1.
fecund • \FEH-kund or
FEE-kund\ • (adjective)
1 : fruitful in offspring or vegetation :
prolific
*2 : intellectually productive or inventive
to a marked degree
Example
sentence:
The phonograph and the electric light were but two of the
fruits of Thomas Edison's fecund mind.
Did
you know?
"Fecund" and its synonyms "fertile,"
"fruitful," and "prolific" all mean
producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit, but
each carries that sense a little differently.
"Fertile" implies the power to reproduce or to
assist in reproduction and growth, while
"fecund" emphasizes abundance or rapidity in
bearing fruit or offspring. "Fruitful" adds the
implication that the results attained are desirable or
useful, and "prolific" stresses rapidity of
spreading or multiplying.
*Indicates
the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
2.
gibbous • \JIH-bus or GIH-bus\ •
(adjective)
1 a : marked by convexity or swelling *b of
the moon or a planet : seen with more than
half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated
2 : having a hump : humpbacked
Example
sentence:
Because nights had been cloudy for most of the previous
week, it was difficult to tell if tonight's gibbous moon
was waxing or waning.
Did
you know?
The adjective "gibbous" has its origins in the
Latin noun "gibbus," meaning "hump."
It subsequently found its way into Middle French as
"gibbeux," before being adapted into Middle
English in the 14th century as "gibbous." In
the field of botany, "gibbous" is sometimes
used to describe the shape of certain flowers (such as
snapdragons). The term is most often identified, however,
with the study of astronomy. In fact, if you run across
the word "gibbous," chances are you'll find the
word "moon" somewhere nearby. A gibbous moon is
one that is more than a half-moon but less than full.
3.
oriflamme • \OR-uh-flam
or AHR-uh-flam\ • (noun)
: a banner, symbol, or ideal inspiring devotion or
courage
Example
sentence:
The retired jersey of the basketball star served as an
oriflamme, inspiring the current team members to their
best performances.
Did
you know?
The original "oriflamme" was the banner of
Saint Denis, the patron saint of France. The word derives
from the Latin "aurea flamma," meaning
"golden flame," presumably because of the
banner's red or orange-red coloring. In the 12th century,
French kings began carrying this banner into battle as a
way of inspiring their troops. This tactic met with such
success that by the 17th century, "oriflamme"
came to refer to any group's rallying symbol.
4.
cachinnate •
\KAK-uh-nayt\ • (verb)
: to laugh loudly or immoderately
Example
sentence:
Lila thought ill of the Dowager Whitten, due to the
elderly lady's embarrassing habit of publically
cachinnating at statements which Lila didn't find
particularly funny.
Did
you know?
"Cachinnate" has been whooping it up in English
since the 19th century. It is from the Latin
"cachinnare," meaning "to laugh
loudly," and "cachinnare" was likely
coined in imitation of a loud laugh. As such,
"cachinnare" is like the Old English
"ceahhetan," the Old High German
"kachazzen," and the Greek
"kachazein" -- all words of imitative origin
that essentially meant "to laugh loudly."
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example
sentence.
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The Literary Bee