Tag: word nerd index

Neomenia is the time of the new moon. Neomenia derives from the Greek ne- (not, without) and -mēnia (from mēnē (moon)). Neomenia was first used around 1350-1402. Neomenia is a cyclical occasion that occurs about once a month marking the beginning of the lunar calendar. Neomenia can also mean the festival of the new moon.… Continue reading Word Nerd: Neomenia

Pecksniffian means unctuously hypocritical and self-righteous. Pecksniffian is a Dickensian word that originates with the character of Seth Pecksniff from Charles Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit. Pecksniffian has been used synonym of hypocritical since 1849. One who is pecksniffian is one who brags about their own virtues and preaches morality, while using any means to achieve and… Continue reading Word Nerd: Pecksniffian

Malefic means having malignant influence, especially by supernatural means. Malefic derives from the Latin maleficus (wicked, mischievous). Malefic was first used around 1645-1655. Malefic is productive of evil; it's to malign and do harm. Malefic is baneful, malicious, wicked, and cruelly, evilly intentful. Malefic is most likely where the name of Maleficent came from. To… Continue reading Word Nerd: Malefic

Fusty means full of dust and unpleasant smells; very old-fashioned. Fusty most likely derives from the Middle English word foist (wine cask), which in turn derives from the  Medieval Latin word fustis (tree trunk or wood). Fusty originally meant that the wine was so old it had the task of the cask and over time… Continue reading Word Nerd: Fusty

Divagate means to wander or stray from a course or subject. Divagate derives from the Latin verb divagari, which which comes from dis- (apart) and vagari (to wander). Divagate was first used around 1599. Divagate can suggest the literal like roaming, or divagating, off trail on hike or wandering, or divagating, away from a group.… Continue reading Word Nerd: Divagate

Immiseration is the act of making people, a country, an organization, etc poor or impoverished. Immiseration is derived from the New Latin immiserāre (Latin in- (causative pref.) and miser (wretched)) which in turn is derived from the German verelenden (to sink into misery), ver- (causative pref.), and Elend (poverty). Immiseration means to make miserable, especially… Continue reading Word Nerd: Immiseration