24 and 25 March 2007

[Valiant 96]

prepotency \pree-POTE-n-see\, noun:

 

1. The quality or condition of having superior power, influence, or force; predominance.

2. (Biology) The capacity, on the part of one of the parents, as compared with the other, to transmit more than his or her own share of characteristics to their offspring.

 

 

Prepotency is from Latin praepotentia, from prae-, "before" + potentia, "power," from potens, "able, powerful," present participle of posse, "to be able."

[Valiant 96]

trice \TRYS\, noun:

 

A very short time; an instant; a moment; -- used chiefly in the phrase "in a trice."

 

 

Trice is from Middle English (at a) trise, literally, "(at one) pull," from trisen, "to pull," from Middle Dutch trisen, "to hoist," from trise, "a windlass, a pulley."

[Valiant 96]

bedaub \bih-DOB\, transitive verb:

 

1. To smudge over; to besmear or soil with anything thick and dirty.

2. To overdecorate; to ornament showily or excessively.

 

 

Bedaub is from be-, "thoroughly" + daub, from Medieval French dauber, "to plaster," perhaps from Old French dauber, "to clothe in white, white-wash, plaster," from Latin dealbare, "to whitewash, to plaster," from de- (intensive prefix) + albus, "white."

[Valiant 96]

circumspect \SUR-kuhm-spekt\, adjective:

 

Marked by attention to all circumstances and probable consequences; cautious; prudent.

 

Circumspect comes from the past participle of Latin circumspicere, "to look around, to consider carefully," from circum-, "around" + specere, "to look." The noun form is circumspection.

[Valiant 96]

indigence \IN-dih-juhn(t)s\, noun:

 

A state of extreme poverty or destitution.

 

Indigence comes from Latin indigentia, "neediness," from indigens, indigent- present participle of indigere to be in need of, from Latin indu (archaic form of in-), "in" + egere "to be needy, to need, to lack." The adjective form is indigent.

[Valiant 96]

termagant \TUR-muh-guhnt\, noun:

 

1. A scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; a shrew.

2. Overbearing; shrewish; scolding.

 

 

Termagant comes from Middle English Termagaunt, alteration of Tervagant, from Old French. Termagant was an imaginary Muslim deity represented in medieval morality plays as extremely violent and turbulent. By the sixteenth century, termagant was used for a boisterous, brawling, turbulent person of either sex, but eventually it came to refer only to women.

[Valiant 96]

cavort \kuh-VORT\, intransitive verb:

 

1. To bound or prance about.

2. To have lively or boisterous fun; to behave in a high-spirited, festive manner.

 

 

Cavort is perhaps an alteration of curvet, "a light leap by a horse" (with the back arched or curved), from Italian corvetta, "a little curve," from Middle French courbette, from courber, "to curve," from Latin curvare, "to bend, to curve," from curvus, "curved, bent."

[Valiant 96]

impugn \im-PYOON\, transitive verb:

 

To attack by words or arguments; to call in question; to make insinuations against; to oppose or challenge as false; to gainsay.

 

 

Impugn comes from Latin impugnare, "to assail," from in-, "against" + pugnare, "to fight."

[Valiant 96]

Yes the WotD is back!

 

veritable \VER-ih-tuh-bul\, adjective:

 

Agreeable to truth or to fact; actual; real; true; genuine.

 

 

Veritable derives from Latin veritas, "truth," from verus, "true."

[Valiant 96]

Time was a little tight. I apologise for the lack of WotD entries.

 

Ever wondered about the meaning of this automobile brand...?

 

fiat \FEE-uht; -at; -aht; FY-uht; -at\, noun:

 

1. An arbitrary or authoritative command or order.

2. Formal or official authorization or sanction.

 

 

Fiat derives from Latin fiat, "let it be done," from fieri, "to be done."

[Valiant 96]

bon vivant \bon-vee-VONT\, noun:

 

A person with refined and sociable tastes, especially one who enjoys fine food and drink.

 

 

Bon vivant comes from French bon, "good" (from Latin bonus) + vivant, present participle of vivre, "to live," from Latin vivere.

[Valiant 96]

After one month, the WotD is back!

 

convivial \kuhn-VIV-ee-uhl\, adjective:

 

Relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company; merry; festive.

 

 

Convivial comes from Latin convivium, "a feast, entertainment, a banquet," from conviva, "a table-companion, a guest," from convivere, "to live with, hence to feast with," from com-, con-, with + vivere, "to live."

[Valiant 96]

ratiocination \rash-ee-ah-suh-NAY-shun; rash-ee-oh-\, noun:

 

The process of reasoning.

 

Ratiocination is from Latin rationcinatio, from ratiocinari, "to compute, to calculate, to reason," from ratio, "reckoning, calculation, reason," from reri, "to reckon, to think."

[Valiant 96]

phantasmagoria \fan-taz-muh-GOR-ee-uh\, noun:

 

1. A shifting series or succession of things seen or imagined, as in a dream.

2. Any constantly changing scene.

 

 

Phantasmagoria is from French phantasmagorie, from phantasme, "phantasm" (from Greek, from phantazein, "to make visible," from phantos, "visible," from phainein, "to show") + -agorie, perhaps from Greek agora, "assembly."

[Valiant 96]

heterodox \HET-uh-ruh-doks\, adjective:

 

1. Contrary to or differing from some acknowledged standard, especially in church doctrine or dogma; unorthodox.

2. Holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines.

 

 

Heterodox comes from Greek heterodoxos, "of another opinion," from hetero-, "other" + doxa, "opinion," from dokein, "to believe."

[Valiant 96]

fractious \FRAK-shuhs\, adjective:

 

1. Tending to cause trouble; unruly.

2. Irritable; snappish; cranky.

 

 

Fractious is from fraction, which formerly had the sense "discord, dissension, disharmony"; it is derived from Latin frangere, "to break."

[Valiant 96]

It's become the Word of the Day when I'm free to update. >.<

 

Hence, I will feature a few more words if I happen to miss the updates.

 

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pecuniary \pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee\, adjective:

 

1. Relating to money; monetary.

2. Consisting of money.

3. Requiring payment of money.

 

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didactic \dy-DAK-tik; duh-\, adjective:

 

1. Fitted or intended to teach; conveying instruction; instructive; teaching some moral lesson; as, "didactic essays."

2. Inclined to teach or moralize excessively; moralistic.

[Valiant 96]

triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun:

 

A morbid fear of the number 13 or the date Friday the 13th.

 

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desideratum \dih-sid-uh-RAY-tum; -RAH-\, noun;

plural desiderata:

 

Something desired or considered necessary.

 

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betimes \bih-TYMZ\, adverb:

 

1. Early; in good time; before it is late.

2. At times; on occasion.

3. [Archaic] Soon; in a short time.