Words of the Week 06

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don’t know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun … etc.


STATUESQUE
adjective

Pronounced: STA-chew-esk

Meaning: Having a massive dignity or impressiveness; majestic.

Example: A statuesque sculpture stood in the town square.

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ABSTEMIOUS adjective

Pronounced: ab-STEM-ee-us

Meaning: Sparing in eating and drinking.

Example: Evelyn is abstemious by nature and never orders dessert.

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FINITE
adjective

Pronounced: FI-night

Meaning: Having clear limits.

Example: Phoebe’s creativity was bound by a finite set of resources.

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COMMINATION
noun

Pronounced: kom-in-NA-shun

Meaning: An instance or the action of announcing, warning of, or threatening punishment or vengeance.

Example: The president ended his speech with a severe commination against the rebels.

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WHEREWITHAL
noun

Pronounced: WEAR-with-all

Meaning: Financial resources; money.

Example: Everyone was surprised that Jake had the wherewithal to buy a sailboat.

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LEONINE
adjective

Pronounced: LEE-o-nine

Meaning: Resembling or having the characteristics of a lion.

Example: Portraits of Beethoven and Einstein always depict them with leonine hairstyles.

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EDIFICE
noun

Pronounced: ED-i-fiss

Meaning: Building, especially a large or massive structure.

Example: To Amy, the most beautiful edifice in our nation’s capital is the National Cathedral.

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OCCISION
noun

Pronounced: awk-SIZ-zhun

Meaning: An act or instance of slaughtering.

Example: Ecologists are protesting the wholesale occision of sea turtles within national boundaries.

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GESTICULATE
verb

Pronounced: ges-TIC-u-late

Meaning: To make gestures or motions, especially when speaking.

Example: The way public figures gesticulate while talking is often fodder for comedians.

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JAPERY
noun

Pronounced: JAPE-ery

Meaning: Jesting or joking talk.

Example: Tired of the disk jockey’s japery, Terry turned the radio off.

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NEOPHYTE
noun

Pronounced: KNEEO-fyt

Meaning: A new convert, especially a convert to the Christian faith in the early church.

Example: In just three years, St. Cyprian of Carthage went from being a neophyte to being the bishop of Carthage.

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DIURNAL
adjective

Pronounced: die-UR-null

Meaning: Active chiefly during the daytime.

Example: Few cats are naturally diurnal, which can be a problem for light-sleeping owners.

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ULULATION
noun

Pronounced: ul-yoo-LAY-shun

Meaning: A loud, mournful, usually protracted and rhythmical sound; a howl.

Example: An ululation from the deep woods gave Jesse the goosebumps.

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BLEPHERAL
adjective

Pronounced: BLEF-fur-rall

Meaning: Of or relating to the eyelids.

Example: Leroy’s blepheral inflammation was caused by allergies.

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KIBITZER
noun

Pronounced: KIB-bit-zer

Meaning: An outsider or nonparticipant who looks on and may offer unwanted advice or comment.

Example: Officer Morrow ordered the kibitzer to stand back and get out of the way of the rescue squad.

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REPARTEE
noun

Pronounced: RUH-par-tee

Meaning: A succession of clever retorts.

Example: Susie and Josh’s repartee is so excessive that even their friends tire quickly of the constant retorts.

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PERQUISITE
noun

Pronounced: PURR-kwis-it

Meaning: A privilege, gain or profit incidental to an employment in addition to regular salary or wages. (Otherwise known as a PERK!)

Example: A perquisite attractive to many business executives is unlimited use of a cellular telephone.

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HACKNEYED
adjective

Pronounced: HAK-kneed

Meaning: Commonplace or trite.

Example: The marketing adjective extreme will soon be as hackneyed as super and ultra.

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QUORUM
noun

Pronounced: KWOR-rum

Meaning: The number of members of an organization who, when assembled, can legally transact business in the absence of the other members.

Example: There were not enough members present at the school board meeting to constitute a quorum, so no voting took place.

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VAGRANCY
noun

Pronounced: VAYG-ran-cee

Meaning: The state or offense of being a person who has no established residency and wanders idly from place to place without lawful or visible means of support.

Example: To clear the downtown area of homeless people, the mayor instructed the police to arrest them for vagrancy.

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ILLUSORY
adjective

Pronounced: ill-LU-sore-ree

Meaning: Of, relating to or marked by illusion or deception.

Example: Citizens of both countries hope that the apparent peace between the two nations is not illusory.

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TOCSIN
noun

Pronounced: TALK-sinn

Meaning: An alarm bell or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm.

Example: In the event of a national disaster or civil alert, the fire stations would set off a tocsin that could be heard for two miles in any direction.

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