Words of the Day List

Week 1

aptronym -- a person's name that is peculiarly appropriate to his/her occupation or character traits.

Week 2

tyro -- fr. Latin tiro, recruit, young soldier -- a novice or beginner

jellaba -- fr. Arabic djellaba -- a loose-fitting, long-sleeved, often hooded robe commonly worn in Egypt, Morocco, and Northern Africa.

weltanschauung -- fr. German welt, world and Anschauung, perception -- a comprehensive perception of the world.

Week 3

jojoba -- fr. Spanish -- a small shrub or tree whose seeds are used for their oil in personal care products (i.e. shampoos, lotions, etc.)

billabong -- fr. Australian; billa (water) bong (channel) -- a small stream or channel of water beside a river

detritus -- fr. Latin; deterere (to wear away) -- waste or debris of any kind

Week 4

contralto -- fr. Italian, contra, "against" and alto, "high" -- a the lowest vocal range for a female, between a mezzo-soprano and a tenor

emeritus -- fr. Latin, mereri, "to earn" -- an honorary degree earned upon retirement

mange-tout -- fr. French, "eat all" -- a variety of garden pea in which the pod is also edible.

Week 5

catafalque -- fr. Italian, catafalco -- a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.

internuncio -- fr.Latin, inter (between),  nuntio (messenger);  a messenger, intermediary, go-between

jinni -- fr. Arabic, djinn (demon) -- an intelligent spirit of lower rank than the angels, able to appear in human and animal forms and to possess humans.

Week 6

chapeau -- fr. French chapeau, "hat"; fr. Latin cappellum, cap -- a hat

charade -- fr. French, charra, "chatter" --  an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance.

charisma -- fr. Greek charis, "gift/grace"-- an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance.

Week 7

fresco -- fr. Italian fresco, "cool, fresh" -- a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.

dixit -- fr. Latin, dixit, "he himself said" -- a dogmatic statement which the speaker expects the listener to accept as valid

xenophobia -- fr. Greek xenos, stranger; phobia, fear -- a fear of strangers or of foreign things

Week 8

fresco -- fr. Italian fresco, "cool, fresh" -- a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.

dixit -- fr. Latin, dixit, "he himself said" -- a dogmatic statement which the speaker expects the listener to accept as valid

xenophobia -- fr. Greek xenos, stranger; phobia, fear -- a fear of strangers or of foreign things

Week 9

idee fixe -- fr. French, "fixed idea" -- an obsession or set ideas

ich dien -- fr. German, "I serve" -- the motto of the Prince of Wales

icon -- fr. Greek, eikon, "likeness" -- a pictorial representation of a religious image; a painting or statue evoking reverence

Week 10

res publica -- Latin, res, "thing," and publica, "of the public" -- a public affair, of or belonging to the state or commonwealth

res non verba -- Latin, res, "thing," non, "not," verba, "words" --  deeds, not words

restaurateur -- French restaurater fr. Latin restaurator, "restorer" -- the owner or manager or a restaurant

Week 11

garret -- fr. Old French garite -- an attic, usually a small wretched one

trifle -- fr. Middle English tru (idle talk) -- a small thing of little value; a small quantity or amount

caustic -- fr.Greek kaustikos (burning) -- capable of burning, corroding, or destrying living tissue, severely critical or sarcastic

misanthropic -- fr. Greek misanthropos (hating mankind) -- a characteristic of hating mankind

Week 12

macho -- fr. Spanish, fr. Latin masculinus, male -- aggressively male; tough

ruche -- fr. French, beehive; fr. Latin, tree bark -- a strip of pleated, gathered fabric

medico -- fr. Latin medicus, physician -- a medical professional

Week 13

elan -- fr. French elan -- enthusiasm, zest, spirit

lumpenproletariat --fr, German, "rags," fr. French "working class" -- a term adopted by Karl Marx, this refers to the poor, working class.

vindaloo -- Indo-Portuguese, vinha d'alho "wine of garlic" -- a spicy, Indian curry