Etymology List #2

1. Etymology List #2

2. Accolade • Noun (AK uh layd) • an award, an honor; approval, praise - 1620’s, French

3. Aaron Baddeley earns the Shot of the Day accolade in the first round of Travelers Championship. Yeah, he’s kind of a big deal.

4. Ambiance • Noun (AM bee uns) - mood, feeling, general atmosphere • 1797, French

5. When choosing a place to go for a special dinner, like homecoming, prom, or anniversaries, people seek a certainambianceto complete the experience.

6. Aptitude • Noun (ap TUH tude) • capacity for learning; natural ability • Early 15 c., Middle French, Late Latin

7. Each of the armed services has its own minimum standard score requirements that men and women must meet on the Armed Forces VocationalAptitude Battery (ASVAB) and education levels needed to qualify for enlistment.

8. Arduous • ADJ. (AHR joo us) - Adverb – arduously • hard, difficult, tiresome • 1530’s, Latin

9. When we think about an arduousmarch, we usually think of soldiers, not penguins. But most people don’t realize the difficulty they go through to mate and hatch their penguin chicks.

10. Atrophy • VERB/NOUN – (A truh fee) • v.- to wither away/ n. - a wasting away due to lack of nourishment • 1822, French

11. When a muscle atrophies, which happens when someone has to wear a cast, the atrophy, causes a loss of muscle strength and size, which often begins around the 10th day of immobilization.

12. Caucus • NOUN/VERB (KAW kus) • a meeting of the members of a political party to make decisions/to meet with political party members. • 1850, American English

13. A caucus can represent a variety of political interests, such as the Congressional Black Caucus or caucuses meant to choose which candidate will represent their party in the Presidential election.

14. Chronic • ADJ. (Krahn ik) • continuing or lasting a long time • Early 15 c., French

15. Those who suffer chronic pain often turn to non-traditional methods of relief, such as acupuncture when medications don’t provide relief.

16. Cower • VERB - (KOW ur) • cringe from fear; to shrink away from • 1300, Middle Low German

17. The Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagra Falls claims to be the scariest haunted house in the area. Based on their faces and the way they are cowering in fear, for these visitors, that claim appears to be true.

18. Coterie • NOUN - (KOH tuh ree) • a circle of close associates or friends • 1738, Middle French

19. Vampires are all the rage since the Twilight series emerged, and this coteriehas used the trend as its theme for how to dress and accessorize. (Edward and Jacob would be so proud).

20. Censure • VERB – (Sen shur) • To criticize harshly, often in a formal context (business, government) • 1580’s, French

21. While the cartoon takes a lighthearted look at the idea ofcensuring someone for wrongdoing, it is actually a serious political response to ethical violations.

22. Digression • NOUN. (di GRESH uhn) • Verb – digress • The act of straying from the main point • 1325-75, Middle English

23. While it may seem strange, author James Patterson actually prefers to have digressions in the plots of his books, most of which focus on fictional psychologist Alex Cross.

24. Dromedary • NOUN (DRO me dary) • a one-humped domesticated camel • 1300-1350, Middle English

25. No one will ever convince me that these one-humped dromedaries are cute animals – except for maybe the one in the cartoon.

26. Emulate • VERB (EM-yuh-layt) • Noun - emulation • to follow or copy an example • 1580-90, Latin

27. One way that kids learn is through emulation of others. One can only hope, though, that children emulate the positive rather than the negative traits and behaviors of their parents.

28. Giddy • ADJ. (GĭDD ēē) • a light-headed sensation, dizzy; lighthearted, flighty, or frivolous • Pre-1000, Old English

29. A reader might not expect to see the word giddy often, but it has even appeared in Dispatch headlines over the past few months.

30. Gossamer • NOUN (GOSS uh mer) • delicate floating cobwebs; a sheer gauzy fabric; something delicate, light, flimsy • 1275-1325, Middle English

31. This is Gossamer. He chases Bugs Bunny for the mad scientist who wants Mr. Bugs to be Gossamer’s meal. Too bad for him since the crafty bunny tricks Gossamer into getting a manicure. But… …this is what gossamer really looks like to most people.

32. Grandiloquent • ADJ. - (gran DIL uh kwĕnt) • (grandiloquence – noun) • attempting to impress with big words or grand gestures • 1580’s, Latin

33. Some students use grandiloquent language in papers to impress their teachers even if they aren’t sure of the words’ meanings, but Senator Byrd (D- WVA) actually knew what he was talking about in his speeches.

34. Harangue • VERB/NOUN (huh RANG) • (V.) to lecture, berate; (N.) a long arrogant speech

35. In addition to berating and lecturing, haranguecan also mean “to harass.” You be the judge.

36. Harrowing • ADJ. (HARE roe ing) • extremely distressed; disturbing or frightening • 1800-1810, Middle English

37. In his poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est,” Wilfred Owen conveys in graphic detail the harrowing experience of war from the perspective of a soldier who lived through World War I. The phrase in Latin translates to “It is sweet and honorable to die for one’s country,” a sentiment that Owen believes is a lie. One can assume that there are people who feel like that in any era in which a war occurs.

38. Irascible • ADJ. (i Ras uh bul) • (irascibility – noun) • easily provoked to anger, extremely irritable • 1350-1400, Middle English

39. Chef Gordon Ramsay is known as the mostirasciblechef on TV with good reason. He lets everyone know exactly how he feels when they make him angry – which is often.

40. Laconic • ADJ. (luh KAKN ik) • brief, using few words, concise • 1580-90, Latin

42. Myriad • NOUN/ADJ.(MIR ee ud) • (Both forms are spelled the same; sentence context tells which it is). • an extremely large number • 1545-55, Greek

43. The state of Hawaii is comprised of myriad islands; in fact, while this map seems to show only eight islands, the state has well over 200 independently named islands. (This can also be written as “… a myriad of islands”).

44. Noxious • ADJ. (NŎK-shuhs) • physically destructive or harmful to the health of humans; morally harmful or corrupting • 1605-15, Latin

45. After the BP oil spill, photographers and reporters began to chronicle the noxious effects of the oil on beaches, sea life and the fish people eat.

46. Proficient • ADJ. (pruh FISH unt) • (proficiency – noun) • skillful; to be very good at something • 1580-90, Latin

47. All high school students in Ohio are expected to be proficient in Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, and Science by the time they graduate. In the Olentangy district, and Liberty High School in particular, we far exceed the state criteria for proficiency, especially when compared to other local districts.

48. Queue • VERB/NOUN (Kyoo) • Both forms are spelled the same; context tells which it is. • to form or to wait in line; a line • 1585-95, Middle French

49. It may sound like an old-fashioned word, but queue is actually an extremely common word used in Britain today. We say “Go line up” or “stand in line” and the English say “Let’s queue.”

50. Reminiscence • NOUN (rem-uh-NIS-uhns) • (Adj. – reminiscent ; Verb. – reminisce) • the act or practice of recalling the past • 1580-90, Middle French