Clerisy
Noun
German, 19th century
A distinct class of learned or literary people.
Example: I generally write essays and stories for the clerisy of the world.
Tag Archives: literature
Word of the Week – May 22, 2021
Redivivus
Adjective
Origin: Latin, late 16th century
Come back to life; reborn.
Example: After an hour of exercise, writing in my journal, and a night of solid sleep, I felt a redivivus of my soul.
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Word of the Week – April 17, 2021
Heuristic
Adjective
Greek, 19th century
Enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves. A heuristic process or method.
Example: A college English instructor’s heuristic approach to literature prompted me to become a better writer.
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Word of the Week – April 3, 2021
Effloresce
Verb
Latin, 18th century
Reach an optimum stage of development; blossom; (of a substance) lose moisture and turn to a fine powder on exposure to air.
Example: Even at this age, I know my writing career has yet to effloresce.
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Word of the Week – March 27, 2021
Antediluvian
Adjective
Latin, 17th century
Absurdly outmoded or old-fashioned. Of or relating to a time before the biblical flood.
Example: Like 8-track tape players and dial phones, the political process in Washington seems so antediluvian.
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In Memoriam – Larry McMurtry, 1936-2021
“You expect far too much of a first sentence. Think of it as analagous to a good country breakfast: what we want is something simple, but nourishing to the imagination. Hold the philosophy, hold the adjectives, just give us a plain subject and verb and perhaps a wholesome, nonfattening adverb or two.”
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In Memoriam – Beverly Cleary, 1916-2021
“Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.”
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Word of the Week – January 30, 2021
Pollicitation
Noun
Late Middle English
The action of promising; a promise; a document conveying a promise. In civil law, a promise not yet formally accepted, and therefore in certain cases revocable.
Example: I love to hear whatever pollicitation our elected officials spit out during their campaigns.
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Word of the Week – January 9, 2021
Prospicience
Noun
Latin, 15th century
The action of looking forward; foresight.
Example: Despite anxiety over this week’s chaos, my prospicience always compels me to be optimistic.
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Word of the Week – December 19, 2020
Blatherskite
Noun
Scottish English, 17th century
Nonsense
A person who is prone to speaking nonsense
Example: I occasionally watch the talking heads on right-wing TV and can only think: what a pathetic blatherskite!
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Chief Writing Wolf 