Category: Word lovers

Blatherskite [blath-er-skahyt] This is a noun that refers to someone given to voluble, empty talk. I’m sure we all know a blatherskite or two in our lives. So you might say: “I’ve stopped paying attention to him because he is such a blatherskite.” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more

Magazine (noun) [mag-uh-zeen] From The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth: “Once upon a time there was an Arabic word khazana meaning to store up. From that they got makhzan meaning storehouse and its plural makhazin. That word sailed northwards across the Mediterranean (the middle of the earth) and become the Italian

Halcyon (adjective) [halseeuhn] It’s one of those words that many people find hard to pronounce. But once you master it, you can use it freely to mean “peaceful, gentle or carefree”. Like “Remember the halcyon days of your childhood when you lived on the farm?” To hear Valerie and Allison chat

Verisimilitude (noun) [ver-uh-si-mil-i-tood, -tyood] This suggestion for Word of the Week comes from Brooke. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, it means: “something having merely the appearance of truth.” So you might say …”Although the musical The Book of Mormon does have some verisimilitude, it does not accurately portray what really

Meretricious (adjective) [meruh’trishuhs] “I know this sounds like it has something to do with merit. But it doesn’t. Meretricious actually means ‘showy or flashy, but cheap underneath it all’. So you might refer to ‘meretricious clothing’. Or even a ‘meretricious argument’ if you want to describe one that’s possible but

Petrichor (noun) [PET-ri-kuhr] Thanks for @splitinwriter for this suggestion (and good timing this week!). According to the Macquarie Dictionary: “The term petrichor was coined in Australia in 1964 by two CSIRO scientists to describe the smell that occurs when it rains or is just about to rain. It was discovered

Incunabulum (noun) [in-kyoo-nab-yuh-luh-m] “This word sounds like it’s supposed to be some kind of cloud. But it actually refers to a really old book, particularly one that was printed – not handwritten – before 1501 in Europe.” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more about this and more on the

Paraph (noun) [paraf] “You might be fooled into thinking that this is short for ‘paragraph’ but it actually refers to a flourish made after or below a signature, which was originally used to prevent forgery. The practice is still used today, but the word itself hasn’t been widely used since

Ataraxia (noun) [at-uh-rak-see-uh] “While it sounds like a planet from a sci fi novel or even some kind of eating disorder, according to the Macquarie Dictionary it means: ‘a state of tranquillity, free from emotional disturbance and anxiety’. So you might say ‘people who meditate regularly hope to reach a

Fascinate (verb) [fas-uh-neyt] “Did you know that the word ‘fascinate’ comes from the Latin word ‘fascinatio’ which actually means ‘casting a spell’? Fascinating!” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more about this and more on the world of writing, blogging and publishing, check out the podcast.