Inveterate (in-VET-ur-it) — from the Latin for “chronic” or “long standing” — means habitual or firmly established. (more…)
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Inveterate (in-VET-ur-it) — from the Latin for “chronic” or “long standing” — means habitual or firmly established. (more…)
Panoptic (pan-OP-tik) — from the Greek for “fully visible” — is another way of saying comprehensive or all-encompassing. (more…)
Nugatory (NOO-guh-taw-ree) — from the Latin for “trifling” — means worthless or ineffective; of no real value. (more…)
I have long been fascinated by funny mistakes committed by people who should know better. Whenever I find an amusing goof, I seize upon it. “How did the copy editors and proofreaders and fact-checkers miss that one?” I think.
To rationalize (RASH-uh-nuh-lize) is to invent plausible and self-satisfying, but incorrect, justifications for one’s behavior.
To discombobulate (dis-kum-BOB-yuh-late) — a fanciful alteration of “discompose” or “discomfort” — is to befuddle, perplex, or frustrate.
Someone who’s bumptious (BUMP-shus) is pushy; offensively self-assertive. The word was possibly derived from a combination of “bump” and “presumptious.”
Example (as used by John Wood today): “Most successful people are very friendly and will be happy to talk to you. (Provided you aren’t overbearing or bumptious.)”
Aplomb (uh-PLOM) — from a French phrase meaning “balanced” — is imperturbable self-assurance. (It literally means “on the plumb line.”)
Example (as used by Peter Fogel today): “But though my friend has proven that you don’t need high self-esteem to be an effective speaker (or a successful entrepreneur) — he’s also shown that you need to be able to present your material with aplomb and conviction.”
To be cognizant (KOG-nuh-zunt) — from the Latin for “to learn” — is to be fully aware.
Example (as used by Rich Schefren today): “Your job right now is to become cognizant of what you need to know to achieve your main goal.”
A Pergola (PUR-guh-luh) — from the Italian for “arbor” — is an open lattice structure, usually covered with roses or other climbing plants, that forms a decorative, shaded passageway.
Example (as used by Michael Masterson today): “[This] savvy marketer spent the money to build an 8-foot stucco wall around the property… And he created a very elaborate entrance with pillars, pergolas, and arches.”
I learned a lovely word today: MacGuffin. A MacGuffin is an irrelevant interest grabber — a story whose purpose is to draw attention to itself and away from something else.
It comes from a plot device invented by Alfred Hitchcock. He borrowed it from a shaggy-dog story that goes something like this:
A couple, riding in an English train, notice a tall man carrying a large, odd-looking package. They ask him what it contains. Instead of telling them to mind their own business, he says, “A MacGuffin.” (more…)
In my reading, I frequently encounter misused and confused words. Here are five recent sightings, most from major newspapers:
The writer means faint praise — not very much. A feint is a deceptive or diversionary action. (more…)
Angst (ENGK-stuh) — from the German — is a feeling of dread or anxiety.
Example (as used by Dr. Srikumar Rao today): “If happiness is our nature, why do we not experience it more often? Why are our lives filled with angst and sorrow?”
To asseverate (uh-SEV-uh-rate) — from the Latin for “spoken in earnest” — is to emphatically declare. (more…)
A degenerate (dih-JEN-uh-rit) — from the Latin for “to decline” — is a person who has lost the moral and ethical qualities considered to be normal or desirable. (more…)
A contentious issue among language enthusiasts is the use of the split infinitive. Before reviewing the arguments of the two sides, let’s look at a few examples: (more…)
Weltanschauung (VELT-ahn-shou-oong) — German for “world” + “perception” — is an individual’s personal philosophy, the ideas and beliefs through which he sees and interprets the world. (more…)
Something that’s acrimonious (ak-ruh-MOH-nee-us) — from the Latin for “sharp” or “sour” — is resentful, caustic, or bitter. (more…)
“Eighty-six” is diner slang for taking an item off the menu or canceling an order. It’s also used by bars and restaurants when they refuse to serve an unruly or drunk customer. By extension, it can mean rejecting, discarding, or getting rid of anything or anyone (especially gangster style). (more…)
Laissez-faire (lay-zay-FARE) — French for “allow to do” — is the economic policy of allowing markets to be free of intervention by the government. (more…)
Parsimonious (par-suh-MOH-nee-us) is another way of saying miserly or excessively frugal.
Example (as used by Michael Masterson today): “Stingy rich people are parsimonious because they enjoy being so. Pinching pennies isn’t a financial planning strategy for them, it’s a twisted hobby.” (more…)
A predilection (pred-l-EK-shun) — from the Latin for “to choose or love before others” — is a preconceived preference — a tendency to think favorably of something in particular. (more…)
Consternation (kon-ster-NAY-shun) — from the Latin for “to throw into confusion” — is the state of being utterly bewildered.
Example (as used by Bob Cox today): “Imagine my consternation (and embarrassment) when the new CEO declined to come downstairs to the conference room to meet with us.”
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A lexicon (LEK-sih-kon) — from the Greek for “speech” or “word” — is the vocabulary used by a particular language, profession, social class, or individual.
Example (as used by Rich Schefren today): “There is something about the [Starbucks] lexicon that makes us feel like we are members of a club. (With club locations seemingly on every street corner.)”