iota \eye-OH-tuh\ (noun) - 1 : The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding to the English i. 2 : A very small quantity or degree; a jot; a bit.

"A brilliant negotiator, James had not moderated his demands one iota in seven years."

Iota is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet. The word jot also derives from iota.

genuflection \jen-yeh-FLEK-shehn\ (noun) - 1 : Bowing on one knee as a sign of respect; 2 : kow-towing, groveling.

"Rathbone's genuflection around the president in the board room gets on everyone's nerves."

Today's word comes from Late Latin genuflectere "to bow" based on genu "knee" + flectere "to bend." The latter stem is related to our ...Read more

tergiversate \tehr-GI-vehr-seyt\ (verb) - Abandon a cause or reverse one's position on something.

"When President Bush the Elder said 'Read my lips: no new taxes,' he later tergiversated on the issue."

Latin tergiversatus, past participle of tergiversor "to turn one's back" hence "to decline or refuse" from tergum "back" + ...Read more

thersitical \thur-SIT-i-kuhl\ (adjective) - Foulmouthed or scurrilous.

"Diana's group promoted decent behavior at the school's sporting events and specifically sought to ban thersitical cheers and jouncing the stands at basketball games."

After Thersites, a Greek in Iliad known for his abusive and foulmouthed nature. He called Agamemnon ...Read more

Fletcherize \FLECH-uh-ryz\ (verb tr., intr.) - To chew food thoroughly.

"Dinner table conversation came to a halt once the meal was served, as all were advocates of Horace's program and were wont to Fletcherize."

From the practice of chewing food many many times as advocated by Horace Fletcher, U.S. nutritionist (1849-1919).

iniquity \i-NIK-wi-tee\ (noun) - 1 : Gross immorality or injustice; wickedness. 2 : A grossly immoral act; a sin.

"Kenny detected an innate iniquity in the company, given that the top brass made in excess of millions of dollars while the hard-working employees all made significantly less than a living wage."

Middle English iniquite, from Old ...Read more

anile \AN-yl, AY-nyl\ (adjective) - Of or like an old woman.

"Thirty-year-old Margaret was constantly cursing her prematurely anile bones, which kept her from doing many physical activites which she had previously taken great pleasure in."

From Latin anilis, from anus old woman.

quibble \kwi-bl\ (verb) - To raise petty questions, to hesitate or argue over trivial issues, to cavil.

"Always one to quibble, Ivan would tend to cause club meetings to run hours longer than necessary while he debated petty minutiae that concerned no one and mattered even less."

Just as a dribble is a small drip, and a nibble is a small nip,...Read more

tommyrot /TOM-ee-rot/ (noun) - Nonsense; foolishness.

"While most in the neighborhood were convinced that the old Clancy place was haunted, Bigby was quick to dismiss such notions as utter tommyrot."

From English dialectal tommy (fool), shortening of Thomas + English rot.

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

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

verisimilitude \ver-uh-suh-MIL-uh-tood; -tyood\ (noun) - 1 : The appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true. 2 : Something that has the appearance of being true or real.

"For those plays, Ms. Smith interviewed hundreds of people of different races and ages, somehow managing to internalize their expressions, anger and quirks enough ...Read more

relegate \RE-leh-geyt\ (verb) - 1 : To refer or assign to an insignificant position or priority, as to relegate a diplomat to an obscure post or relegate a task to someone of little authority; 2 : To turn over, refer or assign, as to relegate a task to someone.

"Richard has been relegated the task of keeping the office windows clean."

Today...Read more

magisterial \maj-uh-STEER-ee-uhl\ (adjective) - 1 : Having the characteristics of a master or teacher; authoritative. 2 : Domineering or overbearing. 3 : Of or relating to a magistrate.

"Everyone agreed that Jason's magisterial qualities ensured that he would not long be toiling in the company's mail room."

From Late Latin magisterialis (...Read more

multifarious \muhl-tuh-FAIR-ee-uhs\ (adjective) - Having great diversity or variety; of various kinds; diversified.

"Others will follow, others will outstrip me on the same lines; and I hazard the guess that man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous and independent denizens." -- Robert Louis Stevenson, 'The ...Read more

acumen \AE-kyu-mehn\ (noun) - Sharpness of perception, keenness of mind, precise insightfulness.

"Kay is not only intelligent and well-educated; her acumen leads us through the murkiest problems quickly and surely."

Today's word comes from Latin acumen "acuteness, keenness" from acuere "to sharpen," akin to acus "needle." The past ...Read more

manse \MAN(T)S\ (noun) - 1 : A large and imposing residence. 2 : The residence of a clergyman (especially a Presbyterian clergyman).

"That Carmela was a certified divorcee was one of many facts about her which failed to fit, along with her still living with her adopted daughter in her eerie gothic Victorian manse."

Manse comes from Medieval ...Read more

spoliation \spo-lee-AY-shun\ (noun) - 1 : The act of pillaging and plundering. 2 : Seizure of neutral ships at sea in time of war. 3 : The deliberate destruction or alteration of a document.

"Before the company's acquisition and inevitable subsequent downsizing were even officially announced the spoliation had commenced, with nary a wheeled ...Read more

victual \VIT-ehl\ (noun) - Human food; (Plural) food and provisions

"Carrie was quick to point out that they had enough victuals in the house to live for three months without leaving it."

From Old French vitaille (also vitale), the normal descendent of Late Latin victualia, the neuter plural of victualis "food, sustenance." In Middle ...Read more

Q: My husband and I disagree about the terms "grilling" and "drilling." If I'm "grilling/drilling" someone over a specific topic or, in other words, questioning him or her heavily on a subject, which is the correct word? -- Puzzled

A: Why do I feel as if I'm being grilled? That's my preferred term for intense interrogation conducted under ...Read more