Word of the Day for December 10, 2012

• 
  pomander
• \POH-man-der\

• DEFINITION

noun

1

: a mixture of aromatic substances enclosed in a perforated bag or box and used to scent clothes and linens or formerly carried as a guard against infection; also : a clove-studded orange or apple used for the same purposes

2

: a box or hollow fruit-shaped ball for holding pomander

• EXAMPLES

Tuck a homemade pomander in a gift basket to lend it that wonderful holiday aroma.

"Apple pomanders are still much used to scent linen closets and store with furs to prevent moths." — From an article by Ellen Probert Williamson in the Roane County News (Kingston, Tennessee), October 1, 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

In earlier times, there was more at stake in the use of an "apple of amber" (the literal meaning of Anglo-French "pomme de ambre," modified to "pomander" in Middle English) than the addition of holiday spirit. Pomanders were used to offset foul odors and were also believed to protect against disease. Early pomanders were usually mixtures of fragrant spices, herbs, etc. in small metal containers, and they were often worn on chains, as jewelry, around the neck or at the waist. Today, we no longer believe pomanders ward off infections, but we still like nice-smelling things, and the word "pomander" survives to name the modern version of this aromatic, decorative object.

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#CBTUF87bfqysW2i4.99 

Word of the day for December 09, 2012

• tutelary
• \TOO-tuh-lair-ee\

• DEFINITION

adjective

1

: having the guardianship of a person or a thing

2

: of or relating to a guardian

• EXAMPLES

The ancient Romans revered certain gods and goddesses as tutelarydeities.

"You can see a similar restlessness in the range of C.K.'s influences.... Indie film pioneer John Cassavettes may be anothertutelary spirit." — From a review by Adam Wilson in Salon.com, September 25, 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

"Tutelary" derives from the Latin noun "tutelarius," meaning "guardian." "Tutelarius," in turn, was formed by combining the word "tutela" ("protection" or "guardian") and "-arius," a suffix that implies belonging and connection. A more familiar descendant of "tutela" in English might be "tutelage," which initially described an act or process of serving as a guardian or protector but has also come to refer to teaching or influence. If you suspect that "tutor" is also related, you are correct. "Tutelary" can also be a noun referring to a power (such as a deity) who acts as a guardian.

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#FUVVXL6CARsvzciX.99 

Word of the Day for December 07, 2012

• tamale
• \tuh-MAH-lee\

• DEFINITION

noun

: cornmeal dough rolled with ground meat or beans seasoned usually with chili, wrapped usually in corn husks, and steamed

• EXAMPLES

"The Mexican Dinner has a little of everything; the moist tamale and cheese enchilada, both with chili, are especially good." — From a restaurant review in Texas Monthly, November 2012

"You think I'm full of shame and regret for what I've done now, Sister? You could shave me bald as a cue ball and I'll still be the hottest tamale in this joint." — Chloë Sevigny in the television series American Horror Story, October 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

"Hot tamale" is sometimes used figuratively, as in our second example, to suggest sexual attractiveness, but it's the word's literal use that puts it in an interesting category. How many English food words can you name that derive from Nahuatl, a group of languages spoken by native peoples of Mexico and Central America? You've probably guessed that "tamale" gives you one; it came to us (by way of Mexican Spanish) from the Nahuatl "tamalli," a word for steamed cornmeal dough. Add to the menu "chili" (from "chīlli," identifying all those fiery peppers); "chocolate" (from "chocolātl," first used for a beverage made from chocolate and water); "guacamole" (from "āhuacatl," meaning "avocado," plus "mōlli," meaning "sauce"); and "tomato" (from "tomatl"). Top it all off with "chipotle" (a smoked and dried pepper), from "chīlli" and "pōctli" (meaning "something smoked").

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#cZGFMmZQq0EXEmtg.99 

Word of the Day for December 06, 2012

• nobby
• \NAH-bee\

• DEFINITION

adjective

: cleverly stylish : chic, smart

• EXAMPLES

"[Mrs. Vance] ... reappeared, stunningly arrayed in a dark-blue walking dress, with a nobby hat to match." — From Theodore Dreiser's 1900 novel Sister Carrie

"This 'Members Only' club was where Chicago's nobbiest [people] gathered to shut out people who were not like them in order to lead the good life of golf, horses, bathing on a private beach, and social events." — From an article by Henry Kisor in the Chicago Sun-Times, November 4, 2001

• DID YOU KNOW?

"Nobby" comes from the noun "nob," which is used in British English to mean "one in a superior position in life." ("Nob" may have begun as a slang word for "head," but etymologists aren't completely sure. A possible connection to "noble" has been suggested as well.) Appearing in English in 1788, "nobby" was first used to describe people of strikingly exquisite appearance. It has since extended in usage to describe the places frequented by such people, as well as their genteel customs. Charles Dickens, for example, wrote in Bleak House (1853) of "[r]especting this unfortunate family matter, and the nobbiest way of keeping it quiet."

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#1iIlGOrL7uFUkqxY.99 

Word of The Day for December 05, 2012

• connive
• \kuh-NYVE\

• DEFINITION

verb

1

: to pretend ignorance of or fail to take action against something one ought to oppose

2

a : to be indulgent or in secret sympathy : winkb : to cooperate secretly or have a secret understanding

3

: to engage in secret scheming : conspire

• EXAMPLES

He is not above conniving against his own co-workers if he thinks it will benefit his own career.

"Families fare badly in Western drama. Oedipus kills his father, Lear's daughters connive against one another, and Ibsen's Nora walks out on her husband and their three young children." — From a theater review by Steven G. Kellman in Current (San Antonio), August 22–28, 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

"Connive" may not seem like a troublesome term, but it was to Wilson Follett, a usage critic who lamented that the word "was undone during the Second World War, when restless spirits felt the need of a new synonym for plotting, bribing, spying, conspiring, engineering a coup, preparing a secret attack." Follett thought "connive" should only mean "to wink at" or "to pretend ignorance." Those senses are closer to the Latin ancestor of the word ("connive" comes from the Latin "connivēre," which means "to close the eyes" and which is descended from "-nivēre," a form akin to the Latin verb "nictare," meaning "to wink"). But many English speakers disagreed, and the "conspire" sense is now the word's most widely used meaning.

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#Hv4Qb1LhzwsRDkt3.99 

Word of the Day for December 4, 2012

• cloche
• \KLOHSH\

• DEFINITION

noun

1

: a transparent plant cover used outdoors especially for protection against cold

2

: a woman's close-fitting hat usually with deep rounded crown and narrow brim

• EXAMPLES

You may be able to extend your own garden's growing season considerably by using cloches to protect plants from colder temperatures.

"Another popular hat is the cloche, which rose to fame in the 1920s. The bell-shaped hats come in a variety of patterns, colors and textures." — From an article by Julia Hatmaker in the Patriot News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), September 23, 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

The word "cloche" refers to very different things but the connection between them is apparent in the word's meaning: "cloche" is French for "bell," and both the gardening cloche and the hat cloche are typically shaped like the archetypal bell. The gourmands among you may be aware of another kind of cloche as well. Covered in our unabridged dictionary, Webster's Third New International, "cloche" also refers to a bell-shaped cover placed over food in cooking or serving. The French word "cloche" comes from Medieval Latin "clocca," which is also the source of the words "cloak" and "clock."

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#5gWGQqDVhcSr1xoZ.99 

Word of The Day for December 3, 2012

• hotdog
• \HAHT-dawg\

• DEFINITION

verb

: to perform in a conspicuous or often ostentatious manner; especially : to perform fancy stunts and maneuvers (as while surfing or skiing)

• EXAMPLES

The wide receiver hotdogged in the end zone after catching the touchdown pass.

"Benson hotdogged with her usual flair..." — From Matt Warshaw's 2010 book The History of Surfing

• DID YOU KNOW?

The verb "hotdog" first appeared in the 1960s as slang for surfing with fast turns and quick movements. Surfers adopted it from the use of the noun "hot dog" for someone who is very good at something, which was popularized around the turn of the 19th century along with the interjection "hot dog" to express approval or gratification. In time, the noun became mainly associated with people who showed off their skills in sports, from basketball to skiing, and the verb form came to be used for the spectacular acts of these show-offs. (As a side tidbit to chew on, the word for the frankfurter that might be eaten while watching athletes perform is believed to have been first used by college students. That "hot dog" was current at Yale in 1895.)

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#vtFYWHwY4DmyBpF4.99 

Word of the Day for December 02, 2012

• campestral
• \kam-PESS-trul\

• DEFINITION

adjective

: of or relating to fields or open country : rural

• EXAMPLES

"Santiago's proximity to ski resorts, beach resorts, and the idyllic countryside, with its campestral and ranching traditions and colonial estates, offer plenty for the traveler to see and do." — FromFrommer’s Chile and Easter Island, 2011

"Just about any amateur naturalist who pays attention to the birds, beasts, flowers and seasons in campestral Maine will find an eye-opener or two here." — From a book review by Dana Wilde in theBangor (Maine) Daily News, October 26, 2009

• DID YOU KNOW?

Scamper across an open field, then, while catching your breath, ponder this: "scamper" and "campestral" both ultimately derive from the Latin noun "campus," meaning "field" or "plain." Latin "campester" is the adjective that means "pertaining to a campus." In ancient Rome, a campus was a place for games, athletic practice, and military drills. "Scamper" probably started with a military association, as well (it is assumed to have evolved from the Latin verb "excampare," meaning "to decamp"). In English, "campestral" took on an exclusively rural aspect upon its introduction in the 18th century, while "campus," you might say, became strictly academic.

Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/#ZvTMtVjF0dR1xQRI.99