Word Of The Day

Demagogue

dem·a·gogue   [dem-uh-gog, -gawg] noun, verb, dem·a·gogued, dem·a·gogu·ing.

noun
1.a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
2.(in ancient times) a leader of the people.

verb (used with object)
3.to treat or manipulate (a political issue) in the manner of a demagogue; obscure or distort with emotionalism, prejudice, etc.

verb (used without object)
4.to speak or act like a demagogue.
Also, dem·a·gog .

Origin:
1640–50; < Greek dēmagōgós a leader of the people, popular leader, equivalent to dêm ( os ) people + agōgós leading, guiding; see -agogue

traject (truh-JEKT), verb:
To transport, transmit, or transpose.

A sign said “loose rocks and soil on the edges” I decided to drive close to the edge and see when using the front end of my car, then swinging out the back wheels, would it cause the rocks to traject in front of his car?
-- Robert A. Williams, The Fall Mission

The Roman vocabulary did not tend to traject the "aesthetic" with "manliness," "glory," or "wealth."
-- Brian A. Krostenko, Cicero, Catullus, and the Language of Social Performance

Traject stems from the Latin word jacere meaning "to throw" and the prefix trā- which is a variation of the prefix trans- meaning "across" or "beyond."

Intrinsic
in·trin·sic   [in-trin-sik, -zik]
adjective
1.belonging to a thing by its very nature: the intrinsic value of a gold ring.
2.Anatomy . (of certain muscles, nerves, etc.) belonging to or lying within a
Also, in·trin·si·cal.

Origin:
1480–90; < Medieval Latin intrinsecus inward (adj.), Latin (adv.), equivalent to intrin- ( int ( e ) r-, as in interior + -im adv. suffix) + secus beside, derivative of sequī to follow

Related forms
in·trin·si·cal·ly, adverb

Synonyms
1. native, innate, natural, true, real. See essential.

Antonyms
1. extrinsic.

matte (mat), adjective:
1. Having a dull or lusterless surface: matte paint; a matte complexion; a photograph with a matte finish.

noun:
1. A dull or dead surface, often slightly roughened, as on metals, paint, paper, or glass.
2. A tool for producing such a surface.

The blue, red, and green of the china pattern were matte, but the white background glowed.
-- James Collins, Beginner's Greek

In seconds the coals went from matte black to shiny wet and then back to matte black, as the stuff soaked in.
-- A.M. Homes, Things You Should Know

Matte comes form the Late Latin word mattus meaning "moist, soft, weak."

Vestige

ves·tige [ves-tij]
noun
1.a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence: A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.

2.a surviving evidence or remainder of some condition, practice, etc.: These superstitions are vestiges of an ancient religion.

3.a very slight trace or amount of something: Not a vestige remains of the former elegance of the house.

4.Biology . a degenerate or imperfectly developed organ or structure that has little or no utility, but that in an earlier stage of the individual or in preceding evolutionary forms of the organism performed a useful function.

5.Archaic . a footprint; track.

Origin:
1535–45; < Middle French < Latin vestīgium footprint

Synonyms
1. token, trace, hint, suggestion.

billet-doux (BIL-ey-DOO), noun;
plural billets-doux (bil-ay-DOO(Z)):
A love letter.

The bouquet struck her full in the chest, and a little billet-doux fell out of it into her lap.
-- E. M. Forster, Where Angels Fear to Tread

Or you receive a billet doux in a careless scrawl you can't read. What sort of billet doux is that, I ask you?
-- William H. Gass, Willie Masters' Lonesome Wife

“A billet-doux means love letter, in French like.” “Then why didn't you just say love letter?” “Because French is the language of love, my boy. Something you should keep in mind, but will soon forget.”
-- William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone, The Brother's O'Brien

Billet-doux literally means "sweet note" in French. It entered English in the 1660s.

guff (guhff), noun:
1. Empty or foolish talk; nonsense.
2. Insolent talk.

So don't give me any of your guff, young fellow. And don't think I'm sore. But I get tired of guff — I'll take it from a fool or from a book reviewer but I won't take it from a friend who knows a lot better.
-- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Crack-Up

“They'll probably keep me quite busy.” “What was all the guff about another woman?”
-- Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden

Guff is of unknown origin. It arose in the 1820s in the United States. It may be related to a Norwegian dialectic word gufs meaning "puff of wind."

Extranean - An outsider or stranger, a person not belonging to a household.

Certitude
1: the state of being or feeling certain
2: certainty of act or event

believes with certitude that he is the best candidate for the job


Middle English, from Late Latin certitudo, from Latin certus
First Known Use: 15th century

vicinage (VIS-uh-nij), noun:
1. The region near or about a place; vicinity.
2. A particular neighborhood or district, or the people belonging to it.
3. Proximity.

From the mansion itself, as well as from almost every cottage in the adjacent hamlet, arose such a rich cloud of vapoury smoke, as showed, that the preparations for the festival were not confined to the principal residence of Magnus himself, but extended through the whole vicinage.
-- Sir Walter Scott, The Waverly Novels

Herein resides, as I have hinted, the anxious and easy interest of almost any sincere man of letters in the mere vicinage, even if that be all, of such strained situations as Ray Limbert's.
-- Henry James, The Lesson of the Master

Vicinage stems from the Latin word vīcīn meaning "near."

Specious  

spe·cious   [spee-shuhs]
adjective
1.apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible: specious arguments.
2.pleasing to the eye but deceptive.
3.Obsolete . pleasing to the eye; fair.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin speciōsus fair, good-looking, beautiful, equivalent to speci ( ēs ) ( see species) + -ōsus -ous

Is it correct to say "Saab" reappeared the 10th of August?

Apparently it is. Welcome back, Saab.

I realize this is not really a word fitting into this serious Word of the Day.
It is the first time in my life I ever heard about this sport: Handbag Throwing.
So please forgive me for bringing it at all

Is this an adumbrate of the spectacle goiing on?
HTWWWM 2012 presents the first handbag throwing world championship in Germany.

Motivated participants from up to 16 countries are expected at the first handbag throwing world championship in the Northrhein- Westphalian city Bottrop. This extraordinary sport-spectacle will take place on Saturday, 11th August 2012 in Movie Park Germany.

The national teams have to compete in altogether four disciplines: Over-arm throwing, long-distance throwing, freestyle and discus.The jury consisting of chairwoman comedian Irmgart Knüppel judges the technical demonstration and choreography.

Thank you for bringing this important bit of athletic news to our attention, saab. Perhaps one of us ought to start a new thread on it? Have Walter Hinteler investigate and give us a first-hand report?

I think it is an assurgent sport.

A sport moving up into Olympic games.

contortionist

an acrobat who specializes in very strange body postures.

Found the word in the book The night circus by Erin Morgenstern

Good word, Saab. Here's another good one:

concatenate (kon-KAT-n-eyt), verb:
1. To link together; unite in a series or chain.

adjective:
1. Linked together, as in a chain.

While I began to immerse myself in this difficult new venture, the summer would bring in fresh distraction from my loneliness, and it is indeed curious how events concatenate.
-- John O'Meara, Defending Her Son

But when, as in this vintage, the conditions concatenate ideally, the result is - I'm sure you'll agree - vivid and appealing.
-- Stephen Fry, The Liar

Concatenate stems from the Latin word concatēnātus meaning "to link together."

Didn't spheres do that?


Don't mind me.

Gregarious  

gre·gar·i·ous [gri-gair-ee-uhs]
adjective
1.fond of the company of others; sociable.
2.living in flocks or herds, as animals.
3.Botany . growing in open clusters or colonies; not matted together.
4.pertaining to a flock or crowd.

Origin:
1660–70; < Latin gregārius belonging to a flock, equivalent to greg- (stem of grex ) flock + -ārius -arious