discursive \dis-KUR-siv\ (adjective) - 1 : Passing from one topic to another; ranging over a wide field; digressive; rambling. 2 : Utilizing, marked by, or based on analytical reasoning -- contrasted with intuitive.

"In our time, I don't see how you could disagree. It is a discursive age. Now, music itself is known both by acquaintance and ...Read more

pukka \PUHK-uh\ (adjective) - 1 : Authentic; genuine. 2 : Good of its kind; first-class.

"Thinks he can cauk the dam in a fortnight. Look at his marginal sketches -- aren't they clear and good? I knew he was pukka, but I didn't know he was as pukka as this." -- Rudyard Kipling, 'The Day's Work'

Pukka comes from Hindi pakka, "cooked, ripe," ...Read more

purblind \PUR-blynd\ (adjective) - 1 : Having greatly reduced vision. 2 : Lacking in insight or discernment.

"Even the older children became groping and purblind, and the young saw but dimly, and the children that were born to them never saw at all." - H.G. Wells, 'The Country of the Blind'

Purblind derives from Middle English pur blind, ...Read more

nefarious \nuh-FAIR-ee-uhs\ (adjective) - Wicked in the extreme; iniquitous.

"Stone served a summons on a nefarious character today, and another nefarious character took a swing at him. And connected." -- Stuart Woods, 'Fresh Disasters'

Nefarious is from Latin nefarius, from nefas, "that which is contrary to divine command; a crime, ...Read more

diffident \DIF-uh-dunt; -dent\ (adjective) - 1 : Lacking self-confidence; distrustful of one's own powers; timid; bashful. 2 : Characterized by modest reserve; unassertive.

"But I am diffident. What's the good of saying I mustn't be diffident when I'm the man who wrote the words and music, when Diffidence is my middle name and my telegraphic ...Read more

perspicacity \pur-spuh-KAS-uh-tee\ (noun) - Clearness of understanding or insight; penetration, discernment.

"I understand he was a great help to Chex Centaur. There is also no problem about feeding him. I commend you for your perspicacity in selecting him." -- Piers Anthony, 'Heaven Cent'

Perspicacity comes from Latin perspicax, perspicac-, "...Read more

coxcomb \KOKS-kohm\ (noun) - 1 : obsolete. A cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red. (Now cockscomb). 2 : archaic. The top of the head, or the head itself. 3 : Obsolete. A fool. 4 : A vain, showy fellow; a conceited, silly man, fond of display; a superficial pretender to knowledge or accomplishments; a dandy; a fop.

"Not at all ...Read more

chicanery \shih-KAY-nuh-ree\ (noun) - 1 : The use of trickery or sophistry to deceive (as in matters of law). 2 : A trick; a subterfuge.

"Here's how to talk and keep the upper hand:
For no man's half as barefaced as a woman
When it comes to chicanery and gammon." -- Geoffrey Chaucer, 'The Canterbury Tales

Chicanery comes from ...Read more

habitue \huh-BICH-oo-ay; huh-bich-oo-AY\ (noun) - One who habitually frequents a place.

"Fielding had been an habitue of this dingy but commodious establishment for nearly twenty years." -- Simon Raven, 'Morning Star'

Habitue is from the past participle of French habituer.

pellucid \puh-LOO-sid\ (adjective) - 1 : Transparent; clear; not opaque. 2 : Easily understandable.

"It was the first time he had seen her out of mourning, and above the pellucid eyes and the pencilled brows, on the dark hair, there was a small coronal of diamonds; swaying and scintillating as if a breath played about them." -- Frank Danby, '...Read more

factitious \fak-TISH-uhs\ (adjective) - 1 : Produced artificially, in distinction from what is produced by nature. 2 : Artificial; not authentic or genuine; sham.

"However, he had enough strength in him -- factitious no doubt -- to very nearly make an end of us, as you shall hear directly." -- Joseph Conrad, 'Heart of Darkness'

Factitious ...Read more

profligate \PROF-luh-guht; -gayt\ (adjective) - 1 : Openly and shamelessly immoral; dissipated; dissolute. 2 : Recklessly wasteful.

(noun) - 1. A profligate person.

"And if the father was warm in support of his profligate son, the young medical aspirant was warmer in support of his profligate brother." -- Anthony Trollope, 'Dr. Thorne'

...Read more

volte-face \vawlt-FAHS; vawl-tuh-\ (noun) - An about-face; a reversal, as in policy or opinion.

"As this unpleasant realization sank in he did another volte-face, made yet another decision, and this one was final. He would seek financing from another..." -- Barbara Taylor Bradford, 'Hold the Dream'

Volte-face comes from French, from Italian ...Read more

pecuniary \pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee\ (adjective) - 1 : Relating to money; monetary. 2 : Consisting of money. 3 : Requiring payment of money.

"There really was no present pecuniary need for her to leave a comfortable home and 'take a situation;' and there was every probability that her uncle might in some way permanently provide for her." -- ...Read more

postprandial \post-PRAN-dee-uhl\ (adjective) - Happening or done after a meal.

"A postprandial drink, perhaps?' 'Well,' said Dixie Dorly, 'we have coffee and brandy, but I don't know if we have any postprandial." -- H. W. Crocker, III, 'The Old Limey'

Postprandial is from post- + prandial, from Latin prandium, "a late breakfast or lunch."

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.

"At the points in the orbit when the planet is farthest from the star, you get Apogee Winter in one hemisphere and Apogee Summer in the ...Read more

contravene \kon-truh-VEEN\ (transitive verb) - 1 : To act or be counter to; to violate. 2 : To oppose in argument; to contradict.

"I do not contravene that assertion," was his quiet answer. "And at this stage of our journey, according to all known laws on the increase of heat, there should be here a temperature of fifteen hundred dresses of ...Read more

philter \FIL-tur\ (noun) - 1 : A potion or charm supposed to cause the person taking it to fall in love. 2 : A potion or charm believed to have magic power.

(transitive verb) - To enchant or bewitch with or as if with a magic potion or charm.

"There's only one magic philter will fix Mr. Black," said Tom. "Soon's he gets enough pennies any one ...Read more

demur \dih-MUR\ (intransitive verb) - 1 : To object; to take exception. 2 : To delay.

(noun) - 1 : The act of demurring. 2 : Objection. 3 : Delay.

"Whenever Alice would ask to see something Tom had written, he would demur, saying that anything he had written was terrible."

Demur comes from Old French demorer, "to linger, to stay," from Latin ...Read more

"She pled guilty."

That sentence in a newspaper article stirred Sara Solomon of Roscoe, Pennsylvania, to write, "Isn't 'pleaded' the past tense of 'plead'? Is there such a word as 'pled'?"

I can't plead ignorance. "Pled" is, indeed, a word. Whether you should use it is another question. The verb "plead," like the similar verbs "bleed," "feed" ...Read more