Words for the Week

We spent a lovely Fourth yesterday at the lake, watching it rain intermittently and enjoying the company of family. Came home and watched the Nashville fireworks show on TV (in HD, which is, of course, fabulous) and called it a night. Yeah, our life is exciting, isn't it? ;)

Today is my one free day this week, so I'm working on a major to-do list. Second on the list is providing all you logophiles out there your weekly dose of wordage to chew on. My mind goes back to the WMVR's friend who said, "A word isn't part of your vocabulary until you've used it three times in everyday conversation." See what you can do with these, and enjoy the rest of your weekend ...

apogee \AP-uh-jee\ (noun) - 1 : The point in the orbit of the moon or of an artificial satellite that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth. 2 : The farthest or highest point; culmination. [From Greek apogaion, from apogaios, "situated (far) away from the earth," from apo-, "away from" + gaia, "earth."]

atrabilious \at-ruh-BIL-yuhs\ (adjective) - 1. Gloomy. 2. Ill-tempered. [From Latin atra bilis (black bile), translation of Greek melancholia.]*
Note melancholia is also the root word for melancholy!

catholicon \kuh-THOL-i-kuhn\ (noun) - A panacea or cure-all. [Via Latin from Greek katholikos (general), from kata (according to, by) + holou (whole). Ultimately from the Indo-European root sol- (whole) that gave us words such as solid, salute, save, salvo, and soldier.]*

costive \KOS-tiv\ (adjective) - 1. Slow to act or speak. 2. Stingy. 3. Constipated. [Via French from Latin constipare (to cram together), from com- (together) + stipare (to pack or crowd).]*

delectation \dee-lek-TAY-shun\ (noun) - Great pleasure; delight, enjoyment. [From Latin delectation, from the past participle of delectare, "to please."]

linctus \(LINGK-tuhs\ - A syrupy liquid medicine, especially for treating coughs. [From Latin lingere (to lick). Ultimately from the Indo-European root leigh- (lick) that is also the source of lichen (apparently from the way it licks its way around a surface), and lecher, but not lingerie (which is from the root lino: flax).]*

peccant \PEK-unt\ (adjective) - 1 : Sinning; guilty of transgression. 2 : Violating a rule or a principle. [From the present participle of Latin of peccare, "to sin."]

preternatural \pree-tuhr-NACH-uhr-uhl; -NACH-ruhl\ (adjective) - 1 : Existing outside of nature; differing from the natural; nonnatural. 2 : Surpassing the usual or normal; extraordinary; abnormal. 3 : Beyond or outside ordinary experience; inexplicable by ordinary means. [From the Latin phrase praeter naturam, "beyond nature."]

roborant \ROB-uhr-uhnt\ (adjective) - Strengthening. (noun) A tonic. [From Latin roborare (to strengthen), from robor- (oak, hardness). Ultimately from the Indo-European root reudh- (red) that also gave us red, rouge, ruby, ruddy, rubella, robust, corroborate, and rambunctious.]*

vivify \VIV-uh-fy\ (transitive verb) - 1 : To endue with life; to make alive; to animate. 2 : To make more lively or intense. [From French vivifier, from Late Latin vivificare, from Latin vivus, alive.]

Extra points if you can use all these words in conversation this week!

=) JB

*This week's words from Wordsmith are terms connected with medicine, most of which are now used metaphorically. (All words not marked with an * are from ArcaMax.)