Favourite Word of the Day

[Avi]

Most days or weeks I have a word that keeps popping into my head. Either it stands out as slightly different today, its meaning is interesting or unusual or perhaps it just rolls off the tongue nicely.

Sometimes I've known the word for years and not used it much, other times I've seen it on a poster at the tube station, read it in a book or I've heard it on the TV.

This thread is for you to post your favourite word of the day and with it an explanation of what it means or the specific interpretation you're thinking of. Forum rules apply of course - nothing wholly inappropriate.

It's a great way of improving your vocabulary and widening the scope of words you're less likely to come across so I hope that any user, especially the writers in this section, will share some of their favourite words with the community every few days

[Carrothead]

Zodiac. Don't ask me why, I just think it's a pretty cool word to say.

[Avi]

Pernickety (Adjective)
(comparative more pernickety, superlative most pernickety)

Meaning
Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious (chiefly UK)

Pronunciation
(UK) IPA: /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ɪ.ti/, /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ə.ti/
Rhymes: -ɪkɪti or Rhymes: -ɪkəti

Etymology
Unknown

[justcheckin]

Phalanges...love that word.

[Second Heartbeat]

A word I use quite often I think*

Clutch

Definition - Doing well at something when the odds were stacked against you. You clutch the win from the jaws of defeat I guess?

"Oh man, you clutched that shot!"

Stoked

Definition - Being really happy about something or super excited to do something.

"I'm really stoked to get to see you soon "

*I know I did two words, but they were both in my head

[Destine]

Can't think of anything right now, but I did put in a text that I was 'superstoked' () about something earlier so I'll just share Mark's.

[mighty cheese]

Squaids.
Itz srs bizness guys

[Imperial Awesomeness]

No idea why but:
Copious.

[Stevieus]

Finkleroy.

I haven't decided what it means yet, but it rolls off the tounge nicely.
I'm currently using it in place of all adjectives, verbs and nouns in any situation that requires me to speak.



Contrary to the misguided rumour that I have a ridiculously oversized vocabulary, backed up by a pocket dictionary on a chain......

I rarely use words of more than five letters when speaking through my mouth, as opposed to my fingers

[itsnotquiteover]

Inconsequential

Definition of Inconsequential

1,

a: illogical
b: irrelevant

2,
of no significance : unimportant

[commander]

Defenestration.

It is quite simply the act of throwing someone or something out of a window. Now that's pretty cool.

It originates from two incidents that happened in Prague many moons ago. 1419, seven town officials thrown from the town hall, sparking the Hussite War, and then 1618 two imperial governers were tossed from Prague Castle, sparking the Thirty Years War.

Also cool.

[Carrothead]

Defenestration.

It is quite simply the act of throwing someone or something out of a window. Now that's pretty cool.

It originates from two incidents that happened in Prague many moons ago. 1419, seven town officials thrown from the town hall, sparking the Hussite War, and then 1618 two imperial governers were tossed from Prague Castle, sparking the Thirty Years War.

Also cool.

That's pretty epic.

[Sleeping Dragon]

Pernickety (Adjective)
(comparative more pernickety, superlative most pernickety)

Meaning
Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious (chiefly UK)

Pronunciation
(UK) IPA: /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ɪ.ti/, /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ə.ti/
Rhymes: -ɪkɪti or Rhymes: -ɪkəti

Etymology
Unknown

Avi

Sometimes wikipedia and also OED are very very lazy

Per - means complete or completely
Nick or nickety means precise - as in the placing of a nick to mark the precise measurement of something OR someone who studies or looks for a nick as a sign of damage or measurement

Literally it means/meant someone who pays complete attention to the smallest mark hence fastidious

Pernicky has the same root as pernickety but the origins are from carpentry and tailoring and also from tapestry making and go further back than the pernicky reference's in OED - at least one reference in the designs of the Coutres tapestries in 14th C mentions the patron as being "pernice" par example.

Hope that is helpful

[commander]

Zephyr.

A light breeze or similar.

Sounds cool.

[Imperial Awesomeness]

Totally does.
The word I used today the most was
N00b!

[Cryos]

o·ver·zeal·ous
Excessively enthusiastic:

[justcheckin]

BLOB!

Onomatopoeia ftw!

[Jarre]

The words I use most on site are unpublishable here. But the word that always makes me happy and sticks in my mind is "Paycheck" no need to describe what that means!!

[Samantha78]

*confesses to owning an etymological dictionary*

I dont get that excited by English words though lol; French idioms are a different matter... One of my favourites is 'avoir des fourmis' which literally means 'to have ants' but it is also the French equivalent of 'to have pins and needles'

I'd fully recommend subscribing to http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html for word geeks too

[Anonymous the third]

mumbles .