Word of the Day
sewellel
noun
a small, burrowing rodent of the Pacific coastal region of North America, also known as the mountain beaver.
More about sewellel
Sewellel is an adaptation of š-walál, a term from the Lower Chinook language of the Pacific Northwest that refers to a robe made of mountain beaver skins. When explorer Meriwether Lewis (of the Lewis and Clark expedition) heard š-walál, he misunderstood the term as referring to the mountain beaver itself and transcribed it as sewellel in 1806.
EXAMPLE OF SEWELLEL USED IN A SENTENCE
The sewellel poked its head out from its burrow and went off to forage for food.
miasma
noun
a poisonous cloud of vapor produced by decaying organic matter.
Why the Museum of Science chose miasma
To find out, watch this video from science communicator Alex Dainis, PhD.
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More about miasma
Miasma derives from Ancient Greek míasma, meaning “pollution, stain.” The mías- element comes from the verb miaínein, “to pollute, stain,” while -ma is a common suffix that also appears in eczema, enigma, and stigma. Miasma was first recorded in English around 1660.
EXAMPLE OF MIASMA USED IN A SENTENCE
The impassable swamp was known for the many miasmata that drifted through the air, threatening to suffocate travelers.
derecho
noun
a widespread and severe windstorm that moves rapidly along a fairly straight path and is associated with bands of rapidly moving thunderstorms.
More about derecho
Derecho means both “right” and “straight” in Spanish and comes from Latin dīrēctus, “straightened,” the source of English direct and adroit (through French droit). The Latin word for “right,” however, is dexter, which survives in ambidextrous. Derecho was first recorded in English in the late 1880s.
EXAMPLE OF DERECHO USED IN A SENTENCE
A long series of derechos and thunderstorms wended their way across the continent from early June through late August.