Word of the Day
animalcule
noun
a minute or microscopic animal, nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye.
Why the Museum of Science chose animalcule
To find out, watch this video from science communicator Alex Dainis, PhD.
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More about animalcule
Animalcule comes from New Latin animalculum, “small animal.” The animal- element comes from Latin animālis, meaning “living” or, literally, “airy, breathy.” The suffix -culum, “small,” also appears in disguise in the Words of the Day canicular and osculate. Animalcule was first recorded in English in the 1590s.
EXAMPLE OF ANIMALCULE USED IN A SENTENCE
Pressed between the two glass slides, a variety of animalcules drifted and skittered through the narrow band of water.
More about prismatic
Prismatic is based on Ancient Greek prîsma, literally meaning “something sawed.” The noun, prism, can refer to a transparent object created with cut angles that is used to disperse light into a spectrum. Prismatic was first recorded in English at the turn of the 18th century.
EXAMPLE OF PRISMATIC USED IN A SENTENCE
A prismatic array of colors reflected onto the wall as the sunlight struck the glass artwork.
tzatziki
noun
a condiment or dip consisting of yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and usually mint.
More about tzatziki
Tzatziki is from Modern Greek that comes from Turkish cacık, which is of uncertain origin, though it resembles older Persian zhāzh, the name of various wild plants. Turkish is the source of numerous food-related terms, such as baklava, bergamot, pastrami, and even lemon. Tzatziki was first recorded in English in the early 1960s.
EXAMPLE OF TZATZIKI USED IN A SENTENCE
A dollop of tzatziki gave the savory slices of pita a slightly sour punch.