Earthling \URTH-ling\ , noun;
1. An inhabitant of the earth; mortal
2. Worldling
This word is first attested in 1593, though there is a suspiciously similar word in Old English, yrþling, which meant "plowman." Earthling in the 1500's meant "inhabitant of the earth," but the sci-fi sense didn't come about until the 1940's. It replaced an earlier sci-fi word, earthite, which dates to the 1820's.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Abecedary
Abecedary \ey-bee-SEE-duh-ry\ , noun;
1. Archaic: Primer, alphabet table
This word dates to the mid-15th century from Middle Latin abecedarium ("an ABC book"), which is the neuter from of the adjective abecedarius. It comes from the first four letters of the Latin alphabet, which is not unlike the origin of alphabet.
1. Archaic: Primer, alphabet table
This word dates to the mid-15th century from Middle Latin abecedarium ("an ABC book"), which is the neuter from of the adjective abecedarius. It comes from the first four letters of the Latin alphabet, which is not unlike the origin of alphabet.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Mullet
Mullet \MUHL-it\ , noun;
I didn't get back to the midwest in time for the local rodeo and county fair, so I didn't get my yearly dose of mullet sightings this year. Sad. Fortunately, there is this invention called the internet which makes it really easy to find some truly epic versions of this fashion statement.
The word itself dates to the mid-15th century from Anglo-French molette, which derives from Old French mulet. Mulet comes from Middle Latin muletus, which derives from Latin mulettus from mullus ("red mullet"), a borrowing from Greek myllos. Myllos is a marine fish and the word is related to melos ("black"). All this, however, is only distantly related (maybe) to the fine hair style we all know and love. This is the etymology for mullet, meaning "edible, spiny-finned fish."
Mullet, meaning "hairstyle short on top and long in back" is not attested until 1994, though the style itself is clearly much older. It may come from mullet-head ("stupid, dull person"), but it certainly owes its popularity to the Beastie Boys, who first sang about it in their song "Mullet Head."
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| Sir Paul rocks it (source) |
The word itself dates to the mid-15th century from Anglo-French molette, which derives from Old French mulet. Mulet comes from Middle Latin muletus, which derives from Latin mulettus from mullus ("red mullet"), a borrowing from Greek myllos. Myllos is a marine fish and the word is related to melos ("black"). All this, however, is only distantly related (maybe) to the fine hair style we all know and love. This is the etymology for mullet, meaning "edible, spiny-finned fish."
Mullet, meaning "hairstyle short on top and long in back" is not attested until 1994, though the style itself is clearly much older. It may come from mullet-head ("stupid, dull person"), but it certainly owes its popularity to the Beastie Boys, who first sang about it in their song "Mullet Head."
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Abracadabra
Abracadabra \ab-ruh-kuh-DAB-ruh\ , noun;
1. A mystical word or expression used in incantations, on amulets, etc., as a magical means of warding off misfortune, harm, or illness
2. Any charm or incantation using nonsensical or supposedly magical words
3. Meaningless talk; gibberish; nonsense
The etymology of this word is uncertain beyond the fact that it was borrowed from Latin in the late 1600's. One theory is that the word originated in Latin or Greek as an alteration of abecedarius ("abecedary*"). Another theory is that it is connected with Late Greek Abraxas (a name for the supreme god), but this link is tenuous at best. Other theories connect it to Thracian, Sumarian, Hebrew, Aramaic, and more.
Originally abracadabra was written out in a triangle shape on a charm or amulet and worn around the neck to ward off sickness, evil, etc.
*Check back for a definition and etymology of this in a couple days
1. A mystical word or expression used in incantations, on amulets, etc., as a magical means of warding off misfortune, harm, or illness
2. Any charm or incantation using nonsensical or supposedly magical words
3. Meaningless talk; gibberish; nonsense
The etymology of this word is uncertain beyond the fact that it was borrowed from Latin in the late 1600's. One theory is that the word originated in Latin or Greek as an alteration of abecedarius ("abecedary*"). Another theory is that it is connected with Late Greek Abraxas (a name for the supreme god), but this link is tenuous at best. Other theories connect it to Thracian, Sumarian, Hebrew, Aramaic, and more.
Originally abracadabra was written out in a triangle shape on a charm or amulet and worn around the neck to ward off sickness, evil, etc.
*Check back for a definition and etymology of this in a couple days
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Hoary
Hoary \HAWR-ee\ , adjective;
1. Tedious from familiarity, stale
2. Gray or white with age
3. Ancient or venerable
This word dates to the 1520's as "grey or white with age" referring to hair. By the 1600's is took on the sense of "venerable, ancient." It is based on the adjective hoar, which come from Old English har which means "hoary, gray, venerable, old" in connection with having gray hair. It derives from Proto-Germanic *haira, which comes from Proto-Indo-European *kei-, which is the source of color adjectives. In German, this word became Herr, which is a title of respect.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Wednesday, July 27
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
1. Tedious from familiarity, stale
2. Gray or white with age
3. Ancient or venerable
This word dates to the 1520's as "grey or white with age" referring to hair. By the 1600's is took on the sense of "venerable, ancient." It is based on the adjective hoar, which come from Old English har which means "hoary, gray, venerable, old" in connection with having gray hair. It derives from Proto-Germanic *haira, which comes from Proto-Indo-European *kei-, which is the source of color adjectives. In German, this word became Herr, which is a title of respect.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Wednesday, July 27
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Commune
Commune \kuh-MYOON\ , verb;
1. To converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings
2. To be in intimate communication or rapport
\KOM-yoon\ , noun;
1. Interchange of ideas or sentiments
The verb version of this word dates to the 1300's as "have dealings with" from Old French comuner ("to make common, share"), which derives from comun ("common, general, free, open, public"). The French words came from Latin communis ("in common, public, general"), which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *ko-moin-i- ("held in common"), a combination of *ko- + *moi-n- ("together" + "change, exchange").
The noun version's etymology is a bit different. It is first attested in 1792 from French commune ("small territorial divisions set up after the Revolution"), which was adapted from Middle French commune ("free city, group of citizens"). That commune comes from Middle Latin communia, which was the neuter plural of communis.
1. To converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings
2. To be in intimate communication or rapport
\KOM-yoon\ , noun;
1. Interchange of ideas or sentiments
The verb version of this word dates to the 1300's as "have dealings with" from Old French comuner ("to make common, share"), which derives from comun ("common, general, free, open, public"). The French words came from Latin communis ("in common, public, general"), which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *ko-moin-i- ("held in common"), a combination of *ko- + *moi-n- ("together" + "change, exchange").
The noun version's etymology is a bit different. It is first attested in 1792 from French commune ("small territorial divisions set up after the Revolution"), which was adapted from Middle French commune ("free city, group of citizens"). That commune comes from Middle Latin communia, which was the neuter plural of communis.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Xystus
Xystus \ZIST-us\ , noun;
1. Ancient Greek and Roman architecture: A covered portico, as a promenade
2. Ancient Rome: A garden walk planted with trees in a villa
Today I noticed that I have at least one entry for each letter of the alphabet except 'x'. Consider that error fixed!
This word is first attested in 1664 from Latin xystus, which was borrowed from Greek xyotos ("scraped, polished") from xyein ("to scrape polish"), which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-Europena *kes- ("to scrape").
Side note: Lots of 'x' words are Greek
1. Ancient Greek and Roman architecture: A covered portico, as a promenade
2. Ancient Rome: A garden walk planted with trees in a villa
Today I noticed that I have at least one entry for each letter of the alphabet except 'x'. Consider that error fixed!
This word is first attested in 1664 from Latin xystus, which was borrowed from Greek xyotos ("scraped, polished") from xyein ("to scrape polish"), which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-Europena *kes- ("to scrape").
Side note: Lots of 'x' words are Greek
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