Category Archives: Vocabulary

PRONUNCIATION: (OH-lee-oh) http://wordsmith.org/words/olio.mp3 MEANING: (noun) A miscellaneous collection of things, for example, a variety show. ETYMOLOGY: From Spanish olla (pot, stew), from Latin olla (pot). Earliest documented use: 1642. Also see olla podrida. USAGE: Help Your Power Well Being With … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (YOO-buhr-uhs) http://wordsmith.org/words/uberous.mp3 MEANING: (adjective) Abundant; fruitful. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin uber (rich, fruitful, abundant, etc.). Earliest documented use: 1624. USAGE: Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/04/11/americas-shame-japans-gain-an-animatronic-ray-charles/ levitra without prescription produces potentially serious complications like high blood pressure, heart attack, … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (maj-uh-STEER-ee-uhl) http://wordsmith.org/words/magisterial.mp3 MEANING: (adjective) 1. Having the characteristics of a master or teacher; authoritative. 2. Domineering or overbearing. 3. Of or relating to a magistrate. ETYMOLOGY: From Late Latin magisterialis (of authority), from magisterium, from Latin magister (master), ultimately … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (PEK-yuh-layt) http://wordsmith.org/words/peculate.mp3 MEANING: (verb tr., intr) To steal or misuse money or property entrusted to one’s care. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin pecu (cattle, money). Ultimately from the Indo-European root peku- (wealth), which also gave us fee, fief, fellow, peculiar, impecunious, … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (GLO-ming) http://wordsmith.org/words/gloaming.mp3 MEANING: (noun) Twilight; dusk. ETYMOLOGY: From Middle English gloming, from Old English glomung, from glom (dusk). Ultimately from Indo-European root ghel- (to shine) that is also the source of words such as yellow, gold, glimmer, glimpse, glass, … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (ri-ZUHMP-tiv) http://wordsmith.org/words/resumptive.mp3 MEANING: (adjective) Tending to resume, repeat, or summarize. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin resumere (to resume), from re- (again) + sumere (to take). Earliest documented use: 1398. USAGE: “‘At the time of the robo-signing controversy last year, we stopped … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (mer-eh-TRISH-ehs or mer-i-TRISH-uhs) http://wordsmith.org/words/meretricious.mp3 MEANING: (adjective) 1. Gaudy, vulgar, especially attracting attention by being gaudy or vulgar. 2. Appealing in a cheap or showy manner: tawdry. 3. Based on pretense or insincerity. (adverb) Meretriciously; (noun) Meretriciousness. ETYMOLOGY: Entered English … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (GRAED-grInd) http://wordsmith.org/words/gradgrind.mp3 MEANING: (noun) – A dull bean-counter, an impersonal person, interested solely in facts and figures with little sympathy for human needs. ETYMOLOGY: The eponym of today’s word is a mill owner in Dickens’ ‘Hard Times,’ who propounds … Continue reading →

PRONUNCIATION: (PAW-suh-tee) http://wordsmith.org/words/paucity.mp3 MEANING: (noun) 1. Fewness; smallness of number; scarcity. 2. Smallness of quantity; insufficiency. ETYMOLOGY: Paucity is from Latin paucitas, from paucus, “little, few.” It helps to defy aging effects through sildenafil tablets without prescription rejuvenating aging cells. … Continue reading →