Callithump \KAL-uh-thuhmp\ , noun;
1. A children's parade, with prizes for the best costumes
Callithump is a back-formation of callithumpian, which is a colloquial word that is probably a fanciful formation dating to 1836. It may be related to gallithumpians ("a society of social reformers" or "disturbers of order at Parlimentary elections").
I realize that this will be the third* time I've referred to a 'back-formation' in a post, but I haven't explained what that is.
'Back-formation' is the creation of a new word (lexeme, technically) by removing affixes. The affixes can be real or assumed, depending on the word. From this process, editor begat edit, beggar begat beg, and many more.
* See dapple and gastronome.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Saturday, May 7
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Premonish
Premonish \pri-MON-ish\ , verb;
1. To warn beforehand
This word dates to the 1500's and comes from Latin praemonere ("to forewarn, foretell"), which is a combination of prae- + monere ("pre-" + "to advise, warn").
Premonish made me think of admonish, which is first attested in 1340. It comes from Old French amonester ("urge, encourage, warn"), which derives from Vulgar Latin *admonestare from Latin admonere ("bring to mind, remind, suggest" and "warn, advise, urge"). It's a combination of ad- + monere ("to" + "advise, warn"). Notice that there is no -d- in the Old French word. Originally the Old English word was -d-less as well, but around 1500 it reappeared thanks to influence from the Latin form.
There's another related word in English: monish.
Monish is first attested in 1382 and means "to warn." It's either another form of admonish with a weakened prefix, or it came from Anglo-Norman and Old French monester, which is most likely a derivative of Latin monere. This word is now rare and reserved for literary and archaic uses.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Friday, May 6
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
1. To warn beforehand
This word dates to the 1500's and comes from Latin praemonere ("to forewarn, foretell"), which is a combination of prae- + monere ("pre-" + "to advise, warn").
Premonish made me think of admonish, which is first attested in 1340. It comes from Old French amonester ("urge, encourage, warn"), which derives from Vulgar Latin *admonestare from Latin admonere ("bring to mind, remind, suggest" and "warn, advise, urge"). It's a combination of ad- + monere ("to" + "advise, warn"). Notice that there is no -d- in the Old French word. Originally the Old English word was -d-less as well, but around 1500 it reappeared thanks to influence from the Latin form.
There's another related word in English: monish.
Monish is first attested in 1382 and means "to warn." It's either another form of admonish with a weakened prefix, or it came from Anglo-Norman and Old French monester, which is most likely a derivative of Latin monere. This word is now rare and reserved for literary and archaic uses.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Friday, May 6
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Epigamic
Epigamic \ep-i-GAM-ik\ , adjective;
1. Attracting the opposite sex, as the colors or certain birds
This word is first attested in 1890 and comes from Greek epigamoz ("marriageable"), which is a combination of epi + gamoz ("upon" + "marriage").
*note: The Greek word is written ἐπίγάμος. I may have transliterated incorrectly.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Thursday, May 5
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
1. Attracting the opposite sex, as the colors or certain birds
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| You've got nothing on this guy (credit) |
*note: The Greek word is written ἐπίγάμος. I may have transliterated incorrectly.
Today's word and the first definition were both taken from Dictionary.com's 'Word of the Day' for Thursday, May 5
Etymologies come from the Oxford English Dictionary and/or Etymonline.com
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Double
Double \DUHB-uhl\
Dictionary.com lists 42 definitions for this word, which can be an adjective, noun, or verb. So, I'm going to assume you know what double means...
Dating to the early 13th century, the origin of double is Old French doble ("double, two-fold; two-faced, deceitful"). Doble comes from Latin duplus ("twofold, twice as much"), which is a combination of duo + -plus ("two" + "more"). Duo derives from Proto-Indo-European *duwo, which is also the forebear of Proto-Germanic *twai, which became Old English twa (the feminine and neuter form of twegen). What is twa in Modern English? Two.
Surprised to see feminine and neuter in English? See my post on whilhom.
Dictionary.com lists 42 definitions for this word, which can be an adjective, noun, or verb. So, I'm going to assume you know what double means...
Dating to the early 13th century, the origin of double is Old French doble ("double, two-fold; two-faced, deceitful"). Doble comes from Latin duplus ("twofold, twice as much"), which is a combination of duo + -plus ("two" + "more"). Duo derives from Proto-Indo-European *duwo, which is also the forebear of Proto-Germanic *twai, which became Old English twa (the feminine and neuter form of twegen). What is twa in Modern English? Two.
Surprised to see feminine and neuter in English? See my post on whilhom.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Carbuncle
Carbuncle \KAHR-buhng-kuhl\ , noun;
1. Pathology: A painful circumscribed inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, resulting in suppuration and sloughing, and having a tendency to spread somewhat like a boil, but more serious in its effects
2. A gemstone, especially a garnet, cut with a convex back and a cabochon surface
3. Also called London brown, a dark grayish, red-brown color
adjective;
1. Having the color carbuncle
This word dates to the early 13th century with the definition "fiery jewel." It comes from Old Northern French carbuncle ("carbuncle-stone" or "carbuncle, boil") which derives from Latin carbunculus ("red gem" or "red, inflamed spot"). Carbunculus is literally "a little coal" from carbo ("coal"), which derives from Proto-Indo-European *ker- ("heat, fire, to burn"). Carbo is also the forebear of carbon. In English, this word originally only applied to red gems like rubies and garnets. Using carbuncle to refer to tumors and boils dates to the late 14th century.
1. Pathology: A painful circumscribed inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, resulting in suppuration and sloughing, and having a tendency to spread somewhat like a boil, but more serious in its effects
2. A gemstone, especially a garnet, cut with a convex back and a cabochon surface
3. Also called London brown, a dark grayish, red-brown color
adjective;
1. Having the color carbuncle
This word dates to the early 13th century with the definition "fiery jewel." It comes from Old Northern French carbuncle ("carbuncle-stone" or "carbuncle, boil") which derives from Latin carbunculus ("red gem" or "red, inflamed spot"). Carbunculus is literally "a little coal" from carbo ("coal"), which derives from Proto-Indo-European *ker- ("heat, fire, to burn"). Carbo is also the forebear of carbon. In English, this word originally only applied to red gems like rubies and garnets. Using carbuncle to refer to tumors and boils dates to the late 14th century.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Freedom
Anyway, you're here to read about words, not listen to me wax political. I guess I wanted to have the perfect word to express how I feel on this strange day, but so far words fail me. So, instead I'll go with the great American ideal: freedom
Freedom \FREE-duhm\ , noun;
1. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint
2. Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. The power to determine action without restraint
Freedom comes from Old English freodom ("freedom, state of free will; charter, emancipation, deliverance") from freo + -dom. The adjective free is derived from Old English freo ("free, exempt from, not in bondage" and "noble; joyful"), which comes from Proto-Germanic *frijaz from Proto-Indo-European *prijos ("dear, beloved"). *Prijos is based on *pri-, which means "to love."
The verb and adverb free is from Old English freogan ("to free, liberate, manumit; to love, think of lovingly, honor"), which also comes from freo.
Originally, free was synonymous with "beloved, friend, to love," probably because you would be attached to the free members of your clan as opposed to the slaves. The idea of nations being free, as in "not subject to foreign rule or despotism" dates to the late 14th century. Free as in free of charge, as in "given without cost" dates to the 1580's.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Suburb
Suburb \SUHB-urb\ , noun;
1. A district lying immediately outside a city or town, especially a smaller residential community
2. The suburbs, the area composed of such districts
3. An outlying part
I'm from central Illinois and went to the University of Illinois, which means that suburbs are a dirty word. Mostly because people like me generally dislike people from the Chicago suburbs. But, I digress...
Suburb dates to the mid-14th century from Old French suburbe, which derives from Latin suburbim ("an outlying part of a city"). It's a combination of sub- + urbs ("below, near" + "city"). In 17th century London, suburbs had a negative connotation and to call someone suburban meant they were "inferior, debased, and licentious in habit or life." Thus suburban sinner, a slang term for prostitutes and loose women. By 1817 the sense shifted but kept a somewhat negative connotation of "inferior manners and narrow views." This is the sense that we down-state Illini apply to our Chicago colleagues.
The Modern French equivalent of suburb is faubourg, which dates to the late 15th century from Middle French faux bourg. Officially, the Middle French word comes from Old French forsbourc, which is literally "that which is outside the town" but actually means "suburbs, outskirts." It is a combination of fors + bourc ("outside" + "town"). Bourc is of Frankish origin and is a cognate with English borough. I say 'officially' because there is also a folk-etymology* that faux bourg meant "false town," since the suburbs were seen as inauthentic. Faux means "false."
*A folk-etymology is a false etymology.
***Editor's note: There are many Chicago suburbanites I like quite a bit.
1. A district lying immediately outside a city or town, especially a smaller residential community
2. The suburbs, the area composed of such districts
3. An outlying part
I'm from central Illinois and went to the University of Illinois, which means that suburbs are a dirty word. Mostly because people like me generally dislike people from the Chicago suburbs. But, I digress...
Suburb dates to the mid-14th century from Old French suburbe, which derives from Latin suburbim ("an outlying part of a city"). It's a combination of sub- + urbs ("below, near" + "city"). In 17th century London, suburbs had a negative connotation and to call someone suburban meant they were "inferior, debased, and licentious in habit or life." Thus suburban sinner, a slang term for prostitutes and loose women. By 1817 the sense shifted but kept a somewhat negative connotation of "inferior manners and narrow views." This is the sense that we down-state Illini apply to our Chicago colleagues.
The Modern French equivalent of suburb is faubourg, which dates to the late 15th century from Middle French faux bourg. Officially, the Middle French word comes from Old French forsbourc, which is literally "that which is outside the town" but actually means "suburbs, outskirts." It is a combination of fors + bourc ("outside" + "town"). Bourc is of Frankish origin and is a cognate with English borough. I say 'officially' because there is also a folk-etymology* that faux bourg meant "false town," since the suburbs were seen as inauthentic. Faux means "false."
*A folk-etymology is a false etymology.
***Editor's note: There are many Chicago suburbanites I like quite a bit.
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