Search found 611 matches

by William Hupy
Mon Dec 16, 2019 12:43 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Pharmacy
Replies: 2
Views: 7451

Pharmacy

From French, from Medieval Latin from Greek. A preparer of drugs and poison and a sorcerer. Not dissimilar to present day.
by William Hupy
Sun Dec 15, 2019 9:36 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Homunculus
Replies: 1
Views: 6542

Homunculus

The ending produces the diminutive, causing Homo (man) to become little person.
by William Hupy
Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:19 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Iron
Replies: 2
Views: 7940

Re: Iron

Interesting that. Also that the Latin ferro, may have a Semitic origin.
by William Hupy
Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:29 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Prebendal
Replies: 1
Views: 6068

Prebendal

Where did this come from?
by William Hupy
Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:21 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Township
Replies: 1
Views: 6101

Township

Seems like an oxymoron...how can a town be a ship? However, from my limited research the suffix appears to denote quality, condition, position. The PIE root for town has many progeny, all meaning or alluding to hill fort.
by William Hupy
Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:24 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Spontaneous
Replies: 1
Views: 6201

Spontaneous

From Latin, of ones free will. The legal term sua sponte. Usually an action taken without prompting by another party.
by William Hupy
Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:46 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: caudillo
Replies: 1
Views: 5720

caudillo

Does this spanish word, meaning dictator, have any credibility as an English word yet? It comes from Latin for head. Franco loved it.
by William Hupy
Wed Nov 27, 2019 2:27 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Grab
Replies: 1
Views: 5746

Grab

A distinctly Germanic word with PIE origins. It appears in most, if not all, indoeuropean languages. Grab lunch, grab the door, grab a nap...
by William Hupy
Sun Nov 24, 2019 3:07 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Holocaust
Replies: 1
Views: 6016

Holocaust

From Greek, meaning whole burning. The Jewish tradition of wholly burning a sacrificial offering.
by William Hupy
Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:51 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Prehensile
Replies: 1
Views: 3968

Prehensile

To grasp or seize. Apprehend, I imagine comes from the same root. But does the French word “prendre” have the same root? My guess is yes.
by William Hupy
Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:42 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Amidst
Replies: 2
Views: 4774

Amidst

In the middle. It appears middle is strictly Germanic in origin. But is the suffix “st” used anymore or even necessary? Really...who says: amongst, betwixt, whilst, alongst? However, There is against.
by William Hupy
Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:52 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Patently
Replies: 1
Views: 6905

Patently

The adverb IS related to patent. From Latin, meaning open. Combined with letter, it means open letter or document from some authority. Thus a patent is a letter issued by an authority giving certain rights to a product. The adverb means openly, as in patently false.
by William Hupy
Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:57 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Cum
Replies: 1
Views: 4128

Cum

Direct from Latin, with.
by William Hupy
Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:55 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Bovarism
Replies: 2
Views: 5878

Re: Bovarism

I’m thinking of one prominent real estate mogul cum politician especially.
by William Hupy
Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:39 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Morsel
Replies: 1
Views: 3690

Morsel

Yesterday, while studying French, I ran across the old French word, morsel. The modern French spelling is morceau. Meaning a small bite, portion, helping. Naturally, there is a Latin origin, Morsus, meaning a bite. Mordant, meaning biting as in caustic also comes from this root.

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