DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

rapporteur / rap-or-TUHR / noun : 1. Someone appointed by an organization, group, or committee to investigate or monitor an issue, and compile and present the findings.
2. One who is designated to record the deliberations of a meeting.

Notes & Etymology: From the French raportour (reporter).), from rapporter (to bring back, report), from apporter (to bring), from Latin portare (carry). The word rapporteur in French has various other meanings besides a reporter, such as an informer or a tattletale, and a protractor.

Usage: “The United Nations special rapporteur, Raquel Rolnik, listened to it all patiently, occasionally taking notes, nodding encouragement . "
Chris McGreal; UN Meets Homeless Victims of American Property Dream; The Guardian (London, UK); Nov 12, 2009.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

homologate / huh-MOL-uh-gayt / verb tr : 1. To approve officially. 2. To register a specific model of a motor vehicle to make it eligible to take part in a racing competition.

Notes & Etymology: From the Latin homologare (to agree), from Greek homologein (to agree or allow).

Usage: “Mr. Jimmy Gray said: 'We've major issues which appear to be discussed in the press. Decisions are made and then we're asked to homologate these decisions. "
Labour Group Leader Hits Out; Aberdeen Press & Journal (UK); Jul 9, 2007.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

refulgent / rih-FUL-juhnt / adjective: 1. shining brightly; radiant; gleaming

Notes & Etymology: From the Latin refulgere, present participle of refulgeō meaning "to flash back, to shine brightly," from re-, "back" + fulgere, "to shine."

Usage: “As soon as people realize in what ways using a wave could render even the most obscure project crystal-clear, Google Wave is the refulgent victor. Does Email need saving, though?"
Max Majewski; Surfing the Google Wave; Neowin.net ; Nov. 9, 2009.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

chortle / chawr-tl / verb: 1. (used without object) to chuckle gleefully. 2. (used with object) to express with a gleeful chuckle: to chortle one's joy. noun: 3. a gleeful chuckle.

Notes & Etymology: 'O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy." Perhaps Lewis Carroll would chortle a bit himself to find that people are still using the word chortle, which he coined in Through the Looking-Glass, published in 1872. In any case, Carroll had constructed his word well, combining the words chuckle and snort. This type of word is called a blend or a portmanteau word. In Through the Looking-Glass Humpty Dumpty uses portmanteau to describe the word slithy, saying, "It's like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word" (the meanings being "lithe" and "slimy").
-"chortle." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. -

Usage: “They socialize, eat, argue, sing and dance, chortle at the risqué gags of cabaret entertainers, try their best to maintain the colony’s aging physical plant, care for ailing spouses and — like most people in their ’80s and ’90s — look death in the face on a daily basis. "
In the Catskills, Holocaust Survivors Forge a Bond; The New York Times; Nov. 11, 2009.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

acnestis / AK-nist-uhs / noun: 1. The part of the body where one cannot reach to scratch.

Notes & Etymology: From the Greek aknestis (spine), from Ancient Greek knestis (spine, cheese-grater).

Usage: “In what has to be the longest post-election season in living memory, the last five months have felt like an acnestis upon our collective soul..."
A Wish List to Soothe Our Collective Itch; New Straits Times (Malaysia); Aug 5, 2008.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

misoneism / mis-uh-NEE-izm / noun: 1. A hatred or fear of change or innovation.

Notes & Etymology: From the Italian misoneismo, from Greek miso- (hate) + neos (new). Ultimately from Indo-European root newo- (new) that also gave us new, neo-, neon, novice, novel, novelty, innovate, and renovate.

Usage: “The prevailing attitude was therefore one of extreme conservatism: may I indeed say of misoneism? "
Expanding Trade, Changing Ways of Life-Conclusions; Addis Tribune (Ethiopia);
May 15, 1998.

DOUG'S WORD OF THE WEEK

encomium / en-KO-mee-uhm / noun: 1. Glowing praise.

Notes & Etymology: From the Latin encomium, from Greek enkomion, from komos (revel).

Usage: “The speech cheered the faithful no end, as did Sarah Brown's smooth and skilful introduction of her husband. Yet though her encomium went down well with the party, it nauseated many television viewers. "
Ruth Dudley Edwards; Why Mrs Brown Should Have Skipped the Heroics; Irish Independent (Dublin); Oct 4, 2009