Being physically proximate [ˈpɹɑksəmət] to such an iconic work of art was surprisingly moving.proximate
adj [ˈpɹɑksəmət]
Proximate is a formal word that is usually used to describe something that comes or happens immediately before or after something in a way that shows a very close and direct relationship. It can also mean "very near" or "happening soon."
ultimately from the Latin adjective prope, meaning "near," a source too of approach, reproach, and propinquity. Other close relations of proximate are easier to spot: they include proximity, approx... English Mar 4, 2023, 9:08 AM cowpoke
Empowering Black and Indigenous-owned businesses, creating pathways for Black and Indigenous homeownership, and funding scholarships for Black and Indigenous scholars are all laudable [ˈlɔdəbəl] aims.laudable
adj [ˈlɔdəbəl]
Laudable means "worthy of praise," and is a synonym of commendable.
ultimately from Latin laud- or laus, meaning "praise," English Mar 7, 2023, 9:48 AM cowpoke
With the release of The Mandalorian season 3 just over six weeks away, after a two-year hiatus [haɪˈeɪtəs], Lucasfilm dropped a new trailer on Monday, giving us a glimpse of what’s next in the adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu.hiatus
noun [haɪˈeɪtəs]
In general contexts, hiatus usually refers to a period of time when something, such as an activity or program, is suspended. In biology, hiatus refers to a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ, and in linguistics, it denotes the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound.
From the Latin verb hiare, meaning “to open wide,” which makes it a distant relation of both yawn and chasm. English Feb 24, 2023, 7:59 AM cowpoke
We love inviting all of our kith [ˈkɪθ] and kin to family cookouts on holidays.kith
noun [ˈkɪθ]
Kith is an old-fashioned term that refers to familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives. It is often used in the phrase “kith and kin,” which means “friends and relatives.”
the word endures with a meaning very close to that “neighbors and acquaintances” one. Today kith appears almost exclusively in the phrase kith and kin, meaning “friends and relatives.” English Mar 20, 2023, 8:15 AM cowpoke
The students admired the professor's oracular [oˈɹækjəlɚ] wisdom.oracular
adj [oˈɹækjəlɚ]
Oracular can describe something that is used to forecast or divine, or that resembles or relates to something used for such purposes. Oracular can also describe a person who resembles an oracle—a person (such as a priestess of ancient Greece) through whom a deity is believed to speak.
When the ancient Greeks had questions or problems, they would turn to the gods for answers by consulting an oracle, a person through whom the gods communicated. English Apr 11, 2023, 7:55 AM cowpoke
She remarked in her lecture on the florescence [flɔˈɹɛsn̩s] of Renaissance art and technology.florescence
noun [flɔˈɹɛsn̩s]
Florescence refers to a state or period of being in bloom or of flourishing.
The flowering of botany as a science in the 18th century produced a garden of English words, mostly adapted from Latin. Florescence is a radiant example, picked from the Latin flōrēscentia, meaning "blossoming." English May 13, 2023, 9:23 AM cowpoke
Today, a café occupies part of the ground floor, its tables and chairs distributed under a leafy bower [ˈbaʊɚ] on the veranda.bower
noun [ˈbaʊɚ]
Bower is a literary word that usually refers to a garden shelter made with tree boughs or vines twined together.
from Old English būr, meaning “dwelling.” Today, bower is more familiar as a word for a garden shelter made with tree boughs or vines twined together, a meaning that overlaps with that of arbor. (The adjective bowery, meaning “like a bower” or “full of bowers” is used to describe areas that resemble or are filled with these leafy pergola-like structures). English May 23, 2023, 9:15 AM cowpoke
She has never been comfortable in the rarefied [ɹɛrəˌfaɪd] world of art dealers.rarefied
adj [ɹɛrəˌfaɪd]
Something described as rarefied is understood or appreciated by only a small or select group of people; the word is a synonym of esoteric. Rarefied can also be used technically to mean “being less dense,” a use that is typically applied to air that has less oxygen in it because of high elevation.
from a combination of the Latin words rarus (“thin” or “rare”) and facere (“to make”) English May 17, 2023, 9:33 AM cowpoke
We were relieved when a zephyr [ˈzɛfɚ] blew in just as the heat of the day was peaking, allowing us to remain comfortably on the beach for a little while longer.zephyr
noun [ˈzɛfɚ]
A zephyr is a breeze blowing from the west. More loosely, a zephyr can be any gentle breeze.
poets have eulogized Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind—and his “swete breeth” (in the words of Geoffrey Chaucer)—for centuries. Zephyrus, the personified west wind, eventually evolved into zephyr, a word for a breeze that is westerly or gentle, or both. English May 18, 2023, 7:42 AM cowpoke
Although the lead actor was phenomenal, critics believe that the supporting cast was the real fulcrum [ˈfʊlkɹəm] of the show.fulcrum
noun [ˈfʊlkɹəm]
In technical use, fulcrum refers to the support on which a lever moves when it is used to lift something. In figurative use, fulcrum refers to a person or thing that makes it possible for something to function or develop, or in other words, one who plays an essential role in something.
Fulcrum, which means "bedpost" in Latin, comes from the verb fulcire, which means "to prop." English May 6, 2023, 9:48 AM cowpoke
As an unrestricted free agent, [Azurá] Stevens can negotiate with any team when free agency begins in mid-January. She isn’t ready to divulge [dəˈvʌldʒ] what her expectations are for her future in the [WNBA] league, but she did say she will be testing the waters.divulge
verb [dəˈvʌldʒ]
To divulge something, especially secret or private information, is to make it known.
Latin vulgare, “to make known,” which traces ultimately back to the Latin noun vulgus, meaning “common people” or “mob.” While nowadays divulge can presumably involve blabbing to the rabble, the word usually implies a more careful and considered approach to sharing sensitive information. English Mar 12, 2023, 9:23 AM cowpoke
