The noun gyre means, “a turning round, revolution, whirl; a circular or spiral turn.” Birds often fly in gyres as they make use of thermal columns of air. Ocean currents that move in circular patterns are called gyres. The verb gyre means, “to move in a circle or spiral.” The verb gyrate means to move … Read more
The noun behalf (from Middle English, from by and half, meaning “side”) is an unusual word in a couple of respects. For one thing, it is used only in two prepositional phrases, anchoring either “in behalf of” or “on behalf of.” Many other nouns are employed in similar prepositional phrases in which a pair of … Read more
One by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic is the introduction of a vocabulary pertaining to the disease. Here are ten terms everyone should know to help them and others in their families and communities understand the disease and avoid contracting it. Asymptomatic: This term simply means “presenting no symptoms of disease,” but the connotation is that … Read more
This post explores definitions and connotations of various terms associated with leaving one’s place of employment. 1. Discharge This term is used mostly in military contexts, generally with a qualifier such as honorary that denotes a bureaucratic category, to refer to the end of enlistment for any of various reasons. (Discharge stems from the Late … Read more
In times of uncertainty, people wish for some magical means of foretelling the future. Considering that uncertainty is one of life’s certainties, it’s not surprising that human beings have come up with numerous ways to “look into the seeds of time/And say which grain will grow and which will not.” The English vocabulary is rich … Read more
Although they sound the same and are often misspelled one for the other, the words augur and auger are not remotely related. augur In ancient Rome, the noun augur signified a religious official who interpreted the sounds and movements of birds to predict outcomes of matters of public concern. In time, the practice of augury … Read more
Media coverage of the coronavirus causing the disease COVID-19 has introduced numerous previously unfamiliar terms into daily usage. Four that have especially caught my attention are throughput, exogenous, titer, and fomites. throughput When I first heard this word being thrown about, I thought it must be recently invented political jargon, like walkback: walkback: Verb. to … Read more
Erosion of distinctions between senses for words with similar or related meanings is a natural process, but careful writers resist becoming accessories to acceleration of that process. Here are ten word pairs that are used interchangeably, often at the expense of clarity. 1. Accurate/precise: Accuracy is the degree to which an estimated measurement or a … Read more
Most people are acquainted with the word theology and its offshoots, theologian and theological. The words are formed from Greek theos (god) and logy (knowledge). Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious belief. Here are some more theos words that may not be as familiar. theocentric theos + kentrikos (having a … Read more
One of the most popular of the Roman gods was Mercury, patron of merchants and thieves. Mercury had other associations. He was noted for eloquence, speed, trickery and magic. In addition to shopkeeping and thievery, he was associated with roads and boundaries. Because of his speed, he carried messages for the other gods and acted … Read more
I’ve noticed the two nouns, discomfort and discomfiture, being used interchangeably, as if both meant simply, “the condition of being uncomfortable—physically or mentally.” A toothache causes discomfort. Certain topics of conversation cause discomfort in some listeners. When I peruse the comments on my posts, vulgar language and ad hominem attacks cause me discomfort. Discomfiture, on … Read more
The English suffix –ocracy derives from a Greek word for “power,” “rule,” or “authority.” Six examples of such words are aristocracy, autocracy, democracy, kakistocracy,theocracy and plutocracy. Some of the terms overlap. Aristocracy Literally, an aristocracy is “rule by the best citizens.” In theory, the best citizens (IMHO) would be the most intelligent, best-educated, and most … Read more