November 19, 2006

  • I love words!

    Recently, I signed up for Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day."  Everyday, a new word is sent to my inbox with definition, how to say it (you can listen to the word being said audibly), how to use it in a sentence and its history.  Learning a new word is so delicious to me.  It's like discovering a hidden treasure.  I don't know why, but in addition to the joy from learning new meanings, when I read about the origins and background information of a word as well, I feel so delighted.  "Delighted" is the best word I can think of now, but maybe by the end of a year, I will be able to come up with a more apt description for my love of words.  For now, I will give you this weekend's words, and you can join in my surprise at learning a new word!

    Saturday

    tattoo ta-TOO noun

      *1 : a rapid rhythmic rapping
        2 a : a call sounded shortly before taps as notice to go to quarters b : outdoor military exercise given by troops as evening entertainment

        Example sentence:
        I was awakened by a woodpecker beating a tattoo against the drainpipe outside my window — alerting other woodpeckers, and me, to his presence.

        Did you know?
        Today's word has nothing to do with skin markings. That other "tattoo" comes from the Tahitian word "tatau." Today's "tattoo" comes from the Dutch colloquialism "tap toe," which can be translated as "turn off the tap," though it was most often used to mean something like "Shut up! Cease!" The Dutch began using "taptoe" for a drum beat, and then English speakers borrowed the term (changing it slightly, to "taptoo"). It was used especially by the military to name a drum beat (or possibly a bugle call) that signaled the day's end. This "taptoo" most likely led to our "taps," a term for the final bugle call at night in the military.

    Sunday

    esurient ih-SUR-ee-unt adjective

        : hungry, greedy 

        Example sentence:
        Esurient for an even larger share of the local real estate market, the developer made an aggressive bid for the apartment complex.

        Did you know?
        If you're hungry for a new way to express your hunger, you might find that "esurient" fits your palate. Be forewarned, however, that when used literally "esurient" has a humorous flavor. This somewhat obscure word first appeared in English in the second half of the 17th century, deriving from the present participle of the Latin verb "esurire," meaning "to be hungry." It is also related to "edere," the Latin verb for "eat," which has given us such scrumptious fare as "edible" and its synonyms "esculent" and "comestible." "Esurient" can be used somewhat playfully to suggest an actual hunger for food, but it is more often applied to such things as wealth or power. In the latter contexts, it takes on the connotation of "greedy."

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