Epaulet

epaulet \ˌe-pə-ˈlet\ noun: something that ornaments or protects the shoulder, as an ornamental fringed shoulder pad formerly worn as part of a military uniform or an ornamental strip or loop sewn across the shoulder of a dress or coat

Etymology: French épaulette, diminutive of épaule shoulder, from Old French espalle, from Late Latin spatula shoulder blade, spoon, diminutive of Latin spatha spoon, sword

The golden scrub brush!

Scrip

scrip \ˈskrip\ noun: 1. (archaic) a small bag or wallet, 2. a short writing (as a certificate, schedule or list),
3. a small piece,
4 a. any of various documents used as evidence that the holder or bearer is entitled to receive something (as a fractional share of stock or an allotment of land), b. paper currency or a token issued for temporary use in an emergency, 5. prescription; a written direction for a therapeutic or corrective agent (specifically one for the preparation and use of a medicine)

Etymology: (for definition 1) Middle English scrippe, from Medieval Latin scrippum pilgrim’s knapsack; (for definitions 2, 3 & 4) alteration of script

How can one be sure another’s utterance is truly scrip and not merely a slurring of script?

Lassitude

lassitude \ˈla-sə-ˌtüd\ noun: 1. a condition of weariness or debility; fatigue, 2. a condition of listlessness; languor

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin lassitudo, from lassus weary

I’d rather be languorous than fatigued, but in either case lassitude holds sway.

Vermiculate

vermiculate \vər-ˈmi-kyə-ˌlət \ adjective: 1. tortuous, involute, 2. full of worms; worm-eaten, 3 a. resembling a worm in shape; vermiform, b. marked with irregular fine lines or with wavy impressed lines {a vermiculate nut}

Etymology: Latin vermiculatus, from vermiculus

Can vermiculate take on worm-eaten’s metaphorical sense of “worn-out or antiquated?”

Fulgurant

fulgurant \ˈful-g(y)ə-rənt, ˈful-jə-, ˈfəl-\adjective: 1. flashing like lightning, 2. brilliant

Etymology: Latin fulgurare glitter, flash, shine brightly

Fulgurant is related to fulgent.

Wan

wan \ˈwän\ adjective: 1 a. suggestive of poor health; sickly, pallid, b. lacking vitality; feeble, 2: dim, faint, 3: languid {a wan smile}

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wann dark, livid

We all know this word from Sir John Suckling’s “Why So Pale and Wan, Fond Lover?”

Lemniscate

lemniscate \lem-ˈnis-kət\ noun: a figure-eight shaped curve whose equation in polar coordinates is ρ2=a2 cos 2θ or ρ2=a2 sin 2θ

Etymology: New Latin lemniscata, from feminine of Latin lemniscatus with hanging ribbons, from lemniscus

Honestly, what’s more fascinating than geometry? It’s the math you can draw!

Omphaloskepsis

omphaloskepsis \ˌäm(p)-fə-lō-ˈskep-səs\ noun: 1. contemplation of one’s navel as an aid to meditation, 2: indisposition to motion, exertion or change; inertia

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek omphalos + skepsis examination

Omphaloskepsis has taken on additional meanings; it can be a synonym for “introspection” or it can mean “self-centeredness, egotism or conceit.” How long have these other meanings been around?

Blepharospasm

blepharospasm \ˈble-fə-rō-ˌspa-zəm \ noun: spasmodic winking of the eyelids due to contraction of the muscle encircling the orbit

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, from blepharon

Any connection between the entry word and its illustration is purely coincidental.

Strigil

strigil \ˈstri-jəl\ noun: an metal instrument used by ancient Greeks and Romans for scraping dirt, sweat and oil off the skin after exercising

Etymology: Latin strigilis; akin to Latin stringere to touch lightly

A conventional subject of ancient Greek sculpture depicted an athlete using a strigil.

Divagate

divagate \ˈdī-və-ˌgāt, ˈdi-\ intransitive verb: to wander or stray from a course or subject; diverge, digress

Etymology: Late Latin divagatus, past participle of divagari, from Latin dis- + vagari to wander

I divagate when looking up a word in the dictionary. Other words jump out and distract; they’re so tempting I can’t resist reading their definitions.

Cavil

cavil \ˈka-vəl\ intransitive verb: to raise trivial and frivolous objection
transitive verb: to raise trivial objections to

Etymology: Latin cavillari to jest, cavil, from cavilla raillery; akin to Latin calvi to deceive

The cavilry—whiners on horseback.

Limn

limn \ˈlim\ transitive verb: 1. to draw or paint on a surface, 2 . to outline in clear sharp detail; delineate, 3. describe {the novel limns the frontier life of the settlers}

Etymology: Middle English limnen to illuminate (a manuscript), probably back-formation from lymnour illuminator, alteration of lumenur, from Anglo-French aluminer, enluminer to illuminate, ultimately from Latin illuminare

Figurative artists limn limbs.

Lugubrious

lugubrious \lə-ˈgü-brē-əs\ adjective: 1. mournful; exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful {dark, dramatic and lugubrious brooding — V. S. Pritchett}, 2: dismal {a lugubrious landscape}

Etymology: Latin lugubris, from lugēre to mourn; akin to Greek lygros mournful

Lugubrious is a common enough word, but it’s strangely underutilized in everyday speech. Let’s do all we can to right that wrong.

Salacious

salacious \sə-ˈlā-shəs\ adjective: 1. arousing or appealing to sexual desire or imagination; lascivious, 2. lecherous, lustful

Etymology: Latin salac-, salax, from salire to move spasmodically, leap

The closest word Italian has in meaning to the English word salacious is lascivo, obviously a cognate to the English lascivious. The Italian descendant of the Latin salire is saltare, and it still means “to jump.”

Sedulous

sedulous \ˈse-jə-ləs\ adjective: 1 : involving or accomplished with careful perseverance {sedulous craftsmanship}, 2. diligent in application or pursuit {a sedulous student}

Etymology: Latin sedulus, from sedulo sincerely, diligently, from sed-, se without + dolus guile

Note the etymology. Something that meant “without guile or deceitful cunning” has come to mean “accomplished with careful perseverance” or “diligent in pursuit.” Makes sense.

Froward

froward \ˈfrō-(w)ərd\ adjective: habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition

Etymology: Middle English, ‘turned away,’ ‘froward,’ from fro ‘from’ + -ward ‘that occurs or is situated in the direction of’

Have you ever heard this word used in casual conversation? I haven’t.

Costive

costive \ˈkäs-tiv\ adjective: 1 a. affected with constipation, b. causing constipation, 2. slow in action or expression, 3. not generous; stingy

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French costivé, past participle of costiver to constipate, from Latin constipare

Today is the 19th anniversary of the Post-Summer Solstice Fest.

Glister

glister \ˈglis-tər\ intransitive verb: glitter

Etymology: Middle English glistren

Gristle glistens, but blisters glister.

Excrescence

excrescence \ik-ˈskre-sən(t)s, ek-\ noun: 1. a projection or outgrowth especially when abnormal {warty excrescences in the colon}, 2. a disfiguring, extraneous, or unwanted mark or part; blot, 3. a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result; by-product

Etymology: Latin ex- out + crescens, from crescere to grow, arise, thrive

I imagine it would be a scathing insult to call someone an excrescence.