Word of the Day
aplomb
noun
imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance.
More about aplomb
The English adjective aplomb is from the French noun aplomb 鈥渟elf-possession,鈥� literally 鈥減erpendicularity,鈥� from the Old French phrase a plomb 鈥減erpendicularly,鈥� literally 鈥渁ccording to the lead weight,鈥� from Latin ad 鈥渁t, to鈥� and plumbum 鈥渓别补诲.鈥� Aplomb entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is aplomb used?
… I had found that in entering with aplomb, and mounting the estrade with emphasis, consisted the grand secret of ensuring immediate silence.
Whether he was coached in the art of transcendental stillness by his mother, whose acting career is not long over, has yet to be revealed, but he performed his task with aplomb.
historiated
adjective
decorated with animals, flowers, or other designs that have a narrative or symbolic purpose, especially of initial letters on an illuminated manuscript.
More about historiated
The adjective historiated comes from Medieval Latin 丑颈蝉迟辞谤颈腻迟耻蝉, the past participle of the verb 丑颈蝉迟辞谤颈腻谤别 鈥渢o tell a story or a narrative in pictures鈥� (as in an illuminated manuscript or capital letter), from Latin historia 鈥渋nvestigation, research, inquiry, a record or account of an investigation, a history,鈥� from Greek 丑颈蝉迟辞谤铆补, a derivation of the noun 丑铆蝉迟艒谤 鈥渒nowing, expert.鈥� Historiated entered English in the mid-19th century.
how is historiated used?
Historiated initials often emphasize the praiseworthiness of a certain paragraph with an elaborately illustrated letter.
At the request of Queen Claude, he used historiated rather than purely decorative borders.
felicitate
verb (used with object)
to compliment upon a happy event; congratulate.
More about felicitate
The verb felicitate comes from Late Latin 蹿脓濒墨肠颈迟腻迟耻蝉, past participle of 蹿脓濒墨肠颈迟腻谤别 鈥渢o make happy,鈥� a derivative of the Latin adjective 蹿脓濒颈虫 (inflectional stem 蹿脓濒墨肠-) 鈥渇ruitful, fertile, rich, auspicious, wealthy, lucky, blessed.鈥� Related Latin words include 蹿脓肠耻苍诲耻蝉 鈥渇ertile, fruitful鈥� (English fecund); 蹿脓濒腻谤别 鈥渢o suckle鈥�; 蹿脓尘颈苍补 鈥渨oman, female鈥� (English feminine); and 蹿墨濒颈耻蝉 and 蹿墨濒颈补 鈥渟on, daughter鈥� (from which English has filial). The Latin forms derive from the Proto-Indo-European root 诲丑脓-, 诲丑脓i-, dhi– 鈥渢o suck, suckle.鈥� From that root Sanskrit has 诲丑腻测补– 鈥渘ourishing,鈥� 诲丑腻迟谤墨 鈥渨et nurse, mother,鈥� and 诲丑岣梟腻 鈥渕ilch cow.鈥� Greek has 迟丑脓濒岣� 鈥渕other鈥檚 breast, nipple,鈥� 迟丑岣梟颈辞苍 鈥渕颈濒办,鈥� 迟颈迟丑岣梟脓 (also 迟铆迟丑脓) 鈥渨et nurse.鈥� Among the Celtic languages, Old Irish has 诲墨苍耻 鈥渓amb鈥� and the verb 诲墨迟丑 鈥�(he) sucked鈥�; Breton has denaff 鈥�(I) suck,鈥� and Welsh dynu 鈥�(to) suck.鈥� Felicitate entered English in the first half of the 17th century.
how is felicitate used?
Mrs. Smithers, you will also permit me to felicitate you upon this happy event.
The novelists appear to felicitate themselves in all sincerity upon their success …