Lexicophilia

Word of the Day: LITTLE MARY

ETYMOLOGY
possibly from rhyming sl. “little Mary Kelly” = belly

EXAMPLE
“… But when two Acts and a -half have gained our hearts, and all the characters have won our admiration and compelled our sympathies, should we be harshly severe on one lapsus linguae? Is this to be for us a casus belli against Mr. Barrie? Decidedly not. Goodnatured British audiences have strong Little Maries. It is enough that the absurd persons on the stage should turn up their noses and resent the utterance of the objectionable word so simply and prettily pronounced by innocent dainty Moira, without the audience imitating their stupid example. …”

From: Punch, or The London Charivari
October 14, 1903
Dr. Barrie’s “Little Minister” of the Interior

Word of the Day: CACOPHONIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from cacophonie, from Greek kakophonia from kakophonos from kakos (bad) + phone (sound)

EXAMPLE
“… ”Every thing,” said she, ”depends on the sound of the name. He would be ruined forever, should I call him by any low, vulgar, or common-sounding name. It must be something lofty and cacophonious. Jupiter? Let me see-— Jupiter was the Gineral of the heathen gods— so that won’t do. …”

From: The Life and Adventures of Dr. Dodimus Duckworth
By Asa Greene, 1833

Word of the Day: WOMB-JOY

ETYMOLOGY
from womb (the abdomen or abdominal cavity of a person or animal; the belly, obs.) + joy

EXAMPLE
“… for bischopis, munkis & chanons sillen þe perfeccion of cristis pouert & his apostlis, & also trewe prechynge for a litil stynkyng muk or drit, & worldli lordschipe, & wombe ioie and idelnesse …”

From: The English Works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted
By John Wyclif, c1430
Edited by Frederic David Matthew, 1880

Word of the Day: NANNICOCK

ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly from Nanny, pet-form of the female forenames Anne and Agnes with suffix ‑cock

EXAMPLE
“… Hee that doth wonder at a Weathercocke,
And plaies with euery feather in the winde,
And is in loue with euery Nannicocke;
Yet scarcely knowes an Orange by the Rinde:
When euery Foole is found out in his Kinde,
How is it possible but he should passe,
For a poore silly simple witted Asse?…”

From: Pasquils Fooles-Cap sent to such (to keepe their weake braines warme) as are not able to conceiue aright of his mad-cap,
By Nicholas Breton, 1600

Word of the Day: PERENDINATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin perendinat-, past participial stem of perendinare (to defer until the day after tomorrow, to postone for a day) from perendinus ((the day) after to-morrow), from perendie (on the day after to-morrow) + -inus, or from peren- + din- (day)

EXAMPLE (for vb. 1.)
The chairman of the board perendinated the meeting so that all members would be able to attend.

Word of the Day: AMICITIAL

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin amicitia (friendship), (from amicus (friend)) + -al

EXAMPLE
“… What M. Ellis denyeth to be the question.
1. He saith it is not meant of the essential onenesse.
Answ. But this is meant, and is the foundation of the other.
2. It is not (saith he) meant of engagement to mutual care one of another.
Answ. Not amicitial or fraternal only, but authoritative, the greater part to regulate the lesse. …”

From: A Vindication of the Essence and Unity of the Church Catholike Visible, and the priority thereof in regard of particular churches in answer to the objections made against it
By Samuel Hudson, 1650

PRONUNCIATION
am-uh-SISH-uhl

Word of the Day: ROISTER-DOISTER

ETYMOLOGY
from the name of the chief character (Ralph Royster Doyster) in Nicholas Udall’s comic play, based upon roister (a boisterous or noisy reveller), written about 1533

EXAMPLE
“… The terriblest tearmes may be repayed-home with aduauntage: I haue knowen the raylingest Sophister in an Vniuersity, sett non plus: and haue seene the mad-braynest Roister-doister in a countrey, dashte out of countenaunce. …”

From: Foure Letters, and Certaine Sonnets especially touching Robert Greene, and other parties, by him abused
By Gabriel Harvey, 1592

Word of the Day: VECTITORY

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin vectitare freq. of vectare (to carry, convey)

EXAMPLE
“… Heaven forbid that, in this country, which enjoys the blessing of a regular Government, the bodies of Turks should be applied to vectitory purposes, but I can assure you that, with a party of my friends, I lately sailed to Richmond on a kepper-salmon and a flitch of Wiltshire bacon, which formed an admirable raft. …”

From: The Examiner
A Sunday Paper, on Politics, Domestic Economy, and Theatricals, for the Year 1822
To the Editor of The Traveller, Whitchall, Jan 1, 1822

Word of the Day: WOOL-BIRD

ETYMOLOGY
from wool + bird (the offspring or young of animals, obs.)

EXAMPLE
“… With all the natural timidity of the hare whom he thus particularised, I was proceeding to help him, when Echo inquired if he should send me the breast of a swiss; and the facetious Eglantine, to increase my confusion, requested to be allowed to cut me a slice off the wing of a wool bird. …”

(Note: swiss = a pheasant)

From: The English Spy: an original work, characteristic, satirical and humorous, comprising scenes and sketches in every rank of society
By Charles Molloy Westmacott, 1825

Word of the Day: COCTURE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin coctura (a cooking)

EXAMPLE
“… For truly, whatsoever is cast into the stomack, digestion being at length finished, is transchanged, and far separated from boyling and other coctures, after whatsoever degree prepared. …”

From: Oriatrike or, Physike Refined
By Jean Baptiste van Helmont
Translated by John Chandler, 1662