Here are a few more terms, which intrigued me, so I checked out their meaning and origin.
Enjoy!
Etymology: 1570s, of unknown origin; the suggestion, based on a misreading of a garbled note from Johnson, that it is from French coeur mechant "evil heart" is not taken seriously; the first syllable may be cur "dog." Liberman says the word "must have been borrowed from Gaelic (and references muigean "disagreeable person"), with variant spelling of intensive prefix ker. Related: Curmudgeonly.
Why just an old man? I'm a woman and perfectly capable of being very curmudgeonly!
Evanescence: the process or fact of evanescing, disappearing, vanishing. (Merriam-Webster)
Etymology: comes from the Latin evanescere meaning "disappear, vanish."
"the evanescence of a rainbow detracts not a whit from its beauty" - (said who? couldn't find the source)
Obsequious: "obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree."--I don't need to worry about this one. I've never been very obedient!
Etymology: late 15th century (not depreciatory in early use): from Latin obsequiosus, from obsequium ‘compliance,’ from obsequi ‘follow, comply with.’
Any words that intrigue, puzzle, excite you?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Some very good words! I can also be very curmudgeonly but I do usually think of a miserable old man when I hear this word.
ReplyDeleteHi Darlene. Yes, I do think it's used mostly for men. I'll have to find a good one for cranky old women!
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