Word of the Day
pleonasm
noun
the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy.
More about pleonasm
Pleonasm, “the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy,” may be annoying or foolish, as in “free gift” or “true fact,” but not so in emphatic expressions such as “I saw it with my own eyes.” Pleonasm comes via Late Latin pleonasmus (where it is only a term in rhetoric), from Greek pleonasmós “redundancy, surplus, superabundance, (rhetoric) use of redundant words, lengthening of clauses, repetition,” a derivative of pleonázein “to be or have more than enough,” which is itself derivative of pleíōn, the comparative degree of polýs “much, many.” Pleonasm entered English in the early 17th century.
how is pleonasm used?
Federal foreign policy is a pleonasm. What foreign policy can a federal nation have except a national policy?
Like most writers, I can be a stickler about language, but anyone who hangs out with me for long enough will learn that I favor a certain ungrammatical turn of phrase: “true fact.” Technically speaking, that expression is a pleonasm—a redundant description—since all facts are, by definition, true.
Panglossian
adjective
characterized by or given to extreme optimism, especially in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity.
More about Panglossian
Panglossian, “extremely optimistic, especially in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity,” comes from Dr. Pangloss (Panglosse in French), an old, incurably optimistic tutor in Voltaire’s philosophical satire Candide. Pangloss comes from Greek panglossía “garrulousness, wordiness,” which also may suggest a certain amount of glibness. Candide, the name of the eponymous hero, comes from Latin candidus “bright, shining, pure, clean, good-natured, innocent,” perhaps also a comment on the hero’s naiveté. Panglossian entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is Panglossian used?
Kraft sets to work making a case for Panglossian optimism while his marriage crumbles and his money problems worsen.
Burnett had developed a Panglossian confidence in the power of branding. “I believe we’re going to see something like the Microsoft Grand Canyon National Park,” he told the New York Times in 2001.
honcho
noun
a leader, especially an assertive leader.
More about honcho
Honcho is mostly an American term, entering the language in 1945, toward the end of World War II. It comes from Japanese hanchō “squad leader, group leader” and was picked up by American prisoners of war in the POW camps.
how is honcho used?
As head honcho of the nation’s most prestigious newspaper, all eyes will be on her, especially considering her status as the paper’s first female executive editor in its 160-year history.
You know, I know she’s the head honcho, and no one is calling her that. She deserves to be called that, doesn’t she?