Words of the Day 2-5

Word of the Day 2~~October 2, 2009

Incarnadine \in-KAR-nuh-dyn\ , adjective, verb:

1.
Having a fleshy pink color.
2.
Red; blood-red.

transitive verb:

1.
To make red or crimson.


Origin:
From Italian incarnatino, which came from the Latin incarnato, something incarnate, made flesh, from in + caro, carn-, "flesh." It is related to carnation, etymologically the flesh-colored flower; incarnate, "in the flesh; made flesh"; and carnal, "pertaining to the body or its appetites."

Word of the Day 3~~October 3, 2009


Raffish \RAF-ish\ , adjective:

1.
Characterized by or suggestive of flashy vulgarity, crudeness, or rowdiness; tawdry.

2.
Marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness; rakish.

Origin:
Raffish derives from the noun raff (chiefly used in the compound or duplicate, riffraff), meaning "people of a low reputation."

Word of the Day 4~~October 4, 2009


Bifurcate \BY-fur-kayt; by-FUR-kayt\

transitive verb:

1.
To divide into two branches or parts.

intransitive verb:

1.
To branch or separate into two parts.

adjective:

1.
Divided into two branches or parts; forked.


Origin:
Bifurcate comes from the past participle of Medieval Latin bifurcare, "to divide," from Latin bifurcus, "two-pronged," from bi- + furca, "fork."

Word of the Day 5~~October 5, 2009


Esurient \ih-SUR-ee-uhnt; -ZUR-\

adjective:

1.
Hungry; greedy.

Origin:
Esurient comes from the present participle of Latin esurire, "to be hungry, to desire eagerly," from edere, "to eat."