5 Words. What they mean, where they come from and relevant popular culture or literary references. Build your vocabulary by reading this all in one post.
1. zephyr
noun. a soft gentle breeze.
Pronunciation: [zef-er]
Origin: from Old English Zefferus, from Latin Zephyrus, from Greek Zephyros “the west wind”, probably related to zophos “the west, the dark region, darkness, gloom.” Extended sense of “mild breeze” is c. 1600.
Zephyrus is the Greek god of the west wind. The gentlest of the winds, Zephyrus is known as the fructifying wind, the messenger of spring. Listen to “The Zephyr Song” by Red Hot Chili Peppers from the band’s eighth studio album, By the Way.
2. quixotic
adjective. extremely idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
Pronunciation: [kwik-sot-ik]
Related: quixotically, half-quixotic, half-quixotically, unquixotic, unquixotical,
Origin: “extravagantly chivalrous,” 1791, from Don Quixote, romantic, impractical hero of Cervantes’ satirical novel “Don Quixote de la Mancha”.
What reference can one give than the origin of the word itself? Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. It follows the adventures of a nameless hidalgo who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote.
3. countenance
noun. a person’s face or facial expression. support or approval.
verb. admit as acceptable or possible.
Pronunciation: [koun-tn-uh ns]
Related: countenancer, uncountenanced, undercountenance
Origin: mid-13c., from Old French contenance “demeanor, bearing, conduct,” from Latin continentia “restraint, abstemiousness, moderation”. Meaning evolving Middle English from “appearance” to “facial expression betraying a state of mind,” to “face” itself (late 14c.)
Jane Austen, in Pride and Prejudice writes: Mr. Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion.
4. ameliorate
verb. make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.
Pronunciation: [uh-meel-yuh-reyt]
Related: ameliorable, ameliorant, ameliorative, amelioratory
Origin: 1650s, from French amélioration, from Old French ameillorer “to better,” from Late Latin meliorare “improve,” from Latin melior “better”.
Read The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. The term “time machine”, coined by Wells, is now almost universally used to refer to a vehicle used for the purpose of time travel. He writes: The work of ameliorating the conditions of life – the true civilizing process that makes life more and more secure – had gone steadily on to a climax.
5. faux pas
noun. an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation.
Pronunciation: [foh pah]
Origin: “breech of good manners, any act that compromises one’s reputation,” 1670s, French, literally “false step”.
Something that will help you remember this word/term is this video. Hilarious!
Sources:
Apart from Google search, the data in this series is taken from Dictionary.com, Online Etymology Dictionary and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
