dolorous \DOH-luh-ruhs\ (adjective) - Marked by, causing, or expressing grief or sorrow.

"Through the silence of the great forest there came a swishing, whistling sound, mingled with the most dolorous groans, and the voice of a man raised in a high quavering kind of song." -- Arthur Conan Doyle, 'The White Company'

Dolorous derives from Latin ...Read more

myriad \MIR-ee-uhd\ (adjective) - 1 : Consisting of a very great, but indefinite, number; as, myriad stars. 2 : Composed of numerous diverse elements or aspects.

(noun) - 1 : The number of ten thousand; ten thousand persons or things. (Chiefly in reference to the Greek numeral system, or in translations from Greek or Latin). 2 : An immense ...Read more

bricolage \bree-koh-LAHZH; brih-\ (noun) - Construction or something constructed by using whatever materials happen to be available.

"Some professor snotgristle described coyote as a bricoleur, a mythic handy-man who cobbles reality in the form of a bricolage out of the available material, which is quite everything when you think about." -- ...Read more

malodorous \mal-OH-duhr-uhs\ (adjective) - Having a bad odor.

"We were prepared for some unpleasantness, for as we were opening the door a faint, malodorous air seemed to exhale through the gaps, but none of us ever expected such an odour as we encountered." -- Bram Stoker, 'Dracula'

Malodorous is from Latin mal-, "bad" + odorus, from odor, "...Read more

pied-a-terre \pee-ay-duh-TAIR; pyay-dah-TAIR\ (noun) - A temporary or second place of lodging.

"Hay Hill is just a pied-a- terre, they like to say, a pied-a-terre with a dining room and drawing room, a library (for him) and a little study (for her)." -- Giles Waterfield, 'The Hound in the Left-hand Corner'

Pied-a-terre is from French, ...Read more

epicene \EP-uh-seen\ (adjective) - 1 : Having the characteristics of both sexes. 2 : Effeminate; unmasculine. 3 : Sexless; neuter. 4 : (Linguistics) Having but one form of the noun for both the male and the female.

(noun) - 1 : A person or thing that is epicene. 2 : (Linguistics) An epicene word.

"Kitsch must include more than the golden-...Read more

perquisite \PUR-kwuh-zit\ (noun) - 1 : A profit or benefit in addition to a salary or wages. 2 : Broadly: The benefits of a position or office. 3 : A gratuity or tip for services performed. 4 : Anything to which someone has or claims the sole right.

"Yourself you've fixed the ransom of this couple at twenty thousand pieces, and, as I gather, ...Read more

exigency \EK-suh-jun-see; ig-ZIJ-un-see\ (noun) - 1 : The quality or state of requiring immediate aid or action; urgency. 2 : A case demanding immediate action or remedy; a pressing or urgent situation. 3 : That which is demanded or required in a particular situation -- usually used in the plural.

"You came for another purpose, we were speaking...Read more

tutelage \TOO-tuhl-ij; TYOO-\ (noun) - 1 : The act of guarding or protecting; guardianship; protection. 2 : The state of being under a guardian or tutor. 3 : Instruction, especially individual instruction accompanied by close attention and guidance.

"I think my mother felt a child of wealth deserved undistracted tutelage, but my father finally ...Read more

succinct \suhk-SINGKT\ (adjective) - Characterized by compressed precise expression with no wasted words; brief; concise.

"From the brilliant -- but succinct -- description my friend gave, I imagined a kind of illuminated angel. I imagined something with the brightness of a chandelier." -- Jose Eduardo Agualusa, 'The Book of Chameleons'

...Read more

ineffectual \in-ih-FEK-choo-uhl\ (adjective) - Not producing the proper effect; without effect; weak; useless; futile; unavailing.

"Surely we have enough on our plates with one badly burned, utterly ineffectual member without risking more and possibly worse setbacks." -- Brian Lumley, 'The Touch'

Ineffectual ultimately comes from Latin in-, ...Read more

pugilist \PYOO-juh-list\ (noun) - One who fights with the fists; especially, a professional prize fighter; a boxer.

"For his part, the pugilist merely smiled offensively and contemptuously at the word 'boxing', not deigning to enter into an open discussion, but occasionally displaying, silently and as though by chance, a thoroughly native ...Read more

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

As we prepare to celebrate our nation's 250th birthday next year, this secret can now be revealed: During the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers repaired to a Philadelphia Publick House to hatch a sadistic linguistic conspiracy.

"Just to torture future high school history students," snickered James "Icky" Madison, "let's require ...Read more