Word of the Day
reboant
adjective
resounding or reverberating loudly.
More about reboant
Reboant comes from Latin re-, “back, again,” and boāre, “to cry aloud.” Boāre is either related to or derived from Ancient Greek boân, of the same meaning, and these words may be of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sounds of a cry. Though not related to reboant, English boohoo was formed in roughly the same way. Reboant was first recorded in English in the 1820s.
EXAMPLE OF REBOANT USED IN A SENTENCE
Her reboant calls of “Echo!” created a cacophony in the cave.
jambalaya
noun
a Creole dish consisting of rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, or shellfish, plus herbs, spices, and vegetables.
More about jambalaya
Jambalaya is a borrowing from the dialect of French spoken in Louisiana. Before French, jambalaya appears to have come from Occitan, a language from southern France. The explanation that jambalaya contains the name Jean or French jambon, “ham,” plus balayer, “to sweep,” is false. Jambalaya was first recorded in English in the 1740s.
EXAMPLE OF JAMBALAYA USED IN A SENTENCE
A savory, simmering jambalaya was the centerpiece of the New Orleans-themed buffet.
retrograde
adjective
moving backward; having a backward motion or direction; retiring or retreating.
Why the Museum of Science chose retrograde
To find out, watch this video from science communicator Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D.
Learn more at the Museum of Science.
More about retrograde
Retrograde comes from Latin retrōgradus, meaning “going back,” which is based on retrō, “back, backward,” and gradī, “to step, go.” While retrō can be found in many words indicating backward movement, both in space and in time, gradī is related to centigrade and graduate. Retrograde was first recorded in English in the late 14th century.
EXAMPLE OF RETROGRADE USED IN A SENTENCE
Mercury’s arc in the sky turned retrograde, becoming more of an S shape as the planet moved among the constellations.
