Word of the Day 12-13

Word of the Day 12~~October 12, 2009

Exculpate \EK-skuhl-payt; ek-SKUHL-payt\

transitive verb:

1.
To clear from alleged fault or guilt; to prove to be guiltless; to relieve of blame; to acquit.


Origin:
Exculpate is ultimately derived from Latin ex-, "without" + culpare, "to blame," from culpa, "blame, fault."


Word of the Day 13~~October 13, 2009

Triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\

noun:

1.
Fear or a phobia concerning the number 13.

Origin:
Triskaidekaphobia is from Greek treiskaideka, triskaideka, thirteen (treis, three + kai, and + deka, ten) + phobos, fear.Some famous triskaidekaphobes1:
Napoleon
Herbert Hoover
Mark Twain
Richard Wagner
Franklin Roosevelt