Word of the Day
More about asinine
Asinine, “foolish, unintelligent, or silly,” comes from Latin asinīnus, which is based on asinus, “donkey.” The specific origin of asinus remains unknown and unrecorded, but there is ample evidence that it derives from a lost pre-Roman language based on its resemblance to other Eurasian words for “donkey” or, specifically, “female donkey,” such as Ancient Greek ónos, Arabicʾatān, and even Luwian tarkasna-. This could all point to an origin for asinus in what is now Iraq, perhaps Sumerian anše or anšu, “donkey.” Asinine was first recorded in English at the turn of the 17th century. Learn a few synonyms for asinine.
EXAMPLE OF ASININE USED IN A SENTENCE
The guest speaker’s bizarre misuse of several complex words made him sound asinine.
bombogenesis
noun
the process in which the air pressure in the center of a cyclone rapidly drops, potentially producing hurricane-force winds with very heavy rain or snow.
Why the Museum of Science chose bombogenesis
To find out, watch this video about bombogenesis from award-winning science communicator Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D.
Learn more fun facts at the Museum of Science.
More about bombogenesis
Bombogenesis, “the 24-hour process in which a cyclone develops hurricane-force winds,” is formed from bomb, in the sense of bomb cyclone or weather bomb, and genesis. Bomb ultimately comes from Ancient Greek bómbos, “a booming sound.” Though bómbos and English boom aren’t related, they are formed in the same way: by verbally mimicking a loud noise. Bombogenesis was first recorded in English in the early 2000s.
EXAMPLE OF BOMBOGENESIS USED IN A SENTENCE
The skiers hunkered down when they learned that the onset of the bombogenesis was still to come.
schmatte
noun
an old ragged garment; tattered article of clothing.
More about schmatte
Schmatte, “an old ragged garment,” is an Americanism adapted from Yiddish shmate, “rag,” from Polish szmata, of the same meaning. Though much of Yiddish vocabulary comes from German, it uses the Hebrew writing system as an alphabet and treats silent Hebrew consonants as vowels. This is how the letters aleph and ayin, which are silent in most varieties of modern Hebrew, make the “ah” and “eh” sounds in Yiddish shmate. Schmatte may also appear as shmatte in English; both spellings are equally valid, with the sch- closer to German spelling standards despite its Polish origin. Schmatte was first recorded in English in the late 1960s.
EXAMPLE OF SCHMATTE USED IN A SENTENCE
“Take that schmatte off,” the grandmother scolded, “and put on a proper coat, or you’ll catch a cold!”