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Why Dictionary.com chose gelid
More about gelid
- First used in 1600–10.
- From the Latin gelidus, “icy cold,” equivalent to gel(um), “frost, cold” + –idus, see -id4, suffix meaning “pertaining to.”
EXAMPLES OF GELID
- The hikers shivered in the gelid air as they climbed higher up the mountain.
- A gelid breeze swept through the city, signaling the arrival of winter.
sprechgesang
noun
a vocal style intermediate between speech and singing but without exact pitch intonation
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Why Dictionary.com chose sprechgesang
More about sprechgesang
- First used in English in the early 19th century.
- Directly from German, equivalent to sprech(en) “to speak“+ Gesang, “song.”
EXAMPLES OF SPRECHGESANG
- Her vocal technique included sprechgesang, blending speech with melody.
- Sprechgesang is often found in 20th-century works, especially by Schoenberg.
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Why Dictionary.com chose ab initio
More about ab initio
- First recorded in the 1600s.
- Borrowed directly from Latin.
EXAMPLES OF AB INITIO
- The experiment was flawed ab initio because original measurements were inaccurate.
- When reconstructing the historical site, the archaeologists worked ab initio, piecing together clues from scratch.
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