albatross \AL-buh-tros\ (noun) plural albatross or albatrosses - 1 : Any of several large, web-footed birds constituting the family Diomedeidae, chiefly of the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere, and having a hooked beak and long, narrow wings. 2 : A constant, worrisome burden. An obstacle to success.

"Getting the albatross that is Jacobs off of...Read more

preponderate \prih-PON-duh-rayt\ (intransitive verb) - 1 : To exceed in weight. 2 : To incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; to be weighed down. 3 : To exceed in influence, power, importance, number, amount, etc.

"Amour is the one human activity of any importance in which laughter and pleasure preponderate, if ever so slightly, over ...Read more

numen \NOO-muhn, NYOO-\ noun, plural numina \-muh-nuh\ - Divine power, deity, or spirit presiding in a place. Also creative energy.

"David was fond of meditating while watching insipid 70's sitcoms, feeling that they facilitated his symbolic transformation of unconscious material into spirit or numen."

From Latin numen (nod, divine power).

sennight \SEN-yt\ (noun) - A week.

"And with a kiss and a brush of the back of his hand on her cheek Jacob said goodbye to the fair Martha for yet another sennight."

From Middle English, from Old English seofon nihta, from seofon (seven) + nihta, plural of niht (night).

Byzantine \BIZ-en-teen, -tin, bi-ZAN-tin\ (adjective) - 1 : Of or relating to the ancient city of Byzantium. Of or relating to the Byzantine Empire. 2 : Of or belonging to the style of architecture developed from the fifth century A.D. in the Byzantine Empire, characterized by a central dome resting on a cube formed by four round arches and ...Read more

Methuselah \muh-THOO-zuh-luh\ (noun) - 1 : The name of a biblical patriarch said to have lived 969 years. 2 : An extremely old man.

"It just comes natural to me, I suppose. I used to know all the generations of Adam down to Methuselah." -- Paul Green, 'This Body the Earth'

Methuselah is from Hebrew Methushelah, Biblical patriarch represented ...Read more

forcible \FOR-suh-buhl\ (adjective) - 1 : Using force against opposition or resistance; effected or accomplished by force; as, "forcible entry or abduction." 2 : Characterized by force, efficiency, or energy; powerful.

"Filled with regret after the fact, Ellen wanted to characterize the visit as 'forcible entry,' although Henry pointed out that...Read more

hector \HEK-tur\ (noun) - A bully.

(transitive verb) - To intimidate or harass in a blustering way; to bully.

(intransitive verb) - To play the bully; to bluster.

"Mel's sales technique consisted of hectoring and badgering the client until he gave in simply to be left alone."

Hector derives from Greek Hektor, in Greek mythology the chief ...Read more

numinous \NOO-min-us; NYOO-\ (adjective) - 1 : Of or pertaining to a numen; supernatural. 2 : Indicating or suggesting the presence of a god; divine; holy. 3 : Inspiring awe and reverence; spiritual.

"Frank was fond of pointing out that, while our culture was not much concerned with the numinous, in our language we preserve many of the marks of...Read more

miasma \my-AZ-muh; mee-\ (noun) - 1 : A vaporous exhalation (as of marshes or putrid matter) formerly thought to cause disease; broadly, a thick vaporous atmosphere or emanation. 2 : A harmful or corrupting atmosphere or influence; also, an atmosphere that obscures; a fog.

"After being without power for several days due to the hurricaine, ...Read more

inamorata \in-am-uh-RAH-tuh\ (noun) - A woman whom one is in love with; a mistress.

"Neil was the sort of cynical romanticism expert who'd counsel switching from one inamorata to another every few months."

Inamorata comes from Italian innamorata, feminine of innamorato, from the past participle of innamorare, "to inspire with love," from in- (...Read more

conspectus \kuhn-SPEK-tuhs\ (noun) - 1 : A general sketch or survey of a subject. 2 : A synopsis; an outline.

"Shortly after returning from London eighteen years earlier, she had stolen a conspectus of the medical sciences from her parents' physician in Dover." -- Robin Schone, 'The Lover'

Conspectus comes from the Latin, from the past ...Read more

gerrymander /JER-i-man-duhr/ (verb tr.) - To repartition an area in order to create electoral districts that give an unfair advantage to a political party.

(noun) - 1 : An instance of gerrymandering. 2 : One or more electoral districts, widely differing in size or population, created as a result of gerrymandering.

"Because the parties ...Read more

abjure \ab-JOOR\ (verb tr.) - 1 : To renounce under oath; forswear. 2 : To recant solemnly; repudiate. 3 : To give up (an action or practice, for example); abstain from.

"Barbara abjured from telling her best friend of her husband's affair after he abjured from ever engaging in such behavior again."

Middle English abjuren, from Old French ...Read more

volitant \VOL-i-tuhnt\ (adjective) 1 : Flying or capable of flight. 2 : Active; moving about rapidly.

"Contrary to her resident felines, Angela discovered that her newest adoptee was a rather volitant specimen, running, playing and generally getting into mischief at all hours of the day and night."

From Latin volitare (to flutter), from volare...Read more

oblivious \uh-BLIV-ee-us\ (adjective) - 1 : Lacking all memory; forgetful. 2 : Lacking active conscious awareness or knowledge; unmindful.

"Frank could be harshly self-critical, while Jeff, though not oblivious to his mistakes, had little time for introspection."

Oblivious comes from Latin obliviosus, from oblivio, from oblivisci "to forget." ...Read more

toxophilite \tok-SOF-uh-lyt\ (noun) - One who is fond of or expert at archery.

"While barely competent with firearms of any sort, Jan was a toxophilite of the highest magnitude, able to pit a cherry with an arrow at over ten yards."

Coined by Roger Ascham (1515-1568), scholar and writer, as a proper name and the title of his book Toxophilus, ...Read more

pococurante \po-ko-koo-RAN-tee, -kyoo-\ (adjective) - Indifferent, apathetic, nonchalant.

"James' only claim to fame was a single pococurante addition to the company's rules and regulations yet this, along with his esteemed name, was enough to guarantee him a cushy position in upper management for life."

From Italian, poco little + curante, ...Read more

Even if you're an eminence grise who has fashioned a piece de resistance and mastered the lingua franca, you still might have trouble with these three foreign phrases:

-- Eminence grise (AY-mee-nonce-GREEZ) -- This expression, literally, "the gray eminence," refers to an influential adviser who functions as the power behind the throne. For ...Read more

mondegreen \MON-di-green\ (noun) - A word or phrase resulting from mishearing a word or phrase.

"For years Peter had questioned the sexual orientation of Hendrix, all due to the honest mondegreen of confusing ''Scuse me while I kiss this guy,' for ''Scuse me while I kiss the sky."

Coined by American author Sylvia Wright from the line "laid him...Read more