Search found 611 matches

by William Hupy
Wed Mar 18, 2020 12:59 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Listicle
Replies: 1
Views: 6249

Listicle

This is a timely word. An article consisting of a list, such as:
1. Wash your hands for 20 minutes.
2. Cover your face when coughing
by William Hupy
Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:07 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Pertinent
Replies: 1
Views: 7954

Pertinent

From Latin: per (through) + tenere (hold). To relate to, concerning.
by William Hupy
Fri Mar 13, 2020 9:58 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Malevolence
Replies: 2
Views: 6917

Re: Malevolence

This one: an administration that is full of incompetence exacerbated by malevolence and shot through with mendacity. Wink, wink.
by William Hupy
Tue Mar 10, 2020 12:09 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Malevolence
Replies: 2
Views: 6917

Malevolence

From French, from Latin. Bad wish. Or as succinctly used recently : the administrations response was malevolence tempered by incompetence.
by William Hupy
Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:12 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Hamper
Replies: 1
Views: 11954

Hamper

A noun and a verb. Both seem to have German origin, but came to English by different routes. The noun by a foray into French. Both connote confining. There is a nautical usage, things important for sailing but at times in the way.
by William Hupy
Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:01 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Grifter
Replies: 1
Views: 10143

Grifter

A swindler. Maybe a combination of grafter and drifter? Since grafter also means con man, maybe a grifter is a rootless swindler.
by William Hupy
Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:24 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Dysmorphic.
Replies: 1
Views: 6601

Dysmorphic.

Is it proper to use this word to describe a dysfunctional legislative body as opposed to, say, a congenital disorder of the human body?
by William Hupy
Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:05 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: antigen
Replies: 1
Views: 6151

antigen

This is timely. A substance that causes production of an anti body. French loaned this to german.
by William Hupy
Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:41 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Prickly
Replies: 1
Views: 8933

Prickly

An adjective with an LY ending? But can’t this be used as an adverb? “He became prickly when asked about the phone call.”
Where does this come from? German: prickle.
by William Hupy
Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:58 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Abseil
Replies: 5
Views: 11283

Abseil

From German, down plus rope. In English this means to descend a near vertical cliff face.
by William Hupy
Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:30 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Lofty
Replies: 1
Views: 14159

Lofty

It occurred to me that this may be derived from German, luft, meaning air. Turns out to be correct. It appears in other German languages, but seems to have no PIE origin. Just wondering if other Indo-European languages took it.
by William Hupy
Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:24 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Apricity
Replies: 1
Views: 6696

Re: Apricity

Definitely worth adding to a collection of winter related words. Here are others:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-a ... nter-words
by William Hupy
Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:48 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Irenic
Replies: 2
Views: 8189

Irenic

It’s not ironic that this word caught my eye during this season. From Greek for promoting peace, but alas I am not the first to suggest this word. At least two others promoted it previously.
by William Hupy
Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:35 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Riprap
Replies: 1
Views: 7675

Riprap

I don’t know if this is strictly a local word, but it is timely with lake levels rising and home owners concerned about fending off flooding basements and yards. It apparently comes from a nautical term meaning rippling water caused by elevated land.
by William Hupy
Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:18 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Liaison
Replies: 1
Views: 6396

Liaison

Is this now an English word? Is general usage of a foreign word the only criteria for it being “officially” adopted? What about voila and rendezvous? The fact that spell check helped me with all of these words should indicate something.

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