Word of the Day
superannuated
adjective
antiquated or obsolete.
More about superannuated
Superannuated, “antiquated or obsolete,” comes from Medieval Latin superannātus, “over a year old.” Superannātus is based on Latin super, “above, beyond, over,” and annus, “year.” Super is a distant relative of English over, German über, and Ancient Greek hypér; compare the Words of the Day hypermnesia and supercilious. Annus is the source of anniversary and annual, and its stem enn- can be found in millennium and the Word of the Day perennial. Superannuated was first recorded in English circa 1530.
EXAMPLE OF SUPERANNUATED USED IN A SENTENCE
The townspeople came together and voted to remove the superannuated and unpopular clause from the town’s charter.
alluvion
noun
a gradual increase of land on a shore or a river bank by the action of water, whether from natural or artificial causes.
More about alluvion
Alluvion, “an increase of land on a shore by the action of water,” comes from Latin alluviō, “an overflowing,” in which the -luv- element comes from lavāre, “to wash.” The basic stems of lavāre (lau- and lav-) are visible in latrine (earlier lavātrīna), laundry, lavatory, and lavish—but not lava. Meanwhile, through its broader range of stems, lavāre is also the source of the Word of the Day antediluvian, and deluge and lotion. Alluvion was first recorded in English in the 1530s.
EXAMPLE OF ALLUVION USED IN A SENTENCE
The anglers had to step lively to avoid sinking into the soft area of alluvion along the river’s edge.
gul
noun
a large octagonal design derived from the shape of a rose, a motif on rugs.
More about gul
Gul, “a rose-shaped design,” is a short word with a long history. The term is a loanword from classical Persian gul, “rose.” Thanks to a series of sound changes, gul comes from an ancient Iranian root, warda-, that may have been borrowed into Ancient Greek as wrodon, later rhódon, “rose,” and then into Latin as rosa. This flowery root appears in English rose, rhododendron, and even julep, but be careful—despite the resemblance, it is not the source of the Word of the Day rosolio. Gul was first recorded in English in the 1810s.
EXAMPLE OF GUL USED IN A SENTENCE
The carpet’s ornate central gul caught the interior designer’s eye.