#yamayaya's word of the day

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

revolution, n.

•An attempt, by a larger number of people, to change the government of a country, especially by violent action

•A dramatic and wide-reaching change in conditions, ways of working, beliefs, etc.

•The movement of an object in a circular or elliptical course around another or about an axis or centre

Etymology:

From Late Latin revolutionem, accusative singular of revolutio "rotation", "revolving", which in turn comes from revolvere "to turn, roll back" (re- "back, again" + volvere "to turn, revolve" from Proto-Indo-European root *wel- meaning the same)

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

pillow, n.

•a square or rectangular piece of fabric filled with feathers or other soft materials, used to rest your head on in bed

Etymology:

Middle English pilwe, from Old English pyle "cushion, bed-cushion, pillow," from West Germanic *pulwi(n), from Latin pulvinus "little cushion, small pillow," of uncertain origin. The modern spelling in English is from mid-15c.

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

cloud, n.

•a visible mass of condensed watery vapour floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the general level of the ground

•an indistinct or billowing mass, especially of smoke or dust

Etymology:

Old English clud "mass of rock, hill", related to clod "lump of earth or clay". Around the beginning of the 13th century, the word came to be used as a metaphor for rain clouds, because of the similarity in appearance between a mass of rock and cumulus cloud. Clod comes from Proto-Germanic *kludda-, from PIE *gleu- "slime, glue".

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

neglect, v., n.

•Fail to care for properly. Not pay proper attention to; disregard

•Fail to do something

•The state of being uncared for

•The action of not taking proper care of someone or something

Etymology:

From Latin neglectus, past participle of neglegere "to disregard, be indifferent to, not trouble oneself about," literally "not to pick up," variant of neclegere, from Old Latin nec "not" (PIE root *ne- "not") + legere "pick up, select," (PIE root *leg- "to collect, gather")

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

bittersweet, adj.

•(Of food or drink) sweet with a bitter aftertaste

•Arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain

Etymology:

Bitter: Old English biter "having a harsh taste, sharp, cutting; angry, full of animosity; cruel," from Proto-Germanic *bitras- from suffixed form of PIE root *bheid- "to split"

Sweet: Old English swete, Mercian swoete, "pleasing to the senses, mind or feelings; having a pleasant disposition," from Proto-Germanic *swotja-. This is reconstructed to be from the PIE root *swād- "sweet, pleasant"

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

alone, adj., adv.

•Having no one else present, being isolated and lonely

•Without others' help or participation: single-handedly

•Indicating that something is confined to the specified subject or recipient

Etymology:

A contraction of all ane, from Old English all ana "unaccompanied, all by oneself," literally "wholly oneself," from all "all, wholly" + an "one".

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

beauty, n.

•The quality of being pleasant to the senses or to the mind

•An excellent example of something

•The best aspect or advantage of something

Etymology:

From Latin bellus "beautiful, charming", to Vulgar Latin bellitatem, accusative singular of bellitas "state of being pleasing to the senses", to Anglo-Norman and Old French beauté (early spelling: biauté), to Middle English bewty, bewte, beaute, bealte.

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

ineffable, adj.

•That cannot be expressed or described in language; too great for words; unspeakable, unutterable, inexpressible

•That must not be uttered

Etymology:

From Latin ineffabilis, in "not" + effabilis "that can be said", which in turn derives from effari "to pronounce, to say clearly", composed of fari "to speak" and the prefix ex-

[yamayayasstrangeworld]

Word of the Day

black, n., adj.

•Of the very darkest color owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white

•(Of the sky or night) completely dark owing to the sun, moon, or stars not being visible

•(Of humor) presenting tragic or harrowing situations in comic terms

Etymology:

Old English blæc "absolutely dark, absorbing all light, of the color of soot or coal," reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *blakaz "burned" from PIE *bhleg- "to burn, gleam, shine, flash".