Today's words

Several from the Dictionary Devil that I could tell were new(ish), and one that surprised me. Let's start with the marginally familiar ones:

exiguity /ˌeg-zi-ˈgyü-ə-tē/ - the quality or state of being exiguous : SCANTINESS

I've definitely encountered this word before, and without sufficient context it chases me to the dictionary every time

pyrrhic /ˈpir-ik/ - a metrical foot consisting of two short or unaccented syllables

I was familiar with the adjective that describes a heavy-priced victory, and believe I'd encountered this noun before but don't remember for certain

vinculum /viŋ-kyə-ləm/ - 1. a unifying bond : LINK, TIE  2. a straight horizontal mark placed over two or more members of a compound mathematical expression and equivalent to parentheses or brackets about them

I'm pretty sure I've heard of the second definition at some point in my engineering education. But I don't think I've encountered the first before.

loophole /ˈlüp-ˌhōl/ -  1a. a small opening through which small arms may be fired  b. a similar opening to admit light and air or to permit observation 2. a means of escape  especially : an ambiguity or omission in the text through which the intent of a statute, contract, or obligation may be evaded 

These days, everyone has heard of the second definition. I'm thinking I may have encountered the first before, too, but maybe only once, and it definitely threw me for a loop while solving the puzzle. 

Today's word

friend /frend/ - 1. someone who doesn't consider it an imposition - or a favor - to make time for your shit, when they get a chance, but also 2. someone who understands that you don't always have time for their shit 3. someone who isn't willing to watch one of your lowest moments even when the internet keeps serving it up on a silver platter

Today's word

susurrous /soo-SUR-us/ - full of whispering sounds

It pleases me that there is also a noun susurrus, and also that the usage example of the noun they provide in the WOTD post is from Stephen King.

Today's words

Three new words from a single Dictionary Devil puzzle this morning. I've listed them in increasing likelihood of my ever encountering or using them in the wild:

instar /ˈin-ˌstär/ - a stage in the life of an arthropod (such as an insect) between two successive molts
also : an individual in a specified instar

I suppose it's probably odd to think that I'm more likely to need the "also" definition than the primary one. 

florilegium /ˌflȯr-ə-ˈlē-j(ē-)əm/ plural florilegia /ˌflȯr-​ə-​ˈlē-​j(ē-​)ə/ - a volume of writings : anthology

The flowery source of this word is evident. Nice word.

viridity /və-ˈri-də-tē/ - 1a. the quality or state of being green  b. the color of grass or foliage  2. naive innocence

I think I may have encountered this word in its first sense, and might not have thought to list it here if the puzzle hadn't used the second sense. I suppose I am jealous of those whose life didn't crush this form of viridity out of them before they'd matured sufficiently for the word to apply to them.  

Today's word

From the most recent Dictionary Devil:

aepyornis /ˌē-pē-ˈȯr-nəs/ - elephant bird

A word coined in 1851 for a bird that has been extinct since 1000-ish. 

Today's word

From the Dictionary Devil: 

ritornello /ˌri-tər-ˈne-(ˌ)lō, ˌri-ˌtȯr-/ - 1a. a short recurrent instrumental passage in a vocal composition   b. an instrumental interlude in early opera  2. a tutti passage in a concerto or rondo refrain

Today's words

carminative /kär-ˈmi-nə-tiv, ˈkär-mə-ˌnā-/ - expelling gas from the stomach or intestines so as to relieve flatulence or abdominal pain or distension

Courtesy of a Words at Play blog entry that's a fun read.

Today's words

tergiversation /'ter-jiv-er-SAY-shun/ - 1. evasion of straightforward action or clear-cut statement : equivocation 2 : desertion of a cause, position, party, or faith

I usually only put words I didn't know here. I made an exception because of one aspect or another of the related words in this WOTD column.

tergiversate /TER-jəv-er-'sayt, 'ter-JIV-er-'sayt, GIV, 'ter-jə-VER-'sayt/ - to engage in tergiversation

Okay, so it's not common as a verb as it is as a noun, although most people could clearly determine the meaning of this one from the previous one. I just think they should have come up with one alternate pronunciation with the emphaSIS on the last syllaBLE. I don't understand why the glottal (or "hard") "g" isn't an option for the noun.

tergum /TER-gəm/ -  the dorsal part or plate of a segment of an arthropod
tergal /TER-gəl/ - dorsal

Now, these are new words for me.

Today's word

phoebe /FEE-bee/ - any of a genus (Sayornis) of the tyrant flycatcher family; especially : a flycatcher (S. phoebe) of the eastern U.S. that has a slight crest and is plain grayish brown above and yellowish white below

From today's Dictionary Devil. It took me a minute, too, to realize that a flycatcher is a bird. 

Today's word

peripeteia /'pair-uh-puh-TEE-uh/ - a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation especially in a literary work

A word from my distant past, from either a classics or theater class in my first college (i.e., partying) career. Then there's this new addition to a fun post I've seen lately:

I before E, except (in an entertaining peripeteia) when your foreign neighbor Keith receives eight beige counterfeit sleighs from feisty caffeinated weightlifters. Weird. 

Today's word

intestine /in-TESS-tin / - internal; specifically : of or relating to the internal affairs of a state or country

Wow. This makes perfect sense.

Today's words

weltschmerz /VELT-shmairts/ - 1. often capitalized Weltschmerz : mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state  2. often capitalized Weltschmerz : a mood of sentimental sadness

I really can't believe I haven't entered this word in my blog before. I own this word.

coeval /koh-EE-vul/ - of the same or equal age, antiquity, or duration

An older WOTD I missed, somehow. I've heard it before, but couldn't place it. 

Today's word

anastrophe /ə-ˈnas-trə-(ˌ)fē/ - inversion of the usual syntactical order of words for rhetorical effect

Was sure I'd entered this word somewhere in this blog before. Didn't find it on a search though, so here it is, from today's Dictionary Devil puzzle. New to me, the related:

hysteron proteron /ˌhi-stə-ˌrän-ˈprä-tə-ˌrän, -tə-rən-ˈprä-tə-rən, -ˈprȯ-/ - a figure of speech consisting of the reversal of a natural or rational order (as in "then came the thunder and the lightning")

I love the etymology: Late Latin, from Greek, literally, (the) later earlier, (the) latter first

Today's word

lenitive /LEN-uh-tiv/ - alleviating pain or harshness : soothing

It seems like it's around this time each year, for about a month, that whoever's turn it is in the rotation for providing Word of the Day columns stretches my vocabulary with more new words than I get from the feature during the rest of the year. I love new words.

Some friends are this way for each other. I often try to be, especially with truths that people have heard harshly all their lives. But I find that my best efforts to be a lenitive influence often end up being exacerbative (which apparently isn't a word, but ought to be), instead.

Today's word

chiliad /KILL-ee-ad / - 1. a group of 1000  2. a period of 1000 years; especially : one reckoned from the beginning of the Christian era

Totally new word for me, which I mispronounced and mistook for a new and unnecessary replacement for a pair of perfectly suitable existing words.

Today's words

From the Dictionary Devil:

botryoidal /ˌbä-trē-ˈȯi-dᵊl/ - having the form of a bunch of grapes

monocarpic /ˌmä-nō-ˈkär-pik / - bearing fruit but once and then dying

At least the second one was recognizable?

Today's words

spalpeen /spal-ˈpēn , spȯl-/ - chiefly Irish  : rascal

portamento /ˌpȯr-tə-ˈmen-(ˌ)tō/ - a continuous gliding movement from one tone to another (as by the voice)

I suppose I've been the first, and have often done the second.

Today's word

A couple recent Words of the Day:
orgulous /OR-gyuh-lus/ - proud

This is definitely a new one on me. I think for most of my usage, "haughty" (which I thought of before scrolling to the Test Your Vocabulary portion of the post) will suffice.

lapidary /LAP-uh-dair-ee/ - 1. a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds 2. the art of cutting gems

So, just to be clear: a lapidary is a practitioner of lapidary.

And a bunch from the Dictionary Devil:
sidereal /sī-ˈdir-ē-əl , sə-/ -  of, relating to, or expressed in relation to stars or constellations : astral

I have encountered this word before and have always understood it in context, but didn't get it without context around it. 

anfractuosity /(ˌ)an-ˌfrak-chə-ˈwä-sə-tē , -shə- ; -chü-ˈä- , -shü-/ - 1. the quality or state of being anfractuous 2. a winding channel or course; especially : an intricate path or process (as of the mind)

I've heard of, and perhaps even used, the term anfractuous before. I've always used the last pronunciation

campanology // - the art of bell ringing

I've practiced this, if hand bells count, but don't know if I've ever heard it called this. Don't know why they don't give a pronunciation, but it's pretty standard.

loblolly /ˈläb-ˌlä-lē/ - 1. dialect a : a thick gruel  b : mire, mudhole  2. dialect : lout  3. loblolly pine

The puzzle used the first definition. The only one I'd ever heard used was the last. 

qiviut /ˈkē-vē-ət , -vē-ˌüt/ -  the wool of the undercoat of the musk ox

Another completely new word for me. I hope I recognize it should I encounter it again.

Today's words

slimsy /SLIM-zee/ - flimsy, frail

Pretty sure I've never encountered this one, but I agree with the post writer's assessment that this should be apparent by context. I got it even in the absence of context.

weald /WEELD/ - 1. a heavily wooded area : forest  2. a wild or uncultivated usually upland region

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure I've seen this one before, and am also pretty sure that the only way I'll recognize it in the future is by context.

Today's words

risorgimento /ree-zor-jih-MEN-toh/ - 1. often capitalized, the 19th century movement for Italian political unity 2. a time of renewal or renaissance : revival

Nice word with an interesting history

inchmeal /INCH-meel/ -  little by little, gradually

New word that I understood instantly.