Word of the Day
numinous
adjective
spiritual or supernatural.
More about numinous
The Latin source for numinous is the noun numen (inflectional stem 苍奴尘颈苍-), derived from the verb –nuere 鈥渢o nod the head as a signal of assent or command.鈥� The verb –nuere occurs only in compounds such as adnuere (annuere) 鈥渢o beckon, nod, assent to,鈥� formed from the preverb ad-, an-, meaning 鈥渢o,鈥� plus –nuere. The phrase annuit coeptis, 鈥淗e (God) has favored our undertakings,鈥� is the motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the U.S. and is also printed on the reverse of a one-dollar bill. Annuit coeptis is an adaptation of a line from from Vergil’s Aeneid. The Latin neuter noun suffix -men forms concrete nouns from verbs. The meanings of numen range from 鈥渁 nod of the head, inclination, bias,鈥� to 鈥渄ivine or supernatural power (which also possesses poets and prophets, and offers protection),” to “the expressed will of a god, divinity.鈥� Numinous entered English in the mid-17th century.
how is numinous used?
This confrontation becomes more dramatic if the numinous power takes a personified form鈥攐f a spirit, ghost, devil, revenant, nightmare, witch or some other human or non-human entity.
The Periodic Table, by contrast, was a Jacob鈥檚 ladder, a numinous spiral, going up to, coming down from a Pythagorean heaven.
consternation
noun
a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay.
More about consternation
Consternation comes from the Latin noun 肠艒苍蝉迟别谤苍腻迟颈艒 (inflectional stem 肠艒苍蝉迟别谤苍腻迟颈艒n-) 鈥渦nsettlement, confusion, disturbance, disorder,鈥� a derivation of the verb 肠艒苍蝉迟别谤苍腻谤别 鈥渢o throw into confusion, drive frantic, shock.鈥� 颁艒苍蝉迟别谤苍腻谤别 most likely derives from the verb 肠艒苍蝉迟别谤苍别谤别 鈥渢o strew over, cover, calm (the sea), bring down, fell,鈥� a compound of the intensive prefix con– (a variant of com-) and the simple verb sternere 鈥渢o lay out on the ground, spread out,鈥� from the Proto-Indo-European root ster-, 蝉迟别谤蓹-, 蝉迟谤脓-, steru-, streu– 鈥渢o spread out, stretch out.鈥� The root is the source of Sanskrit 蝉迟峁涐箛腻虂迟颈 鈥渉e throws down, strews,鈥� Greek 蝉迟辞谤苍媒苍补颈 and 蝉迟谤艒苍苍媒苍补颈 鈥渢o stretch out, make level, make one鈥檚 bed,鈥� Old Irish sernim 鈥淚 spread out,鈥� Albanian shtrin 鈥淚 spread out.鈥� The variant streu– lies behind Gothic straujan 鈥渟trew,鈥� Old English 蝉迟谤脓owian 鈥渢o scatter鈥� (English strew), and 蝉迟谤脓aw 鈥渉ay, straw鈥� (English straw). Consternation entered English in the early 17th century.
how is consternation used?
Deepfakes have inspired much consternation over their potential to destabilize public discourse.
I was standing shaving at my glass, when I suddenly discovered, to my consternation and amazement, that I was shaving鈥攏ot myself鈥擨 am fifty鈥攂ut a boy.
solipsism
noun
extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.
More about solipsism
The usual sense of solipsism is 鈥渆xtreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one’s feelings or desires; egoistic self-absorption,鈥� and not the philosophical sense 鈥渢he theory that only the self exists or can be proved to exist.鈥� Solipsism comes from New Latin 蝉艒濒颈辫蝉颈蝉尘耻蝉 鈥渆xtreme self-centeredness,鈥� formed from the Latin adjective 蝉艒濒(耻蝉) 鈥渓one, alone,鈥� the pronoun and adjective ips(e) 鈥渉imself, herself,鈥� and –ismus, a noun suffix borrowed from Greek –颈蝉尘贸蝉, forming action nouns from verbs ending in –铆锄别颈苍 (-颈锄腻谤别 in Latin), as bapt颈蝉尘贸蝉 鈥渄ipping, baptism鈥� (baptismus in Latin), from bapt铆锄别颈苍 (bapt颈锄腻谤别 in Latin). A literal translation of 蝉艒濒颈辫蝉颈尘耻蝉 would be the ungainly 鈥渕yselfaloneism.鈥� Solipsism entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is solipsism used?
Murdoch’s fiction frequently offers work as the way out of the self-serving fantasies of solipsism, even simple labor proving therapeutic.
鈥淟ady Bird鈥� takes its protagonist through adolescent solipsism to recognition and gratitude ….