Monday, May 23, 2011

New Vocabulary Terms

Today's Term:

Termagant or Shrew: an ill-tempered scolding woman, a nag.

Usage:

My husband's surviving grandmother is a termagant, and that's being generous.

(Sources: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/termagant; www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrew)

Submitted by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

New Vocaulary Term

More Tough Vocabulary:

Avuncular: Of or relating to an uncle or having ideally "uncle-like" mannerisms such as kindliness or geniality.

Usage:

His avuncular charm was very endearing.


(Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/)

Presented by Patricia Ladensack

Sunday, May 15, 2011

New Vocabulary Entry

Vocabulary:

gyneococracy

Gyneocracy is societal or political, female supremecy.

Usage:

Some sources cite Great Britain as a gyneocracy. Others say the Queen is more of a figurehead and that Parliament is actually the dominant power.

(Sources: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gynecocracy; http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/figurehead; http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/parliament)

Patricia Ladensack

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

New Word

New Vocabulary Challenge:

Desultory: having no set plan, haphazard. Desultory also refers to jumping from one thing to another, disconnected.

Pronounciation:

Des-Sul-Tory

Desultory can also be used as an adverb: desultorily

Sentence:
Unmedicated, my manic friend desultorily was insistant about his intent to finish his doctorate, build a home with his bare hands and learn to paint portraits before the month was through.

(sources: http://www.mygretutor.com/vocabularyGREDifficult.aspx; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/desultory; http://merriam-webstercollegiate.com/thesaurus/desultorily; http://bipolar.about.com/od/maniahypomani1/a/mania.htm)

Compiled for Patricia Ladensack by Otto Ladensack