Vocab Blog- Katherine Dull

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Vocab Blog- Complement

complement-

noun

something that completes or makes perfect

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin complēmentum something that completes, equivalent to complē ( re ) to fill up (see complete) + -mentum -ment\

discreet-

adjective

judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.

1325–75; Middle English discret < Anglo-French, Old French < Medieval Latin discrētus, Latin: separated (past participle of discernere; see discern), equivalent to dis- dis-¹ + crē- separate, distinguish (variant stem of cernere ) + -tus past participle suffix

fastidious-

adjective

excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please: a fastidious eater.

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin fastīdiōsus squeamish, equivalent to fastīdi ( um ) lack of appetite, disgust, perhaps by syncope of *fastutīdium ( fastu-, combining form of fastus pride, conceit + -tīdium combining form of taedium tedium) + -ōsus -ous

flout

verb

to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock
1350–1400; Middle English flouten to play the flute; compare Dutch fluiten to play the flute, jeer

heinous-

adjective

hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible
1325–75; Middle English heynous < Middle French haineus, equivalent to haine hatred (derivative of haïr to hate < Germanic ) + -eus -ous

implement-

noun

any article used in some activity, especially an instrument, tool, or utensil

1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin implēmentum a filling up, equivalent to Latin implē ( re ) to fill up ( im- im-¹ + plēre to fill) + -mentum -ment

impromptu-
[im-promp-too, -tyoo]

adjective

made or done without previous preparation

1660–70; < French < Latin in promptū in readiness; see in, prompt

inference-
[in-fer-uh

ns, -fruh

ns]

noun

the act or process of inferring.

1585–95; < Medieval Latin inferentia. See infer, -ence

intuition-
[in-too-ish-uh

n, -tyoo-]

noun

direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin intuitiōn- (stem of intuitiō ) contemplation, equivalent to Latin intuit ( us ), past participle of intuērī to gaze at, contemplate + -iōn- -ion. See in-², tuition

obtrusive-

adjective

having or showing a disposition to obtrude, as by imposing oneself or one's opinions on others.

1660–70; < Latin obtrūs ( us ) (see obtrusion) + -ive

Thursday, April 11, 2013

451

Lozenge-

[loz-inj]- noun- a small, flavored tablet made from sugar or syrup, often medicated, originally diamond-shaped- 1300–50; Middle English losenge < Middle French, Old French, perhaps < Gaulish *lausa flat stone + -enge < Germanic -inga -ing³

Proboscis-

[proh-bos-is, -kis]- noun- any long flexible snout, as of the tapir- 1570–80; < Latin < Greek proboskís elephant's trunk, literally, feeder, equivalent to pro- pro-² + bósk ( ein ) to feed + -is (stem -id- ) noun suffix

Centrifuge-

[sen-truh-fyooj]- noun- an apparatus that rotates at high speed and by centrifugal force separates substances of different densities- 1795–1805; < French, noun use of centrifuge (adj.) < Neo-Latin centrifugus center-fleeing; see centrifugal

Nomadic-

[noh-mad-ik]- adjective- of, pertaining to, or characteristic of nomads- 1810–20; < Greek nomadikós. See nomad, -ic

Breach-

[breech]- noun- the act or a result of breaking; break or rupture.- before 1000; Middle English breche, Old English bræc breaking; see break

Pagan-

[pey-guh

n]- noun- one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.- 1325–75; Middle English < Medieval Latin, Late Latin pāgānus ‘worshiper of false gods’, orig. ‘civilian’ (i.e., not a soldier of Christ), Latin: ‘peasant’, noun use of pāgānus ‘rural, civilian’, derivative of pāgus ‘village, rural district’ (akin to pangere ‘to fix, make fast’); see -an

Bestial-

[bes-chuh

l, bees-]- adjective- without reason or intelligence; brutal; inhuman: bestial treatment of prisoners.- 1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin bēstiālis ( Latin bēsti ( a ) beast + -ālis -al¹)

Certitude-

[sur-ti-tood, -tyood]- noun- freedom from doubt, especially in matters of faith or opinion- 1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin certitūdō, equivalent to Latin certi- (combining form of certus sure; see certain) + -tūdō -tude

Filigree-

[fil-i-gree]- noun- anything very delicate or fanciful- 1685–95; earlier filigreen, variant of filigrain

Morgue-

[mawrg]- noun- a place in which bodies are kept, especially the bodies of victims of violence or accidents, pending identification or burial.- 1815–25; < French; name of building in Paris housing unidentified dead bodies