Word of the Day
jarabe tapatío
noun
a dance of Mexican origin, performed by a couple and consisting of nine figures and melodies, in which the partners often dance facing each other but not touching.
More about jarabe tapatío
Jarabe means “syrup” in Spanish, while tapatío refers to a person or thing from Guadalajara, a city in Jalisco, Mexico. Spanish jarabe and English syrup both come from Arabic sharāb, “a drink,” which is related to sherbet and sorbet. Tapatío derives from the Nahuatl word tlapatiotl, “price, value,” after the Guadalajara area’s notable use of cacao beans as currency. Jarabe tapatío was first recorded in English in the mid-1870s.
EXAMPLE OF JARABE TAPATÍO USED IN A SENTENCE
The dancer dropped his sombrero to the floor as a signal to his partner to begin their jarabe tapatío.
More about kvetch
Kvetch is adapted from Yiddish kvetshn, meaning “to squeeze, pinch,” which is closely related to German quetschen, also meaning “to squeeze.” One possibility is that kvetch ultimately comes from Latin quassāre or quatere, “to shake,” which is the source of English concussion and squash. Kvetch was first recorded in English in the early 1960s.
EXAMPLE OF KVETCH USED IN A SENTENCE
The couple refused to buy an air conditioner, preferring instead to kvetch constantly about the heat in the summer.
Heiligenschein
noun
a bright ring, caused by diffraction of light rays, that appears around the shadow cast by a person’s head on wet grass.
Why the Museum of Science chose Heiligenschein
To find out, watch this video from science communicator Alex Dainis, PhD.
Learn more at the Museum of Science.
More about Heiligenschein
Heiligenschein (plural Heiligenscheine) is from German, in which it means “halo” or, literally, “saint’s shine.” Heiligen- is a form of Heiliger, “saint,” which is related to English hallow and Halloween. Schein means the same thing as its English relative shine. Heiligenschein was first recorded in English in the early 1910s.
EXAMPLE OF HEILIGENSCHEIN USED IN A SENTENCE
The skydivers saw Heiligenscheine around their shadows as they landed in the dewy field.
