crapulent · /ˈkræpjʊlənt/ · /KRAP-yoo-lənt/. adjective. Sickness from excessive drinking (or eating); the result of such excess. Intemperance. From Latin crāpula (intoxication). See also: crapulence, crapulous.
[Read more…]funest
funest · /fju:ˈnɛst/ · /fyoo-NEST/. adjective. Causing or portending death or disaster. Catastrophic, calamitous, lamentable. From French funest, same meaning, from Latin fūnus (funeral, death). See also: funestal, funestous.
[Read more…]meretricious
meretricious · /ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəs/ · /MAIR-ih-TRISH-əs/. adjective and noun. Of, related to, or befitting a prostitute. Gaudy, flashy, superficially attractive. Insincere. Etymonline notes the lovely, early definition, “pertaining to harlots.” ¶ From merētrix (prostitute), from merēre (to earn money). From the PIE root (s)mer- (to get a share of something), from which we also derive words such as demerit, polymer, and turmeric. ¶ I just like it because it’s one of those words that seems it should mean its opposite. Is there a word for that?
[Read more…]nugatory
nugatory · /ˈnju:ɡət(ə)rɪ/ · /NYOO-gə-tree/. adjective. Worthless, trifling, inconsequential. From Latin nūgārī (to jest), from nūgae(trifles).
[Read more…]pixilated
pixilated · /ˈpɪksɪleɪtɪd/ · /PIK-sə-LAY-təd/. adjective. Whimsical, impish, mischievous. Intoxicated, deranged. In the 20th century, distorted by visible or enlarged pixels. From pixie + -lated (as in titillated, stimulated, elated). ¶ Popularized in the 1936 Frank Capra movie Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, in which a psychiatrist testifies, “Perhaps I can explain, Your Honor. The word pixilated is an early American expression, derived from the word ‘pixies,’ meaning elves. They would say, ‘The pixies had got him,’ as we nowadays would say a man is ‘balmy.’”
[Read more…]friable
friable · /FRIY-ə-bəl/ · /ˈfrʌɪəb(ə)l/. adjective. Crumbly; easily broken up into fine fragments. In medicine, tumors that are easily torn apart and prone to malignancy. From Latin friāre (to crumble). Related to fricare to (to rub), from which we get friction, among other words. See also: pulverulent, frangible, brittle, flaky.
[Read more…]xanthic
xanthic · /ZAN-thik/ · /ˈzanθɪk/. adjective. Yellow or yellowish in color. A class of organic acids containing sulphur. From Greek xanthós (yellow). See also: Xanthippe, Socrates’ wife, now generally a scolding, nagging woman; canary; saffron; flaxen; fulvous; flavescent.
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