GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

chicanery

/ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/
noun
mass noun
The use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one's purpose.

Origin
Late 16th century from French chicanerie, from chicaner ‘to quibble’ (see chicane).

==========

A Ponzi scheme, classic chicanery, offers investors returns too good to be true.

[Algot Runeman]

fortuitous

/fɔːˈtjuːɪtəs/
adjective
1 Happening by chance rather than intention.
1.1 Happening by a lucky chance; fortunate.

Usage
The traditional, etymological meaning of fortuitous is ‘happening by chance’: a fortuitous meeting is a chance meeting, which might turn out to be either a good thing or a bad thing. Today, however, fortuitous tends to be often used to refer only to fortunate outcomes and the word has become more or less a synonym for ‘lucky’ or ‘fortunate’ (the ball went into the goal by a fortuitous ricochet). Although this usage is now widespread, it is still regarded by some people as incorrect

Origin
Mid 17th century from Latin fortuitus, from forte ‘by chance’, from fors ‘chance, luck’.

==========

Tentatively, without a plan, Stan proceeded across the open meadow. Fortuitous results occurred. Whether for good or ill, he'll know in a moment.

[Algot Runeman]

ingenuity

/ˌɪndʒɪˈnjuːɪti/
noun
mass noun
The quality of being clever, original, and inventive.

Origin
Late 16th century (also in the senses ‘nobility’ and ‘ingenuousness’): from Latin ingenuitas ‘ingenuousness’, from ingenuus ‘inborn’. The current meaning arose by confusion of ingenuous with ingenious.

==========

It does not take ingenuity to find a new word every day, just a big enough dictionary.
(A clever cleaver might help, of coure.)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

ingenuity
...
A clever cleaver might help, of course.

Oh!
Use the cleaver to divide the too unwieldy big dictionary into more convenient smaller volumes.
Ingenious!

[Algot Runeman]

Oh!
Use the cleaver to divide the too unwieldy big dictionary into more convenient smaller volumes.
Ingenious!

Genius!

[voralfred]

This post is not intended to be witty (as if my other ones were....)

It took me a long time to realize that ingenuity was the noun for ingenious rather than ingenuous. I knew the meaning of the two adjectives, but I was often surprised by the use of the noun that seemed to mean the contrary of what it should, in the context (and our resident author, LMB, uses it rather often). Of course the answer is that the meaning implied by the context was really the one of the noun in english, contrary to the logic of its spelling.
In french ingenuity is ingéniosité, while ingénuité means ingenuousness.


A clear-cut case of "faux-ami"

[Algot Runeman]

splendiferous

/splɛnˈdɪf(ə)rəs/
adjective
informal, humorous
Splendid.

Origin
Mid 19th century formed irregularly from splendour.

==========

Melanie's hat was splendiferous, but also quite heavy, since the fruit perched atop it was all real.

[Algot Runeman]

makeshift

/ˈmeɪkʃɪft/
adjective
Acting as an interim and temporary measure.
noun
A temporary substitute or device.

==========

Bob didn't have time to enough time to polish his image for today. He made do with something makeshift.

[Algot Runeman]

wayfarer

/ˈweɪfɛːrə/
noun
literary

A person who travels on foot.

==========

Josh was a wayfarer and wanderer. When in the woods, people often called him a hiker. In town, he was something more pedestrian.

[Algot Runeman]

sufficient

/səˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/
adjective & determiner
Enough; adequate.
as adjective ‘he had a small private income which was sufficient for her needs’
as determiner ‘they had sufficient resources to survive’

Origin
Middle English (in the sense ‘legally satisfactory’): from Old French, or from Latin sufficient- ‘meeting the need of’ (see suffice).

==========

There is always sufficient reason to seek out words which strengthen one's writing.

[Algot Runeman]

acroamatic

/ˌakrəʊəˈmatɪk/
adjective
1 rare Of or relating to hearing.
2 Privately communicated by oral teaching to chosen disciples only; esoteric, secret.

Origin
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Thomas Randolph (d. 1635), poet and playwright. From post-classical Latin acroamaticus privately communicated by oral teaching to chosen disciples only, esoteric, secret, disposed to listen and its etymon Hellenistic Greek ἀκροαματικός designed for hearing only, delivered orally, esoteric, capable of listening from ancient Greek ἀκροαματ-, ἀκρόαμα + -ικός.

==========

The secrets of alchemy were shared, but only in a limited, often acroamatic way. Science, by contrast was designed with publishing in mind.

[Algot Runeman]

preprandial

/priːˈprandɪəl/
adjective
1 formal, humorous Done or taken before dinner or lunch.
1.1 Medicine Occurring or done before a meal.

Origin
Early 19th century from pre-‘before’ + Latin prandium ‘a meal’ + -al.

==========

Today, a preprandial walk and a postprandial nap may be in order. Or, maybe in reverse order, hmm?

[Algot Runeman]

idiosyncrasy

/ˌɪdɪə(ʊ)ˈsɪŋkrəsi/
noun - idiosyncrasies
1 A mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual.
1.1 A distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing.
2 Medicine
An abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug.

Origin
Early 17th century (originally in the sense ‘physical constitution peculiar to an individual’): from Greek idiosunkrasia, from idios ‘own, private’ + sun ‘with’ + krasis ‘mixture’.

==========

In spite of efforts to make us blend seamlessly into society, we are all unique. Proudly display your idiosyncrasy!

[Algot Runeman]

delirious

/dɪˈlɪrɪəs/
adjective
1 In an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence; affected by delirium.
1.1 In a state of wild excitement or ecstasy.

==========

When the home team wins the pennant or cup, fans are delirious.

[Algot Runeman]

promontory

/ˈprɒm(ə)nt(ə)ri/
noun
promontories
1 A point of high land that juts out into the sea or a large lake; a headland.
2 Anatomy - A protuberance on an organ or other bodily structure.

Origin
Mid 16th century from Latin promontorium, variant (influenced by mons, mont- ‘mountain’) of promunturium.

==========

Let me tell you all a story
About a dog, a man,
And a magnificent promontory.
Well, that was the plan.
(I'm too busy right now.)

[CipherF15]

Is it bad if I spent an excessive amount of time reading that thread today?
And yes, I do have better things to do, but it's mesmerizing.

[Algot Runeman]

Is it bad if I spent an excessive amount of time reading that thread today?
And yes, I do have better things to do, but it's mesmerizing.

Excessive!

Why, anything less than an eon is far too short. You need to consider the epochs spent by those who shared their wit, wisdom and more to entice you into reading.

I hope you'll find it is also fun to leave more comments and opinions and explanations here going forward!

Not a moment of life is wasted.

[Algot Runeman]

lethargic

/lɪˈθɑːdʒɪk/
adjective
Affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic.

Origin
Late Middle English via Latin from Greek lēthargikos, from lēthargos ‘forgetful’.

==========

After hours of lethargic torpor, George rose from his bed on Sunday afternoon. It only took ten minutes after he'd sat up.

[Algot Runeman]

pertinacious

/ˌpəːtɪˈneɪʃəs/
adjective
formal
Holding firmly to an opinion or a course of action.

Origin
Early 17th century from Latin pertinax, pertinac- ‘holding fast’ + -ous.

==========

Francis is well-known for pertinacious adherence to routine and detail.

[voralfred]

I realise that recently I have been rather lethargic. I have not been sufficiently pertinacious in my contributing delirious posts to this thread.
I could try to blame my preprandial idiosyncratic laziness, but you'll be justified in suggesting me to write after regaining strength by eating a full meal....
And what about postprandial laziness ?

[Algot Runeman]

splice

/splʌɪs/
verb
[with object]
1 Join or connect (a rope or ropes) by interweaving the strands at the ends.
1.1 Join (pieces of timber, film, or tape) at the ends.
1.2 Genetics Join or insert (a gene or gene fragment)
noun
1 A join consisting of two ropes, pieces of tape or timber, etc. joined together at the ends.
1.1 The wedge-shaped tang of a cricket-bat handle, forming a joint with the blade.

Origin
Early 16th century probably from Middle Dutch splissen, of unknown origin.

==========

Sam spliced a recording device into the phone line. Sally still avoided detection. She only used her cellphone. Sam got no recording, but the NSA did.

[Algot Runeman]

discomfiture

/dɪsˈkʌmfɪtʃə/
noun
mass noun
A feeling of unease or embarrassment; awkwardness.

==========

Clive's discomfiture showed by the way he buried his hands in his pockets while his head hung low. Bob, far less concerned, just shrugged.

[Algot Runeman]

mollify

/ˈmɒlɪfʌɪ/
verb
mollifies, mollifying, mollified
[with object]
1 Appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)
1.1 rare Reduce the severity of (something)

Origin
Late Middle English (also in the sense ‘make soft or supple’): from French mollifier or Latin mollificare, from mollis ‘soft’.

==========

Martin attempted to mollify Molly, a fruitless effort, considering.

[Algot Runeman]

venturesome

/ˈvɛntʃəs(ə)m/
adjective
Willing to take risks or embark on difficult or unusual courses of action.

==========

Alex was a venturesome sort.
He happily tried every weird sport.
And if he ever came up short.
He'd still give all a full report.

[voralfred]

I do hope that Martin's pertinacious, tough venturesome, attempts to mollify Mollie did not remains indefinitely fruitless. What a disconfiture, if they did !

In french, disconfiture can hardly be fruitless, or it would be very bad quality jam indeed !