also FULGROUS
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin fulgur (lightning, a flash of lightning) + -ous
EXAMPLE
“… and, iust at thinstant, all the canons plaien
frome towne to Campe, from Camp to towne againe,
in suche ann horrid noise, and flaminge light,
as if noone daie weare wedded to midd night:
or as if th’ pitchie clowdes of fulgrous heavn
had taen their In vp, neath the spheres seaven. …”
From: John Lane’s Continuation of Chaucer’s ‘Squire’s Tale’
By John Lane, 1616
PRONUNCIATION
FUL-gyuh-ruhss
ETYMOLOGY
from French chilonique, from Chilon (Χίλων), one of the seven wise men of Greece, whose sentences were very short and to the point
EXAMPLE
All job descriptions should be in a Chilonic style of writing.
ETYMOLOGY
from un- + plausive (expressive of approval or praise),
from Latin plaus-, ppl. stem of plaudere (to applaud) + -ive
EXAMPLE
“… Achilles stands i’th entrance of his Tent;
Please it our Generall to passe strangely by him,
As if he were forgot: and Princes all,
Lay negligent and loose regard vpon him;
I will come last,’tis like heele question me,
Why such vnplausiue eyes are bent? why turn’d on him?
If so, I haue derision medicinable,
To vse betweene your strangenesse and his pride,
Which his owne will shall haue desire to drinke;
It may doe good, pride hath no other glasse
To show it selfe, but pride: for supple knees,
Feede arrogance, and are the proud mans fees. …”
From: The Tragedy of Troylus and Cressida
By William Shakespeare, 1609
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin veterascent-, veterascens (present participle of veterascere to grow old),
from veter-, vetus (old) + ‑ascere
EXAMPLE
“… This Vestis animae (as Tertullian calls it,) our body, the clothing of our soules, is daily veterascent and mouldring away; notwithstanding all the art wee use to patch up our obsolete faces and withered carkasses. O let our minds, that inward man, as the Eagle, be renewed daily …”
From: Three Sermons preached upon severall publike occasions by John Gauden, 1642
PRONUNCIATION
vet-uh-RASS-uhnt
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin empticius (obtained by purchase), from empt- ppl. stem of emere (to buy) + ‑icius (‑itious)
EXAMPLE
“… but, diverted twixt fear of detection and zeal of working more good (upon the Presbyter) for the Catholike cause, we wheel’d about and got us to Newcastle; where we found the Gentleman that ran away from Oxford playing at Stowball with his Sodalitia, his guid chapmen; who (as emptitious as he was) though they valued him not, because sese inscendi passus est, he suffered himself to be fool ridden, yet knew well enough how to overvalue him. …”
From: Mutatus Polemo. The horrible strategems of the Jesuits, lately practised in England, during the Civil-Wars, and now discovered by a reclaimed Romanist.
By A.B., 1650
ETYMOLOGY
perhaps from shrow (shrew, a wicked or malignant person), after frowardly
EXAMPLE
“… Now have I most unmanfully fallen foul upon some
Woman, I’le warrant you, and wounded her
Reputation shrowardly: Oh drink, drink! thou
Art a vile enemy to the civillest sort of curteous
Ladies. …”
From: The Comical Revenge, or, Love in a Tub
By George Etherege, 1664
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin sævidicus; from sævus (fierce, furious) + dic- stem of dicere (to say, speak) + -al
EXAMPLE
“… Carolyn smiled and gave a crafty wink, “It means a filthy, slobbering person. That’s the way you left him wasn’t it? And I think we can assume he was quite sevidical in his comments about you, don’t you think? …”
From: Something to Crowe About
By E. W. Nickerson, 2013
also NESCOCK, NESCOOK (Eng. dial.)
ETYMOLOGY
from nest + cock
EXAMPLE
“… As for Rafe – despite his love for the theater and his determination to travel the Circuit, he was essentially a homebody, a confirmed nestcock eagerly anticipating marriage to Crisiant and a settled home with a dozen rambunctious children. …”
From: Touchstone
By Melanie Rawn, 2012
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin comitat- ppl. stem of comitari (accompany, attend, follow)
EXAMPLE
“… Thus to his guest Aeneas lodgings went
This Heroë brave, mindfull of’s high intent
And of his promis’d aid. With no lesse care
Aeneas in the morning doth prepare.
With Pallas young the king associated,
Achates kinde Aeneas comitated.
Met, they shake hands, and down together sit,
And having time for talk, and leisure fit,
The king thus first began; Great prince of Troy,
I ne’re shall think (whiles thou dost life enjoy)
Troyes crowns and comforts to be brought to thrall …”
From: The XII Aeneids of Virgil, the Most Renowned Laureat-Prince of Latine-Poets
Translated by John Vicars, 1632
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin præfacilis (very easy). from prae- pre- + facilis (easy, straightforward)
EXAMPLE
Finding examples for some old words, other than in dictionaries, is not as prefacile as you would think!
Lexicophilia 