Word-Hoard

Danae’s shower phrase A rain of gold.   So this particular entry in our lexivault actually isn’t a dictionary word or phrase, but I came across it while reading a story by James Branch Cabell and it struck me as a wonderful little turn of phrase. Danae (there should be […]

Aureate adj. 1. Golden or gilded. 2. Brilliant; splendid. 3. Characterized by an ornate style of writing or speaking.   “Aureate,” which derives from the Latin aurum, for “gold,” means just that – golden. Its definition has expanded over time to include “resplendent,” “ornate,” and the like. I’ve got to admit, […]

Sward n. 1. A portion of ground covered with grass. 2. The grassy surface of land.   Truth time – I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t know this word three years ago. The first time I came across it in a Conan story, I did a double take, wondering […]

Happy Labor Day to my fellow Americans, and happy Monday to everyone else. I originally wasn’t going to schedule a post for today, but then I realized that there are plenty of people who don’t have the day off and who might enjoy a little bit of word play. For […]

Sententious  adj. Trying to appear wise, intelligent, and important, in a way that is annoying.   An arrogant, annoying individual may have an inflated sense of self or present as rather egotistical. Perhaps he is bombastic, pretentious, puffed up, or even turgid. There are many ways to describe such a […]

Tableau n. 1. A picture, as of a scene. 2. A picturesque grouping of persons or objects; a striking scene. 3. A representation of a picture, state, scene, etc., by one or more persons suitably costumed and posed.   Not an especially obscure or difficult word, but “tableau” can add a bit of welcome variety to the “scene” or “picture” you may […]

Lapidary: n. Someone whose job is cutting and polishing stones, especially precious stones.   adj. 1: Relating to the work of cutting and polishing stones, especially precious stones. 2: Clever but simple.   The root of “lapidary” is obvious enough to classical language scholars – lapis, the Latin word for “stone. […]

Sybaritic adj. Fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent.   The Emperor , of the Emperor’s Notepad, suggested that it might be interesting to explore the origins of some of these words while we’re tossing them into the vault. “Sybaritic,” then, is an excellent starting place. Sybaris was a wealthy […]

Unguent: n. a thick substance, usually with a pleasant smell, used to treat skin problems or make the skin soft. “Unguent” is an excellent alternative to “ointment” and “salve,” should you think either of them too mundane or overused. Whether you’re talking about the fine-smelling oils that an aristocrat might […]