Word of the Day
perigee
noun
Astronomy.
the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of an artificial satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.
More about perigee
Perigee, 鈥渢he point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon or an artificial satellite, at which it is nearest to the earth,鈥� comes via French 辫茅谤颈驳茅别 from the New Latin noun 辫别谤颈驳脓耻尘, perigaeum, from the Greek adjective 辫别谤铆驳别颈辞蝉, a term in Stoic philosophy meaning 鈥渟urrounding the earth,鈥� and as an astronomical term, 鈥渘ear the earth (e.g., the moon).鈥� The noun plus adjective phrase 辫别谤铆驳别颈辞苍 蝉别尘别卯辞苍 (鈥渟ign, signal鈥�) means 鈥渢he perigee”; the phrase is also shortened to 辫别谤铆驳别颈辞苍, a noun use of the neuter adjective. The Greek preposition and prefix 辫别谤铆, peri– means 鈥渁round, surrounding鈥�; the combining form聽 –geios is a derivative of the noun 驳锚 鈥渆补谤迟丑.鈥� Perigee entered English at the end of the 16th century.
how is perigee used?
The phenomenon, in which a full moon appears at its closest point in its orbit around the Earth, known as perigee, is colloquially called a “supermoon.”
The moon’s distance varies within its orbit. At its apogee, it is 252,088 miles (405,696 km) from Earth. At its perigee, it is a closer 225,623 miles (363,104 kilometers).
perigee
Jabberwocky
noun,
an example of writing or speech consisting of or containing meaningless words.
More about Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky, 鈥渟peech consisting of or containing meaningless words,鈥� is a derivative of the name Jabberwock, a monster generally depicted as a dragon in a nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll鈥檚 Through the Looking Glass (1871). Concerning the etymology of Jabberwocky, Carroll himself wrote in a letter to students at Girls鈥� Latin School in Boston, Massachusetts (now Boston Latin Academy), 鈥淭he Anglo-Saxon word wocer or wocor signifies 鈥榦ffspring or fruit.鈥� Taking jabber in its ordinary acceptation of 鈥榚xcited and voluble discussion,鈥� this would give the meaning of 鈥榯he result of much excited and voluble discussion.鈥欌��
how is Jabberwocky used?
his face melts into a mask of sadness and despair, then sparkles with wit as he tells in a stream of jabberwocky the loopy story of a fop named Pongo Twistleton …
Of course all the White House’s latest jabberwocky about “benchmarks” and “milestones” and “timetables'”… 聽is nothing more than an election-year P.R. strategy …
Jabberwocky
erstwhile
adjective
former; of times past: erstwhile friends.
More about erstwhile
Erstwhile is a compound of the Middle English adjective and adverb erest 鈥渇irst in time, rank, order, excellence, etc.,鈥� from the similar Old English adjective and adverb 牵谤别蝉t 鈥渇irst, at first.鈥� (The –est ending indicates that Old English 牵谤别蝉t is the superlative degree of 牵谤 鈥渆arly,鈥� which functions as an adjective, adverb, preposition, and conjunction.) While comes from the Old English noun 丑飞墨濒 鈥渁 space of time, a while, an indefinite space of time,鈥� which in Middle English develops senses as an adverb and conjunction. Erstwhile as an adverb entered English in the second half of the 16th century, and as an adjective, in the early 20th.
how is erstwhile used?
Many of Biden鈥檚 erstwhile opponents have found roles for themselves.
When the the 75-year-old ruler … refused to step down, some of his erstwhile allies from the military and security forces pushed him out.
erstwhile