Thursday, August 03, 2017

Today's words

A couple definitions from the Dictionary Devil puzzle:

bateau /ba-ˈtō/ or less commonly batteau; plural bateaux, batteaux - any of various small craft; especially :  a flat-bottomed boat with raked bow and stern and flaring sides

ephemeral - /i-ˈfem-rəl, -ˈfēm-; -ˈfe-mə-, -ˈfē-/ - something that lasts for a very short time : something ephemeral; specifically :  a plant that grows, flowers, and dies in a few days
I was quite familiar with the adjectival form, though not with its aspect of lasting only a day. I was not familiar with the noun, nor its specific botanical meaning. Also, I had no idea that the preferred pronunciation has only three syllables; I'll never pronounce it that way.

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