Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for May 29, 2010 is:
disaster • \dih-ZAS-ter\ • noun

: a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction; broadly : a sudden or great misfortune or failure

Felix’s Example Sentence:

The BP oil spill resulted from a concatenation of separate decisions which led to the largest oil production disaster in the history of the U.S.

Did you know?

“Disaster” has its roots in the belief that the positions of stars influence the fate of humans, often in destructive ways; its original meaning in English was “an unfavorable aspect of a planet or star.” The word comes to us through Middle French and the Old Italian word “disastro,” from the Latin prefix “dis-” and Latin “astro,” meaning “star.” Another unfortunate word that comes to us from astrological beliefs is “ill-starred.” Now generally used in the sense of “unlucky” or “having or destined to a hapless fate,” “ill-starred” was originally used literally to describe someone born under or guided by an evil star. We also have “star-crossed,” meaning “not favored by the stars” or “ill-fated.”

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for March 25, 2010 is:
nefarious • \nih-FAIR-ee-us\ • adjective

: flagrantly wicked or impious : evil

Felix’s Example Sentence:

Politics makes nefarious attacks on one’s opponent defensible for some, even to the point of vandalizing the home of the politically incorrect victim.

Did you know?

“Vicious” and “villainous” are two wicked synonyms of “nefarious,” and, like “nefarious,” both mean “highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.” But these synonyms are not used in exactly the same way in all situations. “Vicious” may imply moral depravity or it may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence. “Villainous” applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic, while “nefarious” (which derives from the Latin noun “nefas,” meaning “crime”) suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct. “Nefarious” first appeared in English in the early 17th century, whereas “vicious” and “villainous” preceded “nefarious” by about two hundred years.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for October 19, 2009 is:
diabolical • \dye-uh-BAH-lih-kul\ • adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish

Felix’s Example Sentence:

In all of creation, the only creature truly diabolical in its potential is man – all other beings of the lesser kind simply kill or are killed for survival – only man exhibits wanton cruelty without any purpose but his own pleasure.

Did you know?

Like the word “devil,” “diabolical” traces back to Latin “diabolus,” which itself descends from Greek “diabolos,” a word that literally means “slanderer.” In English, “diabolical” has many nuances of meaning. It can describe the devil himself (as in “my diabolical visitor”) or anything related to or characteristic of him in appearance, behavior, or thought; examples include “diabolical lore,” “a diabolical grin,” and “a diabolical plot.” In British slang, “diabolical” can also mean “disgraceful” or “bad,” as in “the food was diabolical.”

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for September 09, 2009 is:
ennead • \EN-ee-ad\ • noun

: a group of nine

Felix’s Example Sentence:

J. R. R. Tolkien was following ancient number symbolism in creating the Nazgul, an ennead of nine spectral agents commanded by Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor.

Did you know?

Since ancient times, various groups of people have considered nine to be a very special and sacred number. Legends and literature have long characterized groups of nine as having a special, in some cases magical, significance. Ancient Egyptians organized their gods into groups of nine; even today, their principal group of gods (headed by sun god Re-Atum) is called the “Great Ennead of Heliopolis.” The “Ennead” English speakers use in that name traces to “ennea,” the Greek word for “nine.” “Ennead” is also used generally to refer to other groups of ancient gods. Furthermore, it is the name given to six sets of nine treatises by Greek philosopher Plotinus that were collected and organized by his 3rd-century disciple, Porphyry.