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meridian_roseI love finding new words, or words that have a slightly different meaning to that which I thought they did.
A few words I've logged over the past year:
Imprecations – curses, swears
Pernicious
adjective having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
DERIVATIVES
perniciously adverb
perniciousness noun
ORIGIN Middle English: from Latin perniciosus 'destructive', from pernicies 'ruin', based on nex, nec- 'death'.
pecuniary
adjective formal relating to or consisting of money.
DERIVATIVES
pecuniarily adverb
ORIGIN C16: from Latin pecuniarius, from pecunia 'money'.
Protean protean
adjective tending or able to change or adapt; variable or versatile.
ORIGIN C16: from the minor Greek sea god Proteus (who was able to change shape at will) + -an.
Incarnadined incarnadine literary
verb colour (something) crimson or pinkish-red.
noun a crimson or pinkish-red colour.
ORIGIN C16: from French incarnadin(e), from Italian incarnadino, variant of incarnatino 'flesh colour', based on Latin incarnare (see incarnate).
Equerry
noun (plural equerries)
an officer of the British royal household who attends members of the royal family.
historical an officer in a royal or noble household who was in charge of the stables.
ORIGIN C16 (formerly also as esquiry): from Old French esquierie 'company of squires, prince's stables', from Old French esquier 'esquire', perhaps associated with Latin equus 'horse'.
Tropes trope
noun a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.
ORIGIN C16: via Latin from Greek tropos 'turn, way, trope', from trepein 'to turn'.
Nascent
adjective
1 just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.
2 Chemistry (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.
DERIVATIVES
nascency noun
ORIGIN C17: from Latin nascent-, nasci 'to be born'.
Sublime
adjective (sublimer, sublimest)
1 of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
2 extreme or unparalleled: the sublime confidence of youth.
verb
1 Chemistry (with reference to a solid substance) change directly into vapour when heated, typically forming a solid deposit again on cooling.
2 archaic elevate to a high degree of purity or excellence.
DERIVATIVES
sublimely adverb
sublimity noun
ORIGIN C16 (in the sense 'dignified, aloof'): from Latin sublimis, from sub- 'up to' + a second element perhaps related to limen 'threshold', limus 'oblique'.
Chalybeate
adjective of or denoting natural mineral springs containing iron salts.
ORIGIN C17: from modern Latin chalybeatus, from Latin chalybs, from Greek khalups, khalub- 'steel'.
Samphire
noun a fleshy-leaved plant which grows near the sea. [Crithmum maritimum (rock samphire) and other species.]
ORIGIN C16 (earlier as sampiere): from French (herbe de) Saint Pierre 'St Peter('s herb)'.
Vicissitude
noun
1 a change of circumstances or fortune, typically for the worse.
2 literary alternation between contrasting things.
DERIVATIVES
vicissitudinous adjective
ORIGIN C17: from French, or from Latin vicissitudo, from vicissim 'by turns', from vic- 'turn, change'.
Limning limn
verb literary
1 represent in painting or words.
2 suffuse or highlight with bright colour or light.
DERIVATIVES
limner noun
ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense 'illuminate a manuscript'): alteration of obsolete lumine 'illuminate', via Old French luminer from Latin luminare 'make light'.
Alembic
noun an apparatus formerly used for distilling, consisting of a gourd-shaped container and a cap with a long beak for conveying the products to a receiver.
ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin alembicus, from Arabic al-'anbik, from al- 'the' + 'anbik 'still' (from Greek ambix, ambik- 'cup').
Orrery
noun (plural orreries) a clockwork model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon.
ORIGIN C18: named after the fourth Earl of Orrery, for whom one was made.
inselberg
noun Geology an isolated hill rising abruptly from a plain.
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: from German, from Insel 'island' + Berg 'mountain'.
Quisling
noun a traitor collaborating with an occupying enemy force.
ORIGIN Second World War: from the name of Major Vidkun Quisling, who ruled Norway on behalf of the German occupying forces.
Soubriquet
(also soubriquet)
noun a person's nickname.
ORIGIN C17: French, originally in the sense 'tap under the chin', of unknown origin.
Potvaliant
Potvaliant is the term that describes one who gains courage through drinking.
Obtruse/abstruse
adjective difficult to understand.
DERIVATIVES
abstrusely adverb
abstruseness noun
ORIGIN C16: from Latin abstrus-, abstrudere 'conceal', from ab- 'from' + trudere 'to push'.
Arrant
adjective literary utter; complete: what arrant nonsense!
DERIVATIVES
arrantly adverb
ORIGIN Middle English: variant of errant, originally in phrs such as arrant thief ('outlawed, roving thief').
Hallows
means holy things
Expiating
expiate
verb atone for (guilt or wrongdoing).
DERIVATIVES
expiable adjective
expiation noun
expiator noun
expiatory adjective
ORIGIN C16 (earlier (Middle English) as expiation): from Latin expiat-, expiare 'appease by sacrifice' (based on pius 'pious').
A few words I've logged over the past year:
Imprecations – curses, swears
Pernicious
adjective having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
DERIVATIVES
perniciously adverb
perniciousness noun
ORIGIN Middle English: from Latin perniciosus 'destructive', from pernicies 'ruin', based on nex, nec- 'death'.
pecuniary
adjective formal relating to or consisting of money.
DERIVATIVES
pecuniarily adverb
ORIGIN C16: from Latin pecuniarius, from pecunia 'money'.
Protean protean
adjective tending or able to change or adapt; variable or versatile.
ORIGIN C16: from the minor Greek sea god Proteus (who was able to change shape at will) + -an.
Incarnadined incarnadine literary
verb colour (something) crimson or pinkish-red.
noun a crimson or pinkish-red colour.
ORIGIN C16: from French incarnadin(e), from Italian incarnadino, variant of incarnatino 'flesh colour', based on Latin incarnare (see incarnate).
Equerry
noun (plural equerries)
an officer of the British royal household who attends members of the royal family.
historical an officer in a royal or noble household who was in charge of the stables.
ORIGIN C16 (formerly also as esquiry): from Old French esquierie 'company of squires, prince's stables', from Old French esquier 'esquire', perhaps associated with Latin equus 'horse'.
Tropes trope
noun a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.
ORIGIN C16: via Latin from Greek tropos 'turn, way, trope', from trepein 'to turn'.
Nascent
adjective
1 just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.
2 Chemistry (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.
DERIVATIVES
nascency noun
ORIGIN C17: from Latin nascent-, nasci 'to be born'.
Sublime
adjective (sublimer, sublimest)
1 of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
2 extreme or unparalleled: the sublime confidence of youth.
verb
1 Chemistry (with reference to a solid substance) change directly into vapour when heated, typically forming a solid deposit again on cooling.
2 archaic elevate to a high degree of purity or excellence.
DERIVATIVES
sublimely adverb
sublimity noun
ORIGIN C16 (in the sense 'dignified, aloof'): from Latin sublimis, from sub- 'up to' + a second element perhaps related to limen 'threshold', limus 'oblique'.
Chalybeate
adjective of or denoting natural mineral springs containing iron salts.
ORIGIN C17: from modern Latin chalybeatus, from Latin chalybs, from Greek khalups, khalub- 'steel'.
Samphire
noun a fleshy-leaved plant which grows near the sea. [Crithmum maritimum (rock samphire) and other species.]
ORIGIN C16 (earlier as sampiere): from French (herbe de) Saint Pierre 'St Peter('s herb)'.
Vicissitude
noun
1 a change of circumstances or fortune, typically for the worse.
2 literary alternation between contrasting things.
DERIVATIVES
vicissitudinous adjective
ORIGIN C17: from French, or from Latin vicissitudo, from vicissim 'by turns', from vic- 'turn, change'.
Limning limn
verb literary
1 represent in painting or words.
2 suffuse or highlight with bright colour or light.
DERIVATIVES
limner noun
ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense 'illuminate a manuscript'): alteration of obsolete lumine 'illuminate', via Old French luminer from Latin luminare 'make light'.
Alembic
noun an apparatus formerly used for distilling, consisting of a gourd-shaped container and a cap with a long beak for conveying the products to a receiver.
ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin alembicus, from Arabic al-'anbik, from al- 'the' + 'anbik 'still' (from Greek ambix, ambik- 'cup').
Orrery
noun (plural orreries) a clockwork model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon.
ORIGIN C18: named after the fourth Earl of Orrery, for whom one was made.
inselberg
noun Geology an isolated hill rising abruptly from a plain.
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: from German, from Insel 'island' + Berg 'mountain'.
Quisling
noun a traitor collaborating with an occupying enemy force.
ORIGIN Second World War: from the name of Major Vidkun Quisling, who ruled Norway on behalf of the German occupying forces.
Soubriquet
(also soubriquet)
noun a person's nickname.
ORIGIN C17: French, originally in the sense 'tap under the chin', of unknown origin.
Potvaliant
Potvaliant is the term that describes one who gains courage through drinking.
Obtruse/abstruse
adjective difficult to understand.
DERIVATIVES
abstrusely adverb
abstruseness noun
ORIGIN C16: from Latin abstrus-, abstrudere 'conceal', from ab- 'from' + trudere 'to push'.
Arrant
adjective literary utter; complete: what arrant nonsense!
DERIVATIVES
arrantly adverb
ORIGIN Middle English: variant of errant, originally in phrs such as arrant thief ('outlawed, roving thief').
Hallows
means holy things
Expiating
expiate
verb atone for (guilt or wrongdoing).
DERIVATIVES
expiable adjective
expiation noun
expiator noun
expiatory adjective
ORIGIN C16 (earlier (Middle English) as expiation): from Latin expiat-, expiare 'appease by sacrifice' (based on pius 'pious').
