[hag-ee-og-ruh-fee, hey-jee-]

noun,
plural hag·i·og·ra·phies.

1. the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints; hagiology.
2. biography or writing that idolises its subject.

Example sentence:

‘Spare us the hagiography regarding the politician; the spin does not match the reality’.

11 January 2013

moribund

[mawr-uh-buhnd, mor-]

adjective

1. in a dying state; near death.
2. on the verge of extinction or termination.
3. not progressing or advancing; stagnant: a moribund political party.

Origin:

1715–25; < Latin moribundus dying, equivalent to mori- (stem of morī to die) + -bundus adj. suffix

Related forms
mor·i·bun·di·ty, noun.
mor·i·bund·ly, adverb.
un·mor·i·bund, adjective.
un·mor·i·bund·ly, adverb.

10 January 2013

deluge

[del-yooj, -yoozh, del-ooj, -oozh, dih-looj, -loozh]

noun, verb, del·uged, del·ug·ing.

noun
1. a great flood of water; inundation; flood.
2. a drenching rain; downpour.
3. anything that overwhelms like a flood: a deluge of mail.
4. the Deluge, flood ( def 3 ) .
verb (used with object)
5. to flood; inundate.
6. to overrun; overwhelm: She was deluged with congratulatory letters.

9 January 2013

factoid

[fak-toid]
noun
1. an insignificant or trivial fact.
2. something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition.

Origin:
1973; fact + -oid

Related forms
fac·toi·dal, adjective.

Example sentence:

This website provides some fascinating factoids.

8 January 2013

solecism

[sol-uh-siz-uh m, soh-luh-]

noun

1. a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.
2. a breach of good manners or etiquette.
3. any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.

Origin:

1570–80; < Latin soloecismus < Greek soloikismós, equivalent to sóloik ( os ) ( Sólo ( i ) a city in Cilicia where a corrupt form of Attic Greek was spoken + -ikos -ic) + -ismos -ism

Related forms
sol·e·cist, noun.
sol·e·cis·tic, sol·e·cis·ti·cal, adjective.
sol·e·cis·ti·cal·ly, adverb.

Example sentences:

‘This is just between you and I’ rather than ‘This is just between you and me’

‘Whom shall I say is calling?’ rather than ‘Who shall I say is calling?’

7 January 2013

rancour

[rang-ker]
noun

– bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.
Also, especially American, ran·cor.

Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English rancour < Middle French < Late Latin rancōr- (stem of rancor ) rancidity, equivalent to Latin ranc ( ēre ) (see rancid) + -ōr- -or1

Example sentence:

The rancour between the Capulets and the Montagues, culminated in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

6 January 2013

parse

[pahrs, pahrz]

verb, parsed, pars·ing.
verb (used with object)

1. to analyze (a sentence) in terms of grammatical constituents, identifying the parts of speech, syntactic relations, etc.
2. to describe (a word in a sentence) grammatically, identifying the part of speech, inflectional form, syntactic function, etc.
3. to analyze (something, as a speech or behavior) to discover its implications or uncover a deeper meaning: Political columnists were in their glory, parsing the president’s speech on the economy in minute detail.
4. Computers. to analyze (a string of characters) in order to associate groups of characters with the syntactic units of the underlying grammar.
verb (used without object)
5. to be able to be parsed; lend itself to parsing: Sorry, but your concluding paragraph simply doesn’t parse.

5 January 2013

nefarious

[ni-fair-ee-uh s]
adjective

– extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.

Origin:
1595–1605; < Latin nefārius wicked, vile, equivalent to nefās offense against divine or moral law ( ne- negative prefix + fās law, right) + -ius -ious, with intervocalic s > r

Related forms
ne·far·i·ous·ly, adverb.
ne·far·i·ous·ness, noun.
un·ne·far·i·ous, adjective.
un·ne·far·i·ous·ly, adverb.
un·ne·far·i·ous·ness, noun.

Synonyms
flagitious, heinous, infamous; vile, atrocious, execrable.

Antonyms
good, honest

4 January 2013

pampas

[pam-puh z; attributively pam-puh s; Spanish pahm-pahs]

plural noun, singular pampa [-puh; Spanish -pah]

– the vast grassy plains of southern South America, especially in Argentina.

Example sentence:

‘The Argentinian government, to populate the country (Patagonia) and to attract settlers to its vast pampas, hit on the idea of giving at least 150 acres of land, seed, implements, horses etc, tax free, all loans to be repayable after five years’.

– Emilio Duran’s memoirs, 1904 – 1976.

3 January 2013

privation

[prahy-vey-shuh n]

noun
1. lack of the usual comforts or necessaries of life: His life of privation began to affect his health.
2. an instance of this.
3. the act of depriving.
4. the state of being deprived.

Origin:

1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French privacion ) < Latin prīvātiōn- (stem of prīvātiō ) a taking away. See private, -ion

Synonyms
1. deprivation, want, need, distress. See hardship.

Example Sentence:

‘The New World, with its chances, was beckoning to every able-bodied man who was not afraid of hard work and suffering privations, to achieve some kind of emancipation, whether the ownership of land or of business’.

– from Emilio Duran’s memoirs (1904 – 1976).

2 January 2013

curate

[kyoo r-it; kyoo-reyt, kyoo r-eyt]

noun
1. Chiefly British . a member of the clergy employed to assist a rector or vicar.
2. any ecclesiastic entrusted with the cure of souls, as a parish priest.
verb (used with object), cu·rat·ed, cu·rat·ing.
3. to take charge of (a museum) or organize (an art exhibit): to curate a photography show.
4. to pull together, sift through, and select for presentation, as music or Web site content: “We curate our merchandise with a sharp eye for trending fashion,” the store manager explained.

Example Sentence:

The online news site is updated automatically with a curated selection of articles, blog posts, videos and photos.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English curat (< Anglo-French ) < Medieval Latin cūrātus, equivalent to Latin cūr ( a ) care + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
cu·rat·ic [kyoo-rat-ik]
cu·rat·i·cal, adjective.
cu·rate·ship, noun.
sub·cu·rate, noun.

1 January 2013

moxie

[mok-see]

noun, Slang.

1. vigor; verve; pep.
2. courage and aggressiveness; nerve.
3. skill; know-how.

Example sentence:

‘He handled the situation with great moxie.

Origin:

1925–30, Americanism; after Moxie, a trademark (name of a soft drink)

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