Word of the Day Thread 2008

[AYHJA]

Subterfuge

Pronunciation: \SUB-tur-fyooj\,

Function: Noun

1. A deceptive device or stratagem.

Etymology: Subterfuge comes from Late Latin subterfugium, "a secret flight," from Latin subterfugere, "to flee in secret, to evade," from subter, "underneath, underhand, in secret" + fugere, "to flee." It is related to fugitive, one who flees

[AYHJA]

Callow

Pronunciation: \KAL-oh\

Function: Adjective

1. Immature; lacking adult perception, experience, or judgment.

Etymology: Callow is from Old English calu, "featherless, bald."

[AYHJA]

Nolens Volens

Pronunciation: \NO-lenz-VO-lenz\

Function: foreign term

1. Whether unwilling or willing

Etymology: Nolens volens is from the Latin, from nolle, "to be unwilling" + velle, "to wish, to be willing."

[AYHJA]

Pestiferous

Pronunciation: \pes-TIF-uh-ruhs\

Function: Adjective

1. Bearing or bringing disease.
2. Infected with or contaminated by a pestilential disease.
3. Morally evil or dangerous to society; pernicious.
4. Bothersome; troublesome; annoying.

Etymology: Pestiferous is from Latin pestifer, "pestilential," from pestis, "pestilence," + -fer, "bearing."

[AYHJA]

Irrupt

Pronunciation: \ih-RUHPT\

Function: intransitive verb

1. To burst in forcibly or suddenly; to intrude.
2. (Ecology) To increase rapidly in number.

Etymology: Irrupt is derived from the past participle of Latin irrumpere, from ir-, in-, "in" + rumpere, "to break."

[AYHJA]

Factitious

Pronunciation: \fak-TISH-uhs\

Function: Adjective

1. Produced artificially, in distinction from what is produced by nature.
2. Artificial; not authentic or genuine; sham.

Etymology: Factitious comes from Latin facticius, "made by art, artificial," from the past participle of facere, "to make."

[AYHJA]

Amative

Pronunciation: \AM-uh-tiv\

Function: Adjective

1. Pertaining to or disposed to love, especially sexual love; full of love; amorous.

Etymology: Amative comes from Medieval Latin amativus, "capable of love," from the past participle of Latin amare, "to love."

[AYHJA]

Assuage

Pronunciation: \uh-SWAYJ\

Function: Verb

1. To make milder or less severe; to reduce the intensity of; to ease; to relieve.
2. To appease; to satisfy.
3. To soothe or calm; to pacify.

Etymology: from Latin ad + suavis, "sweet".

[AYHJA]

Voluble

Pronunciation: \VOL-yuh-buhl\

Function: Adjective

1. Characterized by a ready flow of speech.
2. Easily rolling or turning; rotating.
3. (Botany) Having the power or habit of turning or twining.

Etymology: Voluble derives from Latin volubilis, "revolving, rolling, fluent," from volvere, "to roll."

[AYHJA]

Afflatus

Pronunciation: \uh-FLAY-tuhs\

Function: Noun

1. A divine imparting of knowledge; inspiration.

Etymology: Afflatus is from Latin afflatus, past participle of afflare, "to blow at or breathe on," from ad-, "at" + flare, "to puff, to blow." Other words with the same root include deflate (de-, "out of" + flare); inflate (in-, "into" + flare); soufflé, the "puffed up" dish (from French souffler, "to puff," from Latin sufflare, "to blow from below," hence "to blow up, to puff up," from sub-, "below" + flare); and flatulent.