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Word – Sonder
Sonder – Word of the Day Meaning: The profound realisation that every random passer-by has a life as vivid and complex as your own. Origin: This word was coined by John Koenig in 2012 in his book, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. The goal of this project was to describe emotions that didn’t have words assigned to them. Sonder is inspired by the German prefix sonder-, meaning “special”, and the French word sonder, meaning “to probe”. Usage: Hey man, I just had a sonder. I realised that the girl sitting next to me on the plane could have a mind-blowing...
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Word – Sanguine
Sanguine – Word of the Day Meaning: (adj.) Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. (adj.) A blood-red colour. Origin: The word first appeared in Middle English as sanguin, which came from the Latin word sanguis(which means “blood”). Now here’s the million-dollar question: how did a word meaning “blood”, come to mean optimistic in the modern era? In the middle ages, bodily health was believed to be governed by the balance of different liquids – or humors – in one’s body. If any of those four humors – phlegm, black bile (also called melancholy), yellow bile...
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Word – Nebulous
Nebulous – Word of the Day Meaning: Hazy or cloudy Vague or ill-defined Origin: Nebulous first appears in late Middle English, and it comes from the French word nébuleux, which in turn originates from the Latin word nebulosus(which comes from the word nebula – mist), meaning “misty”. It originally meant “cloudy”, and the second meaning of the word started being used in the early 19th century. Usage: I saw a giant nebulous glow in the sky while driving back from Stevie’s party. Do you think it could’ve been a UFO? I have a nebulous idea for a comedy sketch. Let’s...
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Word – Fecund
Fecund – Word of the Day Meaning: Highly fertile/capable of bearing children Capable of producing many new ideas Origin: Fecund was first used in the 15th century. Some say it originated from the French word fécond, meaning “fruitful”. Others believe that it came from the Latin word fecundus, meaning fertile. Usage: a fecund breed of sheep. We owe the entire fantasy genre to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fecund imagination. These tomatoes are from Janine’s fecund garden on her rooftop. Almost all of my grain comes from the fecund farms in the North. The 1970s was a fecund decade for Bollywood. I wish...
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Word – Necromancy
Necromancy – Word of the Day Meaning: The practice of communicating with the spirits of dead people, especially to predict the future, or for nefarious purposes. Origin: The word necromancy originates from the Late Latin word necromantia, which in turn comes from the post-classical greek word nekromanteía, which is a compound of two words nekros(“dead body”) and manteía(“divination by means of”). Usage: When Daniella’s husband died, a psychic she ran into, told her that she can use necromancy to communicate with him. Through the art of necromancy, I could communicate with my deceased grandfather. Tales abound about the Shadow Lands...
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Word – Paraphernalia
Paraphernalia – Word of the Day Meaning: (noun) Miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity. (noun) Trappings associated with a particular institution or activity that are regarded as superfluous. Origin: Paraphernalia came to English, via Medieval Latin, from Greek parapherna, meaning “bride’s property beyond her dowry” (from para-, meaning “beyond,” and phernē, meaning “dowry”). Examples: Go to the hardware store down the corner, it has all the drills, screws, saws and other paraphernalia you need for home improvements. We just need to get some of the paraphernalia needed for the experiment, the lab will procure the really...
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Word – Bellicose
Bellicose – Word of the Day Meaning: Showing aggression and willingness to fight. Origin: Bellicose first appears in Late Middle English. The word comes from the Laitn bellicus, which means “warlike”. The root word of bellicus is bellum, which means “war”. Usage: The England fans were overly bellicose at the FIFA World Cup finals this year. The party candidate’s speech was less policy-oriented, and more bellicose rhetoric. You can’t be bellicose like that in a workplace meeting. The rugby team was feared not because of the skill of its players, but because of its bellicose posturing. Cameron can behave in...
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Word – Besotted
Besotted – Word of the Day Meaning: Deeply infatuated Drunk Origin: The word was first used in the late 16th century. Then, it meant “stupid” and “infatuated”. Examples: He was so besotted with her that he never realised how badly she treated him. The king was completely besotted with the idea of building a tower that rose till the heavens. Ross and Rachel were initially besotted with each other before Rachel started working with Mark. The lovers are always besotted with each other in the honeymoon phase of the relationship. John is so clearly besotted with Irene that he can’t...
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Word – Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude – Word of the Day Meaning: Pleasure derived by someone from someone else’s misfortune or pain. Origin: While we commonly use this word in English, it is actually borrowed from German. It is a compound of two words: schaden(meaning “harm”), and freude(meaning “joy”) giving it a literal meaning ‘harmful joy’. Usage: I couldn’t resist a bit of schadenfreude when my biggest rival was busted for drug possession. My schadenfreude did not last long, though. Soon after my rival was arrested, the police were hot on my heels, and I had to go underground. Imagine my schadenfreude, when I learned...
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Word – Enchantment
Enchantment – Word of the Day Meaning (noun): A feeling of great pleasure; delight. Synonym: Magic Charm Allure Mesmerism History: It originated in Middle English from word inchant which means put under a spell and also from French word enchanter derived from Latin word incantare, via in-+ cantare means sing. Example: Noun Usage – Enchantment Meera’s dance performance was a magical enchantment. Just like the movie Black Swan but even more captivating! He wrote so beautifully about the dangers as well as the enchantments of paragliding. Tim couldn’t get rid of the enchantment of Yukti. Mayank is in a state...
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Word- Obnoxious
Obnoxious- Word of the day Meaning: odiously or disgustingly objectionable; highly offensive History: Obnoxious is derived from the latin word ‘Obnoxiosus’ which basically means harmful or injurious.While the modern meaning is offensive, hateful and highly objectionable. Examples: Some of his colleagues say that he’s loud and obnoxious. When she’s in a bad mood she’s obnoxious to everyone. If you describe someone as obnoxious, you think that they are very unpleasant. One of the parents was an obnoxious character. No-one liked him. The people at my table were so obnoxious I simply had to change my seat The two men she...
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Word – Tranquil
Tranquil – Word of the Day Meaning (Adjective): free from disturbance; calm. Synonym: Quiet Serene Relaxing Pleasant History: It originated in late Middle English derived from French word tranquille and Latin word transqilus. Example: Adjective Usage – Tranquil: “Look at Alex she looks so tranquil and happy.” Decisions taken from a tranquil mind are always victorious. This place is so tranquil that I can spend my entire life here peacefully. It’s so tranquil today. Max seems less tranquil today as compared to other days. My yoga teacher helped me reach a tranquil state. Verb Usage – Tranquilize: You need to...
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Word – Maudlin
Maudlin – Word of the Day Meaning: [adj] : self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental. : (of a book, film, or song) highly sentimental. History: History debated between the early 14th century and early 16th century, roughly in 1610. Debated of French and Latin origin. From Middle English Maudelen From Old French Madelaine Mary Magdalene who was forgiven by Jesus Christ is found weeping in many paintings. So it is debated that the word could have originated from this. Usage: 1. Adverb examples – maudlinly : 1. The musician sang maudlinly. 2. After having some shots of anesthesia Tom moaned maudinly. 3....
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Word – Oblivious
Oblivious – Word of the Day Meaning (adjective): Unable to Remember or Unconscious (Clueless of what’s happening around). Generally not concerned about anything. History: Going back to history in the mid 15th century, the word ‘Oblivious’ originated from the Latin word ‘ Oblivious,’ which means ‘forgetful’ or quickly forgets. Usage: 1. Adjective Examples – Oblivious: My mother was oblivious to the cat’s presence in the kitchen. Since the parent was oblivious, the baby girl burnt her finger. Rose was strolling in the garden, seemingly oblivious to the situation that had happened in his neighborhood. When his wrist started bleeding, he...
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Word- Grandiloquence
Grandiloquence- Word of the day Meaning: a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language History: Grandiloquence is derived from the Latin word loqui, meaning “to speak.” Grandiloquence comes (probably via Middle French) from the Latin adjective grandiloquus, which combines loqui and the adjective grandis (“grand or great”).The word is very similar in meaning to grandiloquence is magniloquence—and the similarity is not surprising. Magniloquence combines loqui with magnus, another Latin word meaning “great.” Examples: Shawn is an actor incapable of checking his grandiloquence at the stage door. Her big features matched its grandiloquence and spoke...
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Word – Maelstrom
Maelstrom – Word of the Day Meaning: [noun]: a strong water current with a circular movement an emotional situation that is difficult to understand or deal with and is scary History: In the late 17th century, two words were taken from the early Dutch – ‘maalen’ meaning whirl, grind and ‘stroom’ meaning stream. Together, they formed the word Maelstrom. The original Maelstrom is referred to the channel with dangerous tidal currents situated off Norway’s northwest coast. It was in the 19th century when this word gained its popularity in the general English vocabulary in reference to powerful, significant whirlpools or...
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Word – Vital
Vital – Word of the Day Meaning (adjective): absolutely necessary; essential. (verb): give strength and energy to. Synonyms: Essential Crucial Necessary Important Required History: It originated in late Middle English explaining the principle of living beings through Old French word via Latin word Vitalis which means life. Examples: Adjective Usage – Vital: My wife’s support is vital for my business. You have to make a vital contribution to the company. The doctor said my tumour has spread in my entire body; it’s vital for me to go for surgery this week itself. For a healthy relationship, good communication is very...
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Word – Adamant
Adamant – Word of the Day Meaning (adjective): Refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind. Synonym: Rigid Determined Stubborn Firm History: This word originated in the 16th century from Greek word via Latin as adamas or adamant which means incapable of being subdued or unbeatable. Historically during the 17th century adamant was believed to be a stone of hard substance which is impossible to break that easily, such as diamond. Later it was used in Old French as adamaunt and in Old English as adamant. Examples: Adjective usage – Adamant: The manager seemed quite adamant about...
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Word- Debouch
Debouch- Word of the day Meaning: to cause to emerge : discharge to march out into open ground : emerge, issue History: Debouch first appeared in English in the 18th century. It derives from a French verb formed from the prefix de- (“from”) and the noun bouche (“mouth”), which itself derives from the Latin bucca (“cheek”). Examples: It passes through the entrance to the Sahara Canal before it debouches into the North Sea. This mission had the major aim of establishing a safe place for people to debouch from the Alps. It rises from the highest Peak and flows...
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Word – Adumbrate
Adumbrate – Word of the day Meaning : : represent in outline. : foreshadow (a future event). History: Latin origin. Latin verb adumbrare, which comes from “umbra,” the Latin word for “shadow” which then turned to be giving a shadowy view of something. Usage: Verb examples – adumbrate: 1. The teacher asked John to adumbrate his aims of the project. 2. The painter chose dull colors to adumbrate the eyes of the painting. 3. The candle light adumbrated the dark walls with a yellow light. Adjective examples – adumbrate: 1. The brochure was adumbrative of the new sales goals of...
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