Word of the Day

Potable is an adjective that means ‘suitable for drinking.’ As a noun it refers to ‘a liquid that is suitable for drinking.’ The Latin word potare (poe TAR ay) which means ‘to drink’ is where our word of the day began life. It soon came to be an adjective that meant ‘suitable for drinking’ and a noun that meant a liquid that can be drank. The biggest problem with many third world countries is the...

Oblique is an adjective that means ‘indirect or not straightforward.’ It’s also a noun that refers to ‘something that is oblique.’ Our word of the day is from Latin. Obliquus (oh blee GOOSE) means ‘diagonally’ or ‘slanted.’ To this day, it may refer a line that is neither perpendicular nor parallel, and it may also mean something that is indirect or implied. The congressman’s speech contained...

Pliable is an adjective that means ‘yielding readily to others.’ Our word of the day has evolved from the Latin word plicare (plee CAR ay) which means ‘to fold.’ Pliable may be used to refer to a substance that is supple and easily bendable. Or it may be used metaphorically to refer to someone’s temperament. For example: As an assistant, it’s often important to be pliable to your employer. If you...

Comestible is an adjective that means ‘edible.’ It is also a noun that refers to ‘food.’ The Latin word comedere (co may DARE ay) means ‘to eat’ or ‘consume.’ By the 18th century, it had evolved into its present form to mean ‘fit to eat.’ As an adjective, comestible holds roughly this same meaning. As a noun, the word made its first appearance in print about a century later. I sure wish that...

Pedagogical is an adjective that means ‘related to a teacher or education.’ The Greek word paidagōgos (PIE duh go gose) referred to a slave who brought children to school. Over the centuries it has entered Latin and English to evolve into several words related to children or education. I hope the school is comfortable with my innovative pedagogical methods. Teachers are usually discouraged from st...

Lackadaisical is an adjective that means ‘lacking spirit or zest.’ Our word of the day began life with the popular 17th century phrase ‘alack the day!’ Something said to express sorrow or disappointment. With a shift in pronunciation and the addition of the suffix I-C-A-L, the phrase evolved into a word that was used to describe a languid or lethargic temperament. With this lackadaisical approach,...

Fraught is an adjective that means ‘full of or accompanied by something.’ The origin of our word of the day is in Middle English where it began as a synonym of ‘loaded.’ Ships that carried a heavy load were said to be fraught with a heavy load. More recently the word has been used figuratively. For example: I’ve always loved my five brothers, but our relationship has always been fraught with...

Mot juste is a noun that refers to ‘the exactly right word or phrasing.’ Our word of the day is borrowed directly from French and it translates into ‘right word.’ When asked to describe Katy’s personality, I would say that tempestuous is the mot juste. I can’t think of a better word to sum her up.

Heterodox is an adjective that means ‘different from the traditional method.’ Our word of the day could be thought of as an antonym of orthodox, which simply means approved by the established traditions. Orthodox and heterodox share the Greek root word Doxa (DOAKS ah) meaning ‘opinion.’ Heterodox begins with the prefix ‘heter’ meaning ‘different’ or ‘other,’ so, for example, a heterodox approach m...

Cacology is a noun that refers to a poor choice of words. The Greek word kakos (kah KOSE) means ‘bad’ or ‘evil.’ Our word of the day has evolved from this to refer to a bad or mistaken use of language. Among its many possible uses, cacology could mean mispronunciation, bad diction or poorly selected language. Getting tripped up by cacology seems to happen a lot to Cory. He may want to rethink his...

Pleonexia is a noun that refers to greed. The Greek word pleon (PLAY on) means ‘to have.’ Our word of the day evolved from this to become a synonym of avarice and covetousness. Everything went well with our company until our operations became driven by pleonexia. Greed always has a way of killing a good company.

Myopic is an adjective that means lacking foresight. Our word of the day has its origin in the word Greek my myopia (my OPE ee uh) which refers to shortsightedness. Centuries later, as it entered English, it also came to refer to the medical condition known as ‘nearsightedness’ where a person can only see objects close to them. You could think of a myopic person as someone who can only grasp thing...

Fugacious is an adjective that means lasting a short time. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word fugere (foo JAIR ay) which means ‘to flee.’ A Fugacious moment tends to flee very quickly. I only spent a few weekends with my grandfather, but those fugacious moments will last in my memory forever.

Loquacious is an adjective that means talkative or fluent. The Latin word loquāc (low KWATCH) means ‘verbose.’ A loquacious person talks a lot and is more inclined to be sociable or extroverted. Having a loquacious neighbor can be enjoyable, but there is a downside. If you catch them in an especially talkative mood, you can find yourself roped into a lengthy conversation when you have other things...

Tenderfoot is a noun that refers to an inexperienced beginner. The English words ‘tender’ and ‘foot’ combine to form our word of the day. A person with no experience in the woods, for example, has feet that are not rough. In other words, tender feet. As a musician, I’m something of a tenderfoot. I simply don’t have enough experience to hold my own in an environment with established artists.

Argus is a noun that refers to a watchful guardian. In Greek mythology, Argos was a giant with many eyes. As time went by, it was often said that a watchful person had ‘the eyes of Argos.’ The name itself later became a reference to a guardian, as in: Tyler served as an argus while we trekked further into the woods. He kept a watchful eye, making sure we didn’t get any surprises from things like b...

Extirpate is a verb that means to destroy completely. Our word of the day comes from the Latin word stirps (steer PEE ess) which means ‘trunk’ or ‘roots.’ The addition of the prefix ‘EX’ gets us to a word that means ‘to pull up from the roots.’ When something is pulled up from the roots it is eliminated completely. Florence wanted those horrible photos extirpated. She didn’t just want them out of...

Incur is a verb that means to become liable or subject to. The Latin word currere (COO ray ray) means ‘to run.’ By adding the prefix ‘IN,’ we get ‘to run into.’ Just as a person who runs into debt is responsible for it, the same can be said of someone who incurs it. My dad always thought it was a bad idea to incur lots of debt. Being liable to past payments, he felt, was like owing money to your p...

Mare’s nest is a noun that refers to a hoax or an illusion. Our word of the day combines two very familiar English words, ‘mare’ and ‘nest.’ Those conversant with the behavior of horses may know that mares don’t actually make nests. The phrase’s origin comes from that fact. A mare with a nest would be a strange hoax or something puzzling. The mall parking lot can be a mare’s nest. Just when you th...

Austral is an adjective that means related to the southern hemisphere. You may recognize our word of the day as being embedded in the name of the country and continent Australia. This is no coincidence. The Latin word auster (OW ster) means ‘south,’ just perfect for a nation located in the Southwestern Pacific ocean. I might visit New Zealand the next time I’m in the mood for austral travel. The s...

Misoneism is a noun that refers to a fear of innovation or change. The Greek word for hatred is misos (ME sose) combined with another Greek word Neos (NAY ose) for ‘new’ and the Italian ismo (EASE moe) meaning ‘a distinctive practice’ we get ‘the hatred of the new. The word can also refer to fear of new things. I don’t understand why all these parents hate the young people’s music. All this misone...

Costive is an adjective that means slow in action or expression. The Latin word constipare (con stee PAR ay) referred to constipation, the medical condition of being unable to have a bowel movement. As our word of the day evolved its meaning broadened to also refer to being slow in action, regardless of the reason for the slowness. Kyle’s costive temperament makes her a good judge. A person who is...

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Homologate is a verb that means to sanction or approve of. Our word of the day combines the Greek Homos (HO mose) which means “alike” with the Greek word for “word” logos (LOW gose). Together they give us a word that refers to bringing words into agreement. As the league’s commissioner, my job consisted mostly of homologating the deals brokered by the owners of the teams. It wasn’t always easy bec...

Byronic is an adjective that means moody and melodramatic. 19th century poet Lord Byron provides the origin of our word of the day. He was a romantic English poet known for poetry that was full of melancholy and intense drama. Byronic may be used to describe poetry of this kind, or can be used more broadly to describe anything, like as a person’s behavior, that fits such a description. For example...