GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

vermiform

/ˈvəːmɪfɔːm/
adjective
Anatomy Zoology
Resembling or having the form of a worm.

==========

Like many others, I do not have a vermiform appendix. It was removed, and, I really have not missed it.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

vermiform

/ˈvəːmɪfɔːm/
adjective
Anatomy Zoology
Resembling or having the form of a worm.

Talk about a vermiform coincidence.

For lunch today, I had capellini (with Ossobuco alla Milanese).

[Algot Runeman]

frankincense

/ˈfraŋkɪnsɛns/
noun
mass noun
An aromatic gum resin obtained from an African tree and burnt as incense.
This resin is obtained from the tree Boswellia sacra, family Burseraceae, native to Somalia
Also called olibanum, gum olibanum

Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French franc encens, literally ‘high-quality incense’, from franc (see frank) in an obsolete sense ‘superior, of high quality’ (which also existed in English) + encens ‘incense’.

==========

Frankincense
Wafting scents
Best intents
Gifts intense.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

frankincense
...

Nah! It takes more than words to get Frank incensed.

[Algot Runeman]

scroggin

/ˈskrɒɡɪn/
noun
mass noun
NZ, Australian

A mixture of dried fruit, nuts, and other food eaten as a snack by hikers.

Origin
1940s: of unknown origin.

==========

Beef jerky and scroggin would be the main diet for the next several days. There was no hike, no need for trail mix, just an abundance of the stuff given to him as Christmas presents.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

scroggin
...
A mixture of dried fruit, nuts, and other food eaten as a snack by hikers.
...

Before I read your welcome explanation of its meaning, I would have thought scroggin was something reprehensible Harvey Weinstein did.

[Algot Runeman]

Wunderkammer

/ˈvʊndəˌkamə/
noun
A place where a collection of curiosities and rarities is exhibited.

Origin
German, literally ‘wonder chamber’.

==========

Over the years, Mark managed to make his science classroom into a Wunderkammer, a mini museum. He built his own display cases and wrote description cards for each new acquisition. Students from all around the school stopped in after school to gaze and ask questions.

[voralfred]

Algot, with all the words you made us discover, there is enough to fill an entire verbal Wunderkammer, or even a troika of them !

Indeed, to quote you

The WotD is intended to inform, enlighten and perhaps even entertain. It is never the plan to be injurious, or to make you furious, just at worst, to make you curious.

in french, a Wunderkammer is called "Un cabinet de curiosités", QED.

Incidentally, a curious thing about the english language is that the meaning of injurious (above quote) is not closely related to that of the verb "to injure" that appeared in WOTD just a few days before. Therefore, contrary to apparences, it was indeed not a doublet !

When one "adds insult to injury", it is the insult which is injurious, not he injury !

Ils sont fous, ces anglophones, Obelix would say !

[Algot Runeman]

radicle

/ˈradɪk(ə)l/
noun
Botany
1 The part of a plant embryo that develops into the primary root.
1.1 Anatomy A rootlike subdivision of a nerve or vein.

Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin radicula, diminutive of radix, radic- ‘root’.

==========

Bob created an illustration of a dissected bean to show they typical parts of a dicot seed including cotyledons and the embryo with it's radicle and first leaves ready to germinate.

[Algot Runeman]

aeolian
(US eolian)

/iːˈəʊlɪən/
adjective
Geology
Relating to or arising from the action of the wind.

Origin
Early 17th century: from the name Aeolus + -ian.

==========

Arnold gazed at the aeolian waves arranged in the desert sand by the fluid we call air instead of water.

[Algot Runeman]

astray

/əˈstreɪ/
adverb
1 Away from the correct path or direction.
2 Into error or morally questionable behavior.

Origin
Middle English (in the sense ‘distant from the correct path’): from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French estraie, past participle of estraier, based on Latin extra ‘out of bounds’ + vagari ‘wander’.

==========

Danny done been gone astray in howso he use the American lingo.

[Algot Runeman]

cellulose

/ˈsɛljʊləʊs//ˈsɛljʊləʊz/
noun
mass noun
1 An insoluble substance which is the main constituent of plant cell walls and of vegetable fibres such as cotton. It is a polysaccharide consisting of chains of glucose monomers.
2 Paint or lacquer consisting principally of cellulose acetate or nitrate in solution.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from French, from cellule ‘small cell’ + -ose.

==========

Ben was bored of smoothing boards. He would much prefer to be dying cotton. The fact that wood and cotton are both cellulose fibers didn't matter to him at all

[Algot Runeman]

celebration

/sɛlɪˈbreɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
mass noun
1 The action of celebrating an important day or event.
1.1 count noun - A social gathering or enjoyable activity held to celebrate something.

Origin
Early 16th century: from Latin celebratio(n-), from the verb celebrare (see celebrate).

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If you fly quickly to Baker's Island in the Pacific ocean, you can have another celebration of the beginning of the new year.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

celebration

Sometimes the link between words is hidden, but not in this case:
A bra is the central part of the perpetual celebration of the bosom.

P.S. I assume your choice of colours (the belgian flag) to emphasize today's WotD is entirely coincidental?

And a happy new year to y'all too.

[Algot Runeman]

P.S. I assume your choice of colours (the belgian flag) to emphasize today's WotD is entirely coincidental?

And a happy new year to y'all too.

E.P.S., I cannot entirely disagree with your interpretation of the color scheme, though it was accidental on my part. To keep you abreast of my thinking, you need to note that the color yellow spells "brat", not "bra". I do not think you are a brat yourself, of course.

[Algot Runeman]

omission

/ə(ʊ)ˈmɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
1 Someone or something that has been left out or excluded.
1.1 mass noun -The action of excluding or leaving out someone or something.
1.2 A failure to fulfil a moral or legal obligation.

Origin
Late Middle English: from late Latin omissio(n-), from the verb omittere (see omit).

==========

This is my admission that there was a sad omission, no word yesterday! Today's word will need to do double duty. Let it be as if Wednesday didn't happen this week.

[Algot Runeman]

funambulist

/fjuːˈnambjʊlɪst/
noun
A tightrope walker.

Origin
Late 18th century: from French funambule or Latin funambulus (from funis ‘rope’ + ambulare ‘to walk’) + -ist.

===========

Ray was proud of his skills as a funambulist, but he was working to become a funcurroist to run across the rope.
[One should probably note that unlike a baby learning to walk, it is far harder to crawl on a tightrope than walk (to be a funserperist).]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

funambulist
...
Ray was proud of his skills as a funambulist, but he was working to become a funcurroist to run across the rope.

Haven't you noticed when a funambulist is almost across, that for the last two meters or so to the platform, she/he actually runs?

BTW: These days in the streets you can spot phonambulists at ground level bumping into poles or other obstacles without any tightropes.

[Algot Runeman]

BTW: These days in the streets you can spot phonambulists at ground level bumping into poles or other obstacles without any tightropes.

[Algot Runeman]

tenacious

/tɪˈneɪʃəs/
adjective
1 Tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely.
1.1 Not readily relinquishing a position, principle, or course of action; determined.
1.2 Persisting in existence; not easily dispelled.

Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin tenax, tenac- (from tenere ‘to hold’) + -ious.

==========

Thomas was tenacious about his coffee mug. He washed it carefully every day and sequestered it in his own desk drawer. Nobody else in the office should use it. Otherwise, people just grabbed the closest cup on the shelf in the break room.

[Algot Runeman]

batik

/bəˈtiːk//ˈbatɪk/
noun
mass noun
1 A method (originally used in Java) of producing coloured designs on textiles by dyeing them, having first applied wax to the parts to be left undyed.
as modifier ‘batik scarves’
1.1 Cloth that has been dyed using the batik method.

Origin
Late 19th century: from Javanese, literally ‘painted’.

==========

Bob built batik block patterns with his wax applicator before dying the cloth dark blue.

[Algot Runeman]

coffret

/ˈkɒfrɪt/
noun
A small box or container.

Origin
Late 15th century: from Old French, ‘small chest’, diminutive of coffre (see coffer).

==========

Martin carried the coffret
In a corner of his pocket,
Inside of which, a locket.
To his girlfriend he would offer it.

[Algot Runeman]

polemic

/pəˈlɛmɪk/
noun
1 A strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.
mass noun ‘a writer of feminist polemic’
1.1 usually polemics The practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute.

Origin
Mid 17th century: via medieval Latin from Greek polemikos, from polemos ‘war’.

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I need to ask, is it logical to launch a harsh polemic against war?

[Algot Runeman]

valorize
(British valorise)

/ˈvalərʌɪz/
verb
[with object]
1 Give or ascribe value or validity to.
1.1 Raise or fix the price or value of (a commodity or currency) by artificial means, especially by government action.

Origin
1920s: back-formation from valorization (from French valorisation, from valeur ‘value’).

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The value of this word is one "million", so naturally I'm going to valorize it at two "million" so I can make a profit. (Considering the lack of monetary unit, you are free to assign your own.)

[Algot Runeman]

crocket

/ˈkrɒkɪt/
noun
(in Gothic architecture) a small carved ornament, typically a bud or curled leaf, on the inclined side of a pinnacle, arch, etc.

Origin
Middle English (denoting a curl or roll of hair): from Old Northern French, variant of Old French crochet (see crotchet). The current sense dates from the late 17th century, but crotchet was used in the same sense from late Middle English until the 19th century.

==========

Calvin carved the crocket with the chisel from his pocket.