Growing up, if I didn’t know what a word in a book meant and I asked, Mom and Dad would make me look it up in the dictionary (I know…SERIOUSLY…Mr. and Mrs. Genghis Khan over here!).
But it’s really good that they did that. Train up a child in the way she should go…and when she is in grad school, she will not depart from it… Because now I kind of love the dictionary. What’s more…I really love stumbling on words I’ve never seen before. Here are a few I’ve encountered in the last week.
ec·dys·i·ast
noun \ek-ˈdi-zē-ˌast, -zē-əst\Definition: stripteaser
Origin: Greek ekdysīs
First Known Use: 1940
As in, ‘Hey, aren’t you glad I’m getting my PhD so I can learn words like ‘ecdysiast’?pru·ri·ent
adj \-ənt\Definition: marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire; especially: marked by, arousing, or appealing to sexual desire
Origin: Latin prurient-, pruriens, present participle of prurire to itch, crave; akin to Latin pruna glowing coal, Sanskrit ploṣati he singes, and probably to Latin pruina hoarfrost — more at freeze
First Known Use: 1592
As in…actually, I’m not going to use this in a sentence. My MOM reads this blog.pul·chri·tude
noun \ˈpəl-krə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\Definition: physical comeliness
Origin: Middle English, from Latin pulchritudin-, pulchritudo, from pulchr-, pulcher beautiful
First Known Use: 15th century
As in, Kyle’s comment regarding my pulchritude was perfectly-timed as I was feeling especially vulnerable and un-pulchritudinous today.
trav·es·ty
verb, transitive \ˈtra-və-stē\Definition: to make a travesty of, to parody
First Known Use: 1673
As in, she made a travesty of the dictionary and Noah Webster rolled over in his grave.Dictionary source: Merriam-Webster Online.
I’m fascinated by the idea that language is fluid, that it comes to us from so many different places and times, that it’s constantly being created and re-created. And I’m always excited when I find out there are other meanings for the same word (like travesty!)
By the way, it totally feels like cheating to look words up online. Is that cheating, Mom?
Have a favorite word you’ve learned recently?
love, elizabeth
6 comments:
I love learning the origins of words! My parents used to make us do the same thing. Now, when I'm unsure, I Google "______ definition". Still a nerd. I have to know what that word means!
No, looking up a word online is NOT cheating because I do it. So it isn't cheating. Hey, a dictionary is a dictionary.
i used to read reader's digest on the vocab rubric and almost always i'm 98% doesn't know the words.
I love the dictionary and learning new words too! Check out my new link party (Letters of my Life) to see new words I am learning! =)
http://tobless.blogspot.com/2012/05/alphabet-week-1-aaa.html?m=0
Alesha <3
What a fun post...one of the things I want
To introduce to baby Pancakes is this exact concept
Of finding
Out and learning new and interesting words. I've actually heard of
Pulchritude before...probably read too many Bronte and Austin!! Loved learning new worlds today thanks!
You crack me up, Elizabeth! Thanks for teaching me some new words today! :P
PS - You look exactly like your mom in that pic!
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