Sunday, July 22, 2007

auburn /`ō.bərn/
…adjective: Having a reddish, brown color.
[ultimately fr. Latin]

Saturday, July 21, 2007

deflagrable /də`flā.grə.bəl/
…adjective: Burning, often with sudden and snapping sparks or flames.
[fr. Latin]

Friday, July 20, 2007

rechauffe /rā.shō`fā/
…noun: Left-over food that has been warmed. 2. Something old that is brought up again or rehashed.
[fr. French]

Thursday, July 19, 2007

enkindle /ən`kĭn.dəl/
…transitive verb: 1. To set fire to. 2. To make aglow. 3. To arouse.
[fr. Old English]

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

dulcify /`dəl.sə.fī/
…transitive verb: To sweeten, or to make more suitable; to soothe.
[fr. Latin]

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

wharfinger /`hwōr.fĭn.jər/
…noun: One who owns or runs a wharf.
[fr. Old English]

Monday, July 16, 2007

somniloquy /sɑm`nĭl.ə.kwēē/
…noun: Speech uttered during sleep.
[fr. Latin]

Sunday, July 15, 2007

jannock /`jăn.ək/
…adjective: Honest; just; frank.
[unknown origin]

Saturday, July 14, 2007

nychthemeron /nĭk`thĕm.ər.ɑn/
…noun: A period of twenty-four hours, or night and day.
[fr. Greek]

Friday, July 13, 2007

auriform /`ōr.ə.fōrm/
…adjective: Having the shape of an ear.

[fr. Latin]

Thursday, July 12, 2007

atrabilious /ăt.rə`bĭl.ēē.əs/
…adjective: 1. Melancholy; gloomy. 2. Sullen and ill-tempered.
[fr. Latin]

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

gomerel /`gɑm.ər.əl/
…noun: A foolish person.
[fr. obsolete gome, meaning man]

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

android /`ăn.droyd/
…adjective: Having the characteristics and features of a human.
[fr. Latin]

Monday, July 09, 2007

flout /flout/
…transitive verb: To disdain haughtily; scorn.
…intransitive verb: To show haughty disdain.
…noun: A scornful remark.
[cf. flute]

Sunday, July 08, 2007

haliphagia /hăl.ĭ`fā.jēē.ə/
…noun: The eating of an excessive amount of salts.
[fr. Greek]

Saturday, July 07, 2007

rigmarole /`rĭg.mə.rōl/
…noun: 1. A procedure of complex and unnecessary steps. 2. Incoherent or meaningless speech; nonsense.

[fr. earlier ragman roll, meaning catalogue]

Friday, July 06, 2007

acerbity /ə`sər.bĭ.tēē/
…noun: Sourness and dryness in taste or behavior.
[fr. Latin]

Thursday, July 05, 2007

brummagem /`brə.mə.jəm/
…adjective: Cheap, gimmicky, or worthless.
[after Birmingham, England where counterfeit coins used to be made]

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

curmudgeon /kər`mŭ.jən/
…noun: An irritable and cantankerous person with stubborn opinions.
[unknown origin]

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

somnambulist /sɑm`năm.byū.lĭst/
…noun: One who sleepwalks.
[fr. Latin]