Word of the Day
cistvaen
noun
a prehistoric sepulchral tomb or casket.
More about cistvaen
Cistvaen, “a prehistoric sepulchral tomb or casket,” comes from Welsh cist faen, “stone box, stone chest.” Cist comes via Latin cista, “box, chest,” from Ancient Greek kistē. Faen is a mutated form of maen, “stone,” a Cornish relative of which is also part of the Word of the Day dolmen. In Welsh, as in many Celtic languages, the first consonant of a noun or adjective mutates in a variety of contexts, including in some compound words; this is why the m in maen (pronounced like “main” or “mine”) becomes the “softer” f in faen (pronounced like “vain” or “vine”). Cistvaen was first recorded in English in the first decade of the 19th century.
EXAMPLE OF CISTVAEN USED IN A SENTENCE
While dolmens are aboveground homes for the prehistoric dead, the Celts once used shallow cistvaens as burial pits.
algorithm
noun
an ordered set of instructions applied repeatedly to data to solve a problem or accomplish a task.
Why the Museum of Science chose algorithm
You might think algorithms are reserved for complex computer instructions, but if you've ever followed a recipe when you cook, then you have used an algorithm. To learn more, watch this video 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 algorithm
Algorithm is a variant of algorism and ultimately comes from Arabic al-Khwārizmī, which refers to the 9th-century mathematician Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. In this name, Khwārizm refers to an area of Central Asia now divided between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Algorism became algorithm because of the influence of Ancient Greek arithmós, “number,” as in arithmetic. Algorithm was first recorded in English in the 1690s.
EXAMPLE OF ALGORITHM USED IN A SENTENCE
The data scientist applied a simple algorithm and solved the frustrating puzzle in less than 3 seconds.
zaffer
noun
an artificial mixture, resembling smalt, containing cobalt oxide and, usually, silica, used to produce a blue color in glass and in ceramic glazes.
More about zaffer
For the origin of zaffer, “a cobalt oxide–silica mixture used to produce a blue color,” let’s travel down a linguistic rabbit hole. Zaffer, from French safre or Italian zaffera, may come from Arabic ’aṣfar, “yellow,” which resembles but is not related to saffron and sulfur. Alternatively, zaffer may come from Latin sapphīra, “sapphire,” via Ancient Greek sáppheiros, “lapis lazuli,” from a Semitic source akin to Hebrew sappīr, “sapphire.” One intriguing proposal is that sappīr and its close Semitic relatives come from Sanskrit śanipuriya, “dear to Saturn,” equivalent to Śani, the planet Saturn, plus priyá-, “dear.” Zaffer was first recorded in English circa 1660.
EXAMPLE OF ZAFFER USED IN A SENTENCE
The glass blower used zaffer to make the vase a beautiful hue of azure.