GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

parfleche

/ˈpɑːflɛʃ/
noun
1 (in American Indian culture) a hide, especially a buffalo's hide, with the hair removed, dried by being stretched on a frame.
1.1 An article, especially a bag, made from parfleche.

Origin
From Canadian French parflèche, from French parer ‘ward off’ + flèche ‘arrow’.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Pete practiced parfleche preparation precisely. The result: rawhide. Stiff and durable, the goods he made were popular with tourists. His cousin Luke did most of the native American art/design. Pete did process some hides further to make flexible leather, much more suitable for garments. The jackets took more time, of course, and commanded higher prices.



[Spelling note: Pete, being American, "practiced" his trade. Had he been British, he would have "practised". This forum software and/or my computer settings (apparently set to UK English) warn me of spelling issues with the wavy line below a misspelled word as I type these posts. I was warned today!]

[Algot Runeman]

creophagous

/krɪˈɒfəɡəs/
(also kreophagous)
adjective
rare
Flesh-eating or carnivorous.

Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek kreophagus, from kreas ‘flesh’ + -phagos (see -phagous).

-=-=-=-=-

Vance compared the origins. His family on the smaller side was mostly creophagous. On the opposite, larger branch, the majority were carnivorous. His mother and father's marriage had merged the two families' businesses into the most successful butchers in the region.



[As a student, somewhere between the fifth and eighth grade, an English teacher impressed upon us that we would understand our language better if we recognized the common roots of words, often travelling to English through Italian, Spanish and French from Latin or Greek. It looks like this time, the Latin won the day, leaving the Greek in obscurity.]

[Algot Runeman]

jaspé

/ˈdʒaspeɪ/
adjective
Randomly mottled or variegated, like jasper.

Origin
Mid 19th century: French, past participle of jasper ‘to marble’, from jaspe (see jasper).

-=-=-=-

Jaspé, as a fabric design, reminded Harry of camouflage gear in the army.

[Algot Runeman]

depuration

/dɪpjʊəˈreɪʃ(ə)n//dɛpjʊˈreɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
mass nountechnical
The action or process of freeing something of impurities.

Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin depuratio(n-), from the verb depurare, from de- ‘completely’ + purare ‘purify’ (from purus ‘pure’).
Pronunciation

--=-=-=--

Filtration is one important step in depuration, removing impurities. In the body, the spleen, kidneys and lymphatic system remove damaged blood cells and other such debris from the blood stream.

[Algot Runeman]

rubescent

/rʊˈbɛs(ə)nt/
adjective
literary
Reddening; blushing.

Origin
Mid 18th century: from Latin rubescent- ‘reddening’, from the verb rubescere, from ruber ‘red’.

-=-=-=-=-

The apples hung low on their branches, filling with sweet juice and turning from their early green to rubescent, resplendent, red skins.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

rubescent

As I live in a city, it's doubtful whether I'll ever smell a rube scent.

OTOH, I've heard it claimed that Hélène Fourment nicknamed her husband Rube and had an exclusive Scent made for him.

[Algot Runeman]

majuscule

/ˈmadʒəskjuːl/
noun
mass noun
1 Large lettering, either capital or uncial, in which all the letters are the same height.
1.1 count noun A large letter.

Origin
Early 18th century: from French, from Latin majuscula (littera) ‘somewhat greater (letter)’.

-=---=---=-

E.E. Cummings made a name for himself by writing poetry without always using majuscule letters in the places people expected. A Cummings scholar, Norman Freedman clearly states that it was a poetic device, not to be applied to his name (which Cummings signed using capital letters).

[Algot Runeman]

vanilla

/vəˈnɪlə/
noun
1 mass noun A substance obtained from vanilla pods or produced artificially and used to flavor foods or to impart a fragrant scent to cosmetic preparations.
as modifier ‘vanilla ice cream’
2 A tropical climbing orchid which has fragrant flowers and long pod-like fruit.
2.1 The fruit of the vanilla plant which is cured and then either used in cooking or processed to extract an essence which is used for flavour and fragrance.
adjective
informal
Having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard.

Origin
Mid 17th century: from Spanish vainilla ‘pod’, diminutive of vaina ‘sheath, pod’, from Latin vagina ‘sheath’. The spelling change was due to association with French vanille.

-=---=---=-

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice, surpassed only by saffron, largely because it is labor-intensive to produce.

[Algot Runeman]

trefa

/ˈtreɪfə/
(also trifa, trayf, treif)
adjective
(of food) not satisfying the requirements of Jewish law.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from Hebrew ṭĕrēp̱āh ‘the flesh of an animal torn or mauled’, from ṭārap̱ ‘rend’.


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

Trefa foods, effectively, are non-kosher. Shellfish and pork, among others would be trefa dining. In keeping with this rule, but extending beyond the Jewish traditions, would be the general dislike of the idea of eating roadkill.

[Algot Runeman]

abri

/əˈbriː/
noun
1 A shelter, a refuge.
2 Archaeology - A hollow beneath overhanging rock; a rock shelter.

Origin
Mid 18th century. From French abri shelter, refuge (12th cent. in Old French; 1866 or earlier in specific archaeological use with reference to rock shelters, more fully abri sous roche, lit. ‘shelter beneath a rock’, also abri sous roches) from abrier to shelter, to protect from post-classical Latin apricare to warm, protect from cold, variant (with change of conjugation) of classical Latin aprīcārī.

...---^^^---...

It is valuable trail wisdom to avoid the temptation of an abri, sheltering under an overhang on the mountain slope, if there is a threat of mudslides.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

abri

Surely the caves of Lascaux and Altamira are some of the most famous abris in the world?

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

tuile

/twiːl/
noun
A thin curved biscuit, typically made with almonds.

Origin
French, literally ‘tile’.

-=-=-=-=-

Todd was surprised when he bit a piece from his first tuile. The taste wasn't that of the familiar, same-shaped potato chip. That they were served with dessert should have given Todd a clue.

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.,

I am consistently amazed by the durability of the pigments used for those cave drawings. Lack of sunlight to encourage oxidation must be part of it, but those colors pop right out after all these years. (They weren't a prank of your youth, were they?)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

tuile

On Sundays and holidays visitors to the "Jardin des Tuileries" used to buy and eat delicious tuiles. Several little bakery stalls were located on strategic spots throughout the park.

Unfortunately, worsening traffic pollution of the air caused the tuiles to taste like engine oil and soot. The picturesque tuilerie stalls have dissappeared many years ago, though the little boats still chase the ducks around the great pond.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

ataraxy

/ˈatəraksi/
(also ataraxia)
noun
mass noun
literary
A state of serene calmness.

Origin
Early 17th century: from French ataraxie, from Greek ataraxia ‘impassiveness’, from a- ‘not’ + tarassein ‘disturb’.

-=-=-=-=-

Buddhist monks seek (never strive, which is considered too harsh an effort) to achieve ataraxy, though in their search for wisdom, they call it "upekkha".

[Algot Runeman]

piquette

/pɪˈkɛt/
noun
Originally and chiefly in France: a type of sour alcoholic drink; especially (in later use) wine made from the second pressing of the marc.

Origin
Early 17th century; earliest use found in Richard Surflet (fl. 1600–1616), translator. From Middle French, French piquette from piquer to be piquant + -ette.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Paul partook liberally of the piquette. Yes, his thirst was quenched, but it also helped lead to an afternoon nap. His snoring bombinated across the vinyard, mixing with the buzz of bees.



[What's the buzz? Bombinate had its own feature on IBDoF some time back. Rather than wait for the complaints to come droning in, I searched near and narrow for a substitute, coming up with a sour solution.]

[Algot Runeman]

historiated

/ˈstɔːrɪeɪtɪd/
adjective
rare
Texts decorated with historical, legendary, or emblematic designs.

Origin
Late 19th century

-=-=-=-=-

ragons there be in history, according to the bards.
They captured careless maidens walking in their yards.
The people in their kingdoms cried out for mighty knights
Who quested off to save the day and cure the nasty blights.

[Letting the whole entry represent historiated while not including the word itself.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

historiated

I wonder about the conjugation of the corresponding verb.
I mytoriate
You yourtoriate
He historiates
We ustoriate
They theirtoriate
...
I guess the British Tories just plain toriate.

[Algot Runeman]

manicotti

/ˌmanɪˈkɒti/
noun
mass noun
Large tubular pasta shapes.

Origin
Italian, plural of manicotto ‘muff’.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Mark mainly munched manicotti Mondays. Wednesday was Anthony's spaghetti day. Saturday was for lasagna. I have no idea what was for dinner the rest of the week.



[Yes, I do know I muffed this illustration, manicotti being plural and all, but I just got so tired after making one manicotto.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

manicotti

Is it:
I manicotto,
You manicotti,
He manicotts,
We manicottonos,
They manicotten?

Anyhow, it looks like corrugated cannelloni. Yum!

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

bodyboard

/ˈbɒdɪbɔːd/
noun
A short, light type of surfboard ridden in a prone position.

-=-=-=-=-

Bob rode three hundred waves a day on his bodyboard. But then, he's prone to exaggerate!

[Algot Runeman]

muumuu

/ˈmuːmuː/
noun
A woman's loose, brightly coloured dress, especially one traditionally worn in Hawaii.

Origin
Early 20th century: from Hawaiian mu'u mu'u, literally ‘cut off’.

-=-=-=-=-

Mimi admired her muumuu in the mirror. She would be the talk of the town, though some talk might be behind her back.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

muumuu

Wearing a muumuu would generate less talk than sporting a tutu, I think.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

chandelle

/ʃanˈdɛl/
noun
A steep climbing turn executed in an aircraft to gain height while changing the direction of flight.

Origin
Mid 20th century: from French, literally ‘candle’.

Bernard bent time and space to his will, flawlessly executing the chandelle right after leaving the airfield. He was eagerly on his way to the next adventure.



[For the record, "heckelphone" was the first WotD choice, but I quickly said "to heckel with that!" when it was obvious that such a giant, complex oboe was beyond my illustration mood skills.]

[Algot Runeman]

cardia

/ˈkɑːdɪə/
noun
Anatomy
The upper opening of the stomach, where the oesophagus enters.

Origin
Late 18th century: from Greek kardia.

-=-=-=-=-

Cardiopulmonary health is technically not related to the stomach's cardia, though controlling the amount of food going through that opening to the stomach can also improve heath.