Word of the Day
More about snollygoster
Snollygoster is a slang term of uncertain origin. It has been proposed that it is connected to snallygaster, a mythical monster from Maryland with a name derived from German schnelle Geister, “quick spirits.” One complication here is that snallygaster first appears in the 1940s, while snollygoster was first recorded in English a century earlier in the 1840s.
EXAMPLE OF SNOLLYGOSTER USED IN A SENTENCE
The snollygoster managed to convince much of the audience that his political rivals were responsible for his own errors in judgment.
banderole
noun
a small flag or streamer fastened to a lance, masthead, etc.
More about banderole
Banderole comes by way of French from Italian banderuola, formed from bandiera, “banner,” and -uola, roughly meaning “little.” Bandiera and English banner both come from Late Latin bandum or bannum, a type of flag representing a monarch or nation. Banderole was first recorded in English around 1560.
EXAMPLE OF BANDEROLE USED IN A SENTENCE
The long, thin banderoles flapped in the breeze as the ship docked in the harbor.
katabatic
adjective
(of a wind or air current) moving downward or down a slope.
More about katabatic
Katabatic comes from Ancient Greek katá, meaning “down, through, against, towards,” and baínein, “to go.” Katá has several variants in English and also appears in catalog and cathedral. Meanwhile, baínein is the source of acrobat, basis, and diabetes. Katabatic was first recorded in English in the late 1910s.
EXAMPLE OF KATABATIC USED IN A SENTENCE
The katabatic gusts rushed down the mountain, burying the village with the snow they carried along.