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24 and 25 March 2007


Valiant

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I will be posting interesting words every day to help expose our members to some commonly or not so commonly used vocabulary. Even though you might think that you know the word well, a closer look at the word's meaning(s) might provide you with a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the word. You might also learn alternative meanings that you have not heard of. You might also learn about how the word came to be, and in the process have a better understanding of how words are formed in the English language.

 

I hope this will prove to be a useful thread for everyone!

 

 

 

Note: I will be locking this to prevent vandalism of the thread. Feel free to post in the suggestions board to provide feedback.

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trepidation \trep-uh-DAY-shuhn\, noun:

 

1. [Archaic] An involuntary trembling; quaking; quivering.

2. A state of dread or alarm; nervous agitation; apprehension; fright.

 

Trepidation is from Latin trepidatio, from the past participle of trepidare, "to hurry with alarm, to tremble," from trepidus, "agitated, restless, disturbed." It is related to intrepid, "bold" (from in-, "not" + trepidus).

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malapropism \mal-uh-PROP-iz-uhm\, noun:

 

1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.

2. An example of such misuse.

 

 

A malapropism is named after Mrs. Malaprop, a character noted for her amusing misuse of words in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's eighteenth-century comedy The Rivals.

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descry \dih-SKRY\, transitive verb:

 

1. To catch sight of, especially something distant or obscure; to discern.

2. To discover by observation; to detect.

 

Descry comes from Middle English, from Old French descrier, "to cry out, to proclaim." The Middle English word was originally applied to shouting one's discovery of an enemy, of game, or of land.

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cogitate \KOJ-uh-tayt\, intransitive verb:

 

1. To think deeply or intently; to ponder; to meditate.

2. To think about; to ponder on; to meditate upon; to plan or plot.

 

 

Cogitate comes from Latin cogitare, "to turn over in one's mind, to reflect, to think, to consider," from co- + agitare, "to put in constant motion, to drive about," from agere, "to drive." It is related to agitate.

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appurtenance \uh-PUR-tn-un(t)s\, noun:

 

1. An adjunct; an accessory; something added to another, more important thing.

2. [Plural]. Accessory objects; gear; apparatus.

3. [Law]. An incidental right attached to a principal property right for purposes such as passage of title, conveyance, or inheritance.

 

 

Appurtenance is derived from the present participle of Late Latin appertinere, "to belong to," from Latin ad- + pertinere, "to relate to, to belong to," from per-, "through" + tenere, "to hold."

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specious \SPEE-shuhs\, adjective:

 

1. Apparently right; superficially fair, just, or correct, but not so in reality; as, "specious reasoning; a specious argument."

2. Deceptively pleasing or attractive.

 

 

Specious is from Latin speciosus, from species, "appearance," from specere, "to look at."

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empyrean \em-py-REE-uhn; -PEER-ee-\, noun:

 

1. The highest heaven, in ancient belief usually thought to be a realm of pure fire or light.

2. Heaven; paradise.

3. The heavens; the sky.

4. Of or pertaining to the empyrean of ancient belief.

 

 

Empyrean comes from Medieval Latin empyreum, ultimately from Greek empurios, from en-, "in" + pyr, "fire."

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limpid \LIM-pid\, adjective:

 

1. Characterized by clearness or transparency; clear; as, "a limpid stream."

2. Calm; untroubled; serene.

3. Clear in style; easily understandable.

 

 

Limpid is from Latin limpidus, "clear."

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palindrome \PAL-in-drohm\, noun:

 

A word, phrase, sentence, or verse that reads the same backward or forward.

 

 

Palindrome comes from Greek palindromos, literally "running back (again)," from palin, "back, again" + dromos, "running."

 

For example, Hannah

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animadversion \an-uh-mad-VUHR-zhuhn\, noun:

 

1. Harsh criticism or disapproval.

2. Remarks by way of criticism and usually of censure -- often used with 'on'.

 

 

Animadversion is from Latin animadversio, animadversion-, from animadversus, past participle of animadvertere, "to turn the mind toward," from animus, "mind, spirit" + advertere, "to turn toward," from ad, "toward" + vertere, "to turn."

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Here's a special weekend double:

 

clerisy \KLER-uh-see\, noun:

 

The well educated class; the intelligentsia.

 

 

Clerisy is from German Klerisei, "clergy," from Medieval Latin clericia, from Late Latin clericus, "priest," from Late Greek klerikos, "belonging to the clergy," from Greek kleros, "inheritance, lot," in allusion to Deuteronomy 18:2 ("Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them").

 


 

perforce \pur-FORS\, adverb:

 

By necessity; by force of circumstance.

 

 

Perforce comes from French par force, "by force."

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autochthonous \aw-TOK-thuh-nuhs\, adjective:

 

1. Aboriginal; indigenous; native.

2. Formed or originating in the place where found.

 

 

Autochthonous derives from Greek autochthon, "of or from the earth or land itself," from auto-, "self" + chthon, "earth." One that is autochthonous is an autochthon.

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roborant \ROB-uh-ruhnt\, adjective:

 

1. Strengthening; restoring vigour.

2. A strengthening medicine; a tonic; a restorative.

 

 

Roborant derives from the present participle of Latin roborare, "to strengthen," from robur, roboris, "strength."

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expunge \ik-SPUNJ\, transitive verb:

 

1. To strike out, erase, or mark for deletion; to obliterate; as, "to expunge words, lines, or sentences."

2. To wipe out or destroy; to annihilate.

 

 

Expunge is from Latin expungere, "to prick out, to mark (with dots) for deletion," from ex-, "out of, from" + pungere, "to prick."

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presentiment \prih-ZEN-tuh-muhnt\, noun:

 

A sense that something will or is about to happen; a premonition.

 

 

Presentiment derives from Latin praesentire, "to feel beforehand," from prae-, "before" + sentire, "to feel."

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excursus \ik-SKUR-sus\, noun:

 

1. A dissertation that is appended to a work and that contains a more extended exposition of some important point or topic.

2. A digression.

 

 

Excursus comes from the past participle of Latin excurrere, "to run out," from ex-, "out" + currere, "to run."

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arriviste \a-ree-VEEST\, noun:

 

A person who has recently attained success, wealth, or high status but not general acceptance or respect; an upstart.

 

 

Arriviste comes from French, from arriver, "to arrive," from (assumed) Vulgar Latin arripare, "to reach the shore," from Latin ad-, "to, toward" + ripa, "shore."

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sedition \sih-DISH-un\, noun:

 

Conduct or language inciting resistance to or rebellion against lawful authority.

 

 

Sedition comes from Latin seditio, sedition-, "a going apart," hence "revolt, insurrection," from se-, "apart" + itio, ition-, "act of going," from ire, "to go."

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errant \AIR-uhnt\, adjective:

 

1. Wandering; roving, especially in search of adventure.

2. Deviating from an appointed course; straying.

3. Straying from the proper standards (as of truth or propriety).

4. Moving aimlessly or irregularly; as, an errant breeze.

 

 

Errant comes from Middle French errer, "to travel," from Late Latin iterare, from Latin iter, "a journey"; confused somewhat with Latin errare, "to wander; to err."

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