Desultory

Coming from a word, in the 1500's, refering to a rider who jumps from one horse to another, 'desultory' is used to describe something random, fitful, and lacking consistency or order. Also, disconnected. It can refer to conversation, as in straying from the main subject.

Brio

Live with brio! This means with vigor, energy, vivacity. Put some 'umph' into your regular old day-to-day activities, some italian-sounding flourish!

Sere

This is an adjective meaning 'dry' or 'withered.' Usually it is used in reference to grass or vegetation that has dried up, and the month of August used to be referred to as "sere month." It is related to the word sear, as in searing hot.

Limn

Pronounced "lim," this word means to draw, paint, or describe in writing. It is related to the word "illuminate," as it is a way of portraying and/or depicting various things.

Irenic

No, this is not a misspelling of the Alanis Morisette song; irenic means peaceful, conciliatory, and/or to promote peace.

Quotidian

This blog aims to be quotidian [kwoh-tid-ee-uhn], which means 'occuring daily,' although during the summer months does not always acheive this goal. Since something quotidian, such as a fever, or report, occurs daily, this word has also come to refer to the commonplace qualities of things, such as a quotidian painting, of 'everyday' quality.

Edacious

To be edacious means to be devouring or consuming (food) voraciously.

Mellifluous

Smoothly flowing or sweet-sounding, as in a melliflous voice or musical tone.

Maunder

This word is kind of an amalgum of the words 'wander' and 'meander;' it means to talk or walk (or move) in a foolish, rambling sort of way.

Melee

A melee (pronounced may-lay or mey-ley) is a confused jumble, mess, or fight. You can have a melee of rush hour traffic, or a melee of a busy shopping day, for example.

Aestival

This word is used to describe pretty much anything relating to summer. For example, is is an aestival semester.

Susurrus

This is an onomatopoetic word, or, one that sounds like what it means; susurrus refers to the sound of a whisper, murmur, or rustling. It is pronounced /soo-sur-uh s/

Rudiment

As an example, 'the rudiments of a plan' refers to the very beginnings, the slightest start, of that plan. This semester, then, is in a rudimentary, or beginning, stage.

Denouement

The outcome or resolution of a series of occurences, for example, finals week is the denouement of a stressful semester! Also means the 'conclusion' or 'end.'

Salubrious

Many things can be salubrious, for example, air or food. It means 'healthful' or, 'promoting of good health.' As a 12 year old I once used this word in the following sentence in a journal: "We had salubrious rice and corn for dinner tonight!"

Concatenate

Concatenate is primarily a word used in computer science and means to merge or link something together. It comes from the Latin "linked together."

Peruse

This verb means to survey, read, or examine extensively, and in great detail. Example: We must peruse our texts in preparation for finals!

Overextend

This is what you do NOT want to do during finals! To overextend oneself is to extend or to reach further than is safe or reasonable . . . it is also used to mean to obligate oneself to more activities than one can accomplish well.

Ratiocinate

Pronounced *rash-ee-us-uh-nate*, this word means reason, or to think or argue logically.

Animus

Animus has two very differing definitions that link back to the word's Latin origin. In one sense, animus has a negative connotation and means ill will or open hostility. For example, "Spartan animus towards anything non-Spartan is reknowned." The word, however, can become confusing when when used in it other sense which mean disposition or motivation: "Alexander's animus to conquer the world is reknowned." The original Latin means "motivation or intellect." How it came to mean ill-will is reflected in the word animosity.

Inure

To inure is to become habbituated or accustomed to something.

Venerate

One may venerate another by regarding or treating them with deep respect and/or awe. This verb is related to the word venus, which means love/desire.

Vernal

Vernal means in, of or pertaining to the season of spring. The spring equinox, for example, is often called the vernal equinox. The word comes from the Latin ver which means, appropriatley enough, spring*.

*Spring, by the way, is a shortened version of the older spring tide.

Obtuse

This is an adjective meaning 'blunt' and/or 'not sharp' used to describe objects, and, less kindly, people who are not acting observant or alert.

Oblast

Oblast is a fairly uncommon loanword to the English Language from Russian. It refers specifically to a political division in soviet countries. The closest equivelant we have is province.

Oblation

An oblation is a sacred offering to a diety. In Christianity this is often the bread and the wine of the Eucharist.

Obdurate

Obdurate means stubborn or persistent and usually refers to wrong-doing, such as a hardened criminal might exhibit. Nevertheless, it is also used in describing someone who has become resistant to emotions and or is just hard-hearted and stubborn. Obdurate comes from the Latin "to harden." -dur in the middle of the word can be found in other words such as durable which also conotates to hardness or toughness.

Eulogize

To eulogize is to praise highly, in speech or in writing. For example, we tend to provide eulogies formally at funerals. A eulogy can be like an epic poem, praising a person's wonderful qualities.

Objurgate

This means to scold or reprimand sharply and critically, or to express strong disapproval of something or someone. It resembles closely and stems from the latin verb meaning "to rebuke."

Maudlin

Maudlin is mostly used negatively to indicate something that is overly emotion-laden or foolishly sentimental. Slushy or gushy are more colloquial terms for such bathos. It derrives from Mary Magdalene who was portrayed iconographically in paintings as weeping.