fealty \FEE-uhl-tee\ (noun) - 1 : Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord. 2 : The oath by which this obligation was assumed. 3 : Fidelity; allegiance; faithfulness.

"Then came in the Red Knight, with three score knights with him, and did to Sir Gareth homage and fealty, ...Read more

beneficenc \buh-NEFF-i-suhns\ (noun) - 1 : The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity. 2 : A charitable gift or act.

"He was one day engaged with Mr. Allworthy in a discourse on charity: in which the captain, with great learning, proved to Mr. Allworthy that the word charity in Scripture nowhere means beneficence or ...Read more

bouleversement \bool-vair-suh-MAWN\ (noun) - Complete overthrow; a reversal; a turning upside down.

"For the second time in his life Amory had had a complete bouleversement and was hurrying into line with his generation." -- F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'This Side of Paradise'

Bouleversement comes from French, from Old French bouleverser, "to overturn...Read more

matutinal \muh-TOOT-n-uhl\ (adjective) - Relating to or occurring in the morning; early.

"Some boar pates and other matutinal delicacies were brought and some essence of fennel was poured into Venetian crystal goblets." -- Raymond Queneau, 'The Blue Flowers'

Matutinal is from Late Latin matutinalis, from Latin matutinus, "early in the morning;...Read more

encumbrance \en-KUHM-brun(t)s\ (noun) - 1 : A burden, impediment, or hindrance. 2 : A lien, mortgage, or other financial claim against a property.

"Miss Twinkleton, madam, I have had a most satisfactory conversation with my ward, and I will now release you from the encumbrance of my presence." -- Charles Dickens, 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood'

...Read more

hale \HAYL\ (adjective) - Free from disease and weakening conditions; healthy.

"The person whom the traveller had so abruptly encountered was of this kind: bluff, hale, hearty, and in a green old age: at peace with himself, and evidently disposed to be so with all the world." -- Charles Dickens, 'Barnaby Rudge'

Hale comes from Middle English ...Read more

concomitant \kuhn-KOM-uh-tuhnt\ (adjective) - Accompanying; attendant; occurring or existing concurrently.

(noun) - Something that accompanies or is collaterally connected with something else; an accompaniment.

"She began also to understand what it was that had brought about her son's love, and to feel that but for certain unfortunate ...Read more

quandary \KWAHN-duh-ree; -dree\ (noun) - A state of difficulty, perplexity, doubt, or uncertainty.

"Now, he hesitated, facing a quandary. The quandary was not whether to kill the Ye-tai. That was no quandary at all." -- Eric Flint, 'In the Heart of Darkness'

Quandary is of unknown origin.

prevaricate \prih-VAIR-uh-kayt\ (intransitive verb) - To depart from or evade the truth; to speak with equivocation.

"Confused, also, with a thousand inexpressible sensations which the dean's presence inspired, she seemed to prevaricate in all she uttered." -- Elizabeth Inchbald, 'Nature and Art'

Prevaricate derives from the past participle of...Read more

factotum \fak-TOH-tuhm\ (noun) - A person employed to do all kinds of work or business.

"Come back tomorrow and I'll give you an appointment, the factotum would say. Of course the arkhon kept everyone waiting, or his factotum did." -- Sarah Micklem, 'Wildfire'

Factotum is from Medieval Latin, from Latin fac totum, "do everything," from facere,...Read more

perfervid \puhr-FUR-vid\ (adjective) - Ardent; impassioned; marked by exaggerated or overwrought emotion.

"To court their own discomfiture by love is a common instinct with certain perfervid women. Conflicting sensations of love, fear, and shame reduced Eustacia to a state of the utmost uneasiness." -- Thomas Hardy, 'The Return of the Native'

...Read more

evince \ih-VIN(T)S\ (transitive verb) - To show in a clear manner; to manifest; to make evident; to bring to light.

"He did not evince any special aptitude for any particular branch of learning, and was distinguished only for diligence and neatness..." -- Nikolaĭ Vasilevich Gogol, 'Dead Souls'

Evince is from Latin evincere, "to conquer ...Read more

choler \KOLL-ur; KOLE-ur\ (noun) - Irritation of the passions; anger; wrath.

"Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw; but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall." -- William Shakespeare, 'Romeo and Juliet'

Choler is from ...Read more

apogee \AP-uh-jee\ (noun) - 1 : The point in the orbit of the moon or of an artificial satellite that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth. 2 : The farthest or highest point; culmination.

"The moon is thus nearer to the earth at some times than at others, or, in astronomical terms, it is sometimes at its apogee and sometimes...Read more

intractable \in-TRAK-tuh-buhl\ (adjective) - 1 : Not easily governed, managed, or directed; stubborn; obstinate; as, "an intractable child." 2 : Not easily wrought or manipulated; as, "intractable materials." 3 : Not easily remedied, relieved, or dealt with; as, "intractable problems."

"Because caring men are not intractable, and it is male ...Read more

clinquant \KLING-kunt\ (adjective) - Glittering with gold or silver; tinseled.

(noun) - Tinsel; imitation gold leaf.

"Beaming, the lady held out a purse, heavy and all clinquant, as the man says, with gold." -- Kage Baker, 'The Garden of Iden'

Clinquant is from the French.

cant \KANT\ (noun) - 1 : The idioms and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation. 2 : The use of religious phraseology without understanding or sincerity. 3 : Empty, solemn speech, implying what is not felt; insincere talk; hypocrisy. 4 : A whining manner of speaking, especially of beggars.

"He could, said he, talk their cant ...Read more

avuncular \uh-VUHNG-kyuh-luhr\ (adjective) - 1 : Of or pertaining to an uncle. 2 : Resembling an uncle, especially in kindness or indulgence.

"He had found himself at parties recently taking on the role of someone avuncular who stood back and watched and considered and approved (or worse, disapproved)." -- Tessa Hadley, 'Accidents in the Home' ...Read more

patina \PAT-n-uh; puh-TEEN-uh\ (noun) - 1 : The color or incrustation which age gives to works of art; especially, the green rust which covers ancient bronzes, coins, and medals. 2 : The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use. 3 : An appearance or aura produced by habit, practice, or use. 4 : A superficial layer or exterior.

"It was not ...Read more

In ancient times, new words were formed at every turn.

When the Greeks won a battle, for instance, their victorious warriors would high-five one another and then begin assembling a memorial to their victory.

At the exact spot where their opponents had turned and fled, they'd pile up the uniforms, helmets and shields left on the battlefield ...Read more