GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

fulgour

/ˈfʌlɡə/
(also fulgor)
noun
poetic
Dazzling brightness; splendour; a bright light, a dazzling beam.

Origin
Late 16th century; earliest use found in Boece's History of Scotland. From classical Latin fulgor brightness, brilliance, radiance, flash, flash of lightning, shining object, splendour, glory from fulgēre to shine + -or.

----====----====----

The sun's advance from thin, pale line at the horizon to noon's fulgor was how Toni saw her own progress.

[voralfred]

[quote="Algot Runeman"]candleshine

/ˈkand(ə)lʃʌɪn/
noun
The light thrown from a lit candle

==========

Even for those used to the bright city lights, candleshine in a forest cabin is surprisingly bright.


Quite right !
For someone lost in a forest at night, yearning for some refuge, the sight of a candleshine would look like a fulgour !

[Algot Runeman]

balneology

/ˌbalnɪˈɒlədʒi/
noun
mass noun
1 The study of medicinal springs and the therapeutic effects of bathing in them.
1.1 another term for balneotherapy

Origin
Mid 19th century: from Latin balneum ‘bath’ + -logy.

==========

Though less of academic interest these days, balneology remains as part of studying the positive effects of spas in general.

[Algot Runeman]

surveillance

/səˈveɪəns//səˈveɪl(ə)ns/
noun
mass noun
Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal.

Origin
Early 19th century: from French, from sur- ‘over’ + veiller ‘watch’ (from Latin vigilare ‘keep watch’).

==========

Cameras on the corner, in the mall, the neighbor's house, the phone in our hand. We have entered "the surveillance society".

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

surveillance
...
Origin
Early 19th century: from French, from sur- ‘over’ + veiller ‘watch’ (from Latin vigilare ‘keep watch’).

I'm sure "surveillance" is much older then that.

Whenever I cook "Ossobuco alla Milanese" I survey it every 15 minutes. The practice must be multiple centuries old.

Spoiler: show

[voralfred]

surveillance
...
Origin
Early 19th century: from French, from sur- ‘over’ + veiller ‘watch’ (from Latin vigilare ‘keep watch’).

I'm sure "surveillance" is much older then that.

Whenever I cook "Ossobuco alla Milanese" I survey it every 15 minutes. The practice must be multiple centuries old.

Spoiler: show

I'm confident that surveillance is many millenia older than ossobuco-alla-milanese.

Neanderthal men certainly needed to survey regularly their barbecues. Especially if they were trying to cook a woolly mammoth holus-bolus !

[Algot Runeman]

nivel

/ˈnɪvl/
verb
British Regional
rare
no object - To look downcast; to grimace, or wrinkle one's nose; to snivel.

Origin
Middle English; earliest use found in Ancrene Riwle. Origin uncertain; perhaps the reflex of an unattested Old English verbal derivative of hnifol brow, forehead (of unknown origin).

==========

Neville niveled nastily at his supper. He didn't like beets. He didn't like lamb. Yet his mum served them at least once a week.

[Algot Runeman]

propugn

/prə(ʊ)ˈpjuːn/
verb
rare
with object - To fight or contend for or on behalf of (someone or something); to defend, champion, or vindicate (an opinion, doctrine, etc.). Also occasionally without object: to fight.

Origin
Late Middle English; earliest use found in Mirour of Mans Saluacioune. From classical Latin prōpugnāre to fight in defence of a position, to defend from prō- + pugnāre to fight.

==========

Pamela propugned her brother's transgender identity at school. It is easier these days than it used to be, but not everywhere. Their parents' support helped immensely.

[Algot Runeman]

microcosm

/ˈmʌɪkrə(ʊ)kɒz(ə)m/
noun
1 A community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristics of something much larger.
1.1 Humankind regarded as the representation in miniature of the universe.

Origin
Middle English: from Old French microcosme or medieval Latin microcosmus, from Greek mikros kosmos ‘little world’.

==========

I wonder if Mastodon.art can be considered a microcosm of the art world?


(Screenshot of https://mastodon.art/gallery/index.html - All rights held by original creators)

[voralfred]

A good example of microcosm consists in the participants to WOTD. However small our number, we are just as significant for the universe as much larger communities who do not value literacy the way we do.

[Algot Runeman]

garderobe

/ˈɡärdrōb/
noun
1 A lavatory in a medieval building.
1.1 A wardrobe or small storeroom in a medieval building.

Origin
Late Middle English: French, from garder ‘to keep’ + robe ‘robe, dress’; compare with wardrobe.

==========

Garderobes were built at the sides of a castle. One was wise to not walk too close to the base of a castle's wall.

[Algot Runeman]

nepotism

/ˈnɛpətɪz(ə)m/
noun
mass noun
The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.

Origin
Mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).

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Joe had his state job thanks in large part to being the nephew of the state's governor, classic nepotism. Of course, nobody thought much about it because he drove a dump truck for the highway department.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

nepotism

Even false accusation of nepotism was something Aral, Gregor and Miles were very conscious of.

But when push came to shove, they all thought "Nepotism be damned!", if it promised results.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

doo-wop

/ˈduːwɒp/
noun
mass noun
A style of popular music marked by the use of close harmony vocals using nonsense phrases, originating in the US in the 1950s.

Origin
1950s: imitative.

==========

Today's music often reflects the 1950s doo-wop for nonsense.

[voralfred]

Even though the lyrics of the song "Il est beau le lavabo" are not strictly nonsense, the semantic value is so low that this big hit can be considered as (garderobe-themed) doo-wop

[Algot Runeman]

hapless

/ˈhapləs/
adjective
(especially of a person) unfortunate.

Origin
Late Middle English: from hap (in the early sense ‘good fortune’) + -less.

==========

Hapless in Strapless

Henrietta wanted strapless.
For her birthday party best dress.
Of course it meant she had to dance less
Exuberantly!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

hapless

It appears Henrietta was born in the wrong era. How hapless.

See The story of Nipplestiltskin

[Algot Runeman]

jamboree

/ˌdʒambəˈriː/
noun
1 A large celebration or party, typically a lavish and boisterous one.
2A large rally of Scouts or Guides.

Origin
Mid 19th century (originally US slang): of unknown origin.

==========

Jim jumped at the chance to attend the annual scout jamboree. He had saved his allowance for years to celebrate when he had achieved Eagle Scout status.

[Algot Runeman]

nomenclature


/nə(ʊ)ˈmɛŋklətʃə//ˈnəʊmənˌkleɪtʃə/
noun
mass noun
1 The devising or choosing of names for things, especially in a science or other discipline.
1.1 The body or system of names used in a particular specialist field.
1.2 formal The term or terms applied to someone or something.

Origin
Early 17th century: from French, from Latin nomenclatura, from nomen ‘name’ + clatura ‘calling, summoning’ (from calare ‘to call’).

==========

Fred found fun in finding the small diatoms under his microscope. It was always a struggle to get their correct names, even with the very scientific structure of binomial nomenclature. A species like his current find had long been called Biddulphia aurita but new studies of "molecular phylogeny", using techniques not available before, link it to a different genus, making Odontella aurita a more accurate name. There's lots of literature to read with arguments both ways!

[Algot Runeman]

overshadow

/əʊvəˈʃadəʊ/
verb
[with object]
1 Tower above and cast a shadow over.
1.1 Cast gloom over.
2 Appear more prominent or important than.
2.1 Be more impressive or successful than (another person)

Origin
Old English ofersceadwian (see over-, shadow).

==========

While the tall Burr building technically overshadowed all the neighboring skyline of Panadok City, everyone was more attracted to the Hamilton Art Museum built next door.

[Algot Runeman]

novice

/ˈnɒvɪs/
noun
1 A person new to and inexperienced in a job or situation.
1.1 An animal, especially a racehorse, that has not yet won a major prize or reached a sufficient level of performance to qualify for important events.
2 A person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows.

Origin
Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin novicius, from novus ‘new’.

==========

Babies are novices at everything. Parents support their every exploration. In a closely held corporation, a novice CEO might actually have the same benefits.

[voralfred]

I think we would gladly accept a novice in the WOTD. No need for nepotism to join us, everyone would be welcomed !

[Algot Runeman]

society

/səˈsʌɪɪti/
noun
1 mass noun - The aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.
1.1 The community of people living in a particular country or region and having shared customs, laws, and organizations.
1.2 with adjective A specified section of society.
1.3 The aggregate of people who are fashionable, wealthy, and influential, regarded as forming a distinct group in a community.
1.4 count noun A plant or animal community.
2 An organization or club formed for a particular purpose or activity.
3 mass noun The situation of being in the company of other people.

Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense ‘companionship, friendly association with others’): from French société, from Latin societas, from socius ‘companion’.

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Except for hermits and mountain men, we are generally integrated into our stratum of society,

[Algot Runeman]

dividend

/ˈdɪvɪdɛnd/
noun
1 A sum of money paid regularly (typically annually) by a company to its shareholders out of its profits (or reserves).
1.1 A payment divided among a number of people, e.g. winners in a football pool or members of a cooperative.
1.2 An individual's share of a dividend.
1.3 dividends A benefit from an action or policy.
2 Mathematics - A number to be divided by another number.

Origin
Late 15th century (in the general sense ‘portion, share’): from Anglo-Norman French dividende, from Latin dividendum ‘something to be divided’, from the verb dividere (see divide).

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The federal government collects its share of all the dividends which the corporation distributes.

[Algot Runeman]

minimal

/ˈmɪnɪm(ə)l/
adjective
1 Of a minimum amount, quantity, or degree; negligible.
2 Art - Characterized by the use of simple forms or structures, especially geometric or massive ones.
2.1 Characterized by simplicity and lack of adornment or decoration.
3 Music - Characterized by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases.
4 Linguistics - (of a pair of forms) distinguished by only one feature. - ‘‘p’ and ‘b’ are a minimal pair, distinguished by the feature of voicing’

Origin
Mid 17th century: from Latin minimus ‘smallest’ + -al.

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Betty served Bob a minimal portion of mixed vegetables. Bob appreciated her effort to tolerate his food preferences.