epulation, n. ‘A feasting or feast’ (Webster 1828) (pronounced ep-ye-LAY-shen). Something awesome that my mom does is prepare a Thanksgiving meal. In the Spring. What?! She goes all out–turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, ribbon salad, all of our favorites–she doesn’t leave any behind. Sometimes she invites family to make it a feast to […]
Nescience
nescience, n. “Ignorance; lack of knowledge” (Roget’s Thesaurus) (pronounced NESH-ens). Why is there a picture of a cat by the word nescience, you ask?! Oh, what a funny coincidence! Not sure how that got there…*chuckles slyly* Anyway, voila, we have a fancy way to call someone an idiot. As an added bonus, they may not […]
Ursine
ursine, adj. “[1] of or relating to a bear or bears. [2] bearlike” (dictionary.com) (pronounced ER-sine). This word jumped out at me for two reasons. First, I remember learning the Latin word for bear in middle school: ursus. It brings to mind long, confusing (but interesting) Latin lessons, practicing a dead language, and wishing people […]
Quixotic
quixotic, adj. “[1] extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable. [2] impulsive and often rashly unpredictable” (Dictionary.com) (pronounced kwik-SOT-ik). This word is named after the famous (or infamous?) Don Quixote, a classic character (and book) created by author Miguel de Cervantes. You can guess what kind of guy the don was… Frankly, I wouldn’t […]
Xanthippe
Xanthippe, n. “1. the wife of Socrates, proverbial as a scolding and quarrelsome woman. 2. any nagging, peevish, or irritable woman” (Collins online dictionary) (pronounced zan-TIP-ee). Just so the guys don’t have too much fun with this, here’s a word you ladies can use as a comeback if you are ever called a Xanthippe: curmudgeon, […]
Sangfroid
sangfroid, n. “The attitude or state of possessing a cool head and steadfast composure in the face of danger, adversity, or stressful situations” (Roget’s Thesaurus of Words for Intellectuals) (pronounced san-FWAH). I found this word fun because it has an unexpected pronunciation as well as a unique (but useful) definition. The online etymology dictionary shares […]
