Word of the Day
fioritura
noun
the ornamentation of a melody, often improvised by the performer, as in Italian opera during the 18th century.
More about fioritura
Fioritura is a borrowing from Italian that literally means “floweriness” and ultimately comes from Latin flōs, flōr-, “flower.” L in Latin often becomes Italian i, which we see in the Italian borrowings piano (from Latin plānus, “plain”) and piazza (from Latin plātea, “courtyard”). Fioritura was first recorded in English around 1840.
EXAMPLE OF FIORITURA USED IN A SENTENCE
In an attempt to wow the audience, the opera singer added several fioriture to each verse she sang.
reboant
adjective
resounding or reverberating loudly.
More about reboant
Reboant comes from Latin re-, “back, again,” and boāre, “to cry aloud.” Boāre is either related to or derived from Ancient Greek boân, of the same meaning, and these words may be of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sounds of a cry. Though not related to reboant, English boohoo was formed in roughly the same way. Reboant was first recorded in English in the 1820s.
EXAMPLE OF REBOANT USED IN A SENTENCE
Her reboant calls of “Echo!” created a cacophony in the cave.
jambalaya
noun
a Creole dish consisting of rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, or shellfish, plus herbs, spices, and vegetables.
More about jambalaya
Jambalaya is a borrowing from the dialect of French spoken in Louisiana. Before French, jambalaya appears to have come from Occitan, a language from southern France. The explanation that jambalaya contains the name Jean or French jambon, “ham,” plus balayer, “to sweep,” is false. Jambalaya was first recorded in English in the 1740s.
EXAMPLE OF JAMBALAYA USED IN A SENTENCE
A savory, simmering jambalaya was the centerpiece of the New Orleans-themed buffet.