Word of the Day
zaffer
noun
an artificial mixture, resembling smalt, containing cobalt oxide and, usually, silica, used to produce a blue color in glass and in ceramic glazes.
More about zaffer
For the origin of zaffer, “a cobalt oxide–silica mixture used to produce a blue color,” let’s travel down a linguistic rabbit hole. Zaffer, from French safre or Italian zaffera, may come from Arabic ’aṣfar, “yellow,” which resembles but is not related to saffron and sulfur. Alternatively, zaffer may come from Latin sapphīra, “sapphire,” via Ancient Greek sáppheiros, “lapis lazuli,” from a Semitic source akin to Hebrew sappīr, “sapphire.” One intriguing proposal is that sappīr and its close Semitic relatives come from Sanskrit śanipuriya, “dear to Saturn,” equivalent to Śani, the planet Saturn, plus priyá-, “dear.” Zaffer was first recorded in English circa 1660.
EXAMPLE OF ZAFFER USED IN A SENTENCE
The glass blower used zaffer to make the vase a beautiful hue of azure.
barococo
adjective
excessively ornate or fussy in artistic or architectural style.
More about barococo
Barococo, “excessively ornate in style,” is a portmanteau, or blend, of baroque and rococo, two words of complicated origins. Baroque is a borrowing from French and comes from older Portuguese barroco or Spanish barrueco, “irregularly shaped pearl,” and from here, numerous linguists have weighed in with their ideas. Perhaps there is a link to Spanish berruca, “wart” (from Latin verrūca). Rococo is also borrowed from French and derives from Medieval Latin rocca, “rock,” which may come from a Celtic source or, alternatively, Latin rūpēs, “cliff.” Barococo was first recorded in English in the mid-1920s. For more examples of portmanteaux, check out this article.
EXAMPLE OF BAROCOCO USED IN A SENTENCE
The guests’ eyes bulged and jaws dropped when they entered the foyer, which had been renovated in a barococo style.
moiré
adjective
in silks or fabrics, presenting a watery or wavelike appearance.
More about moiré
Moiré, “presenting a watery or wavelike appearance,” is a borrowing from French and means “given a finish resembling moire.” Moire is likely an adaptation of English mohair, which makes moiré a reborrowing, or a word that is borrowed back into its language of origin, similar to anime and the Word of the Day yé-yé. The term mohair comes via Italian from Arabic mukhayyar, “choice, chosen,” from the verb khayyara, “to choose.” This means that mohair is not related to hair, although folk etymology may suggest it is. For more examples of folk etymology, take a look at the Words of the Day cathartic, eggcorn, and ferrule. Moiré was first recorded in English in the 1650s.
EXAMPLE OF MOIRÉ USED IN A SENTENCE
He saw moiré patterns everywhere, even in insect screens rustling in the breeze.