#273 corona

corona- a circle of light around a luminous body, usually the moon, also called aureole

C16 from Latin crown, from Greek korone anything curved, koronis wreath

Beyond this corona is an aureole, of vaster glory but less luminous, which sends out long plumes, principally in the direction of the equatorial zone of the Sun, and of the belt of activity of the spots and prominences.

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#272 cornucopia

cornucopia- from Greek myth, the horn of a goat that suckled Zeus; horn shaped container symbolizing plenty

So, since the existence of a cornucopia is mythic, a fairy tale, then why do people in a democratic society permit politicians to set policy as if it were real?

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#271 cornice

cornice- a continuous projecting course or moulding at the top of a wall, building

-C16 from Old French, Italian, Latin coronis decorative flourish used by scribes, from Greek koronis curved object, crown

In the crown cavetto of the cornice is an Egyptian winged globe, entwined with serpents, emblematical of time and eternity; and on the faci below is engraved a verse.

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#270 coquet

coquet- to behave flirtatiously; to dally or trifle

C17 from French gallant, a little cock from coq cock

A coquet trifles in love; acts the lover from vanity; endeavors to gain admirers.

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#269 coppice

coppice- a thicket or dense growth of small trees or bushes, especially one regularly trimmed back to stumps to that a continual supply of small poles and firewood is obtained

C14 Old French copeiz, from couper to cut

Who chop in coppice wild and delve the russet soil.

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#268 convivial

convivial- sociable; jovial or festive

C17 from Latin convivium, a living together, banquet from vivere to live

Students of every description, from preppies and sorority girls to bearded intellectuals to muscled jocks, were smelted together in convivial confusion.

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#267 contraband

contraband- goods that are prohibited by law from being exported or imported; illegally imported

C16 from Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando from Latin contrabannum from contra+bannum ban, of Germanic origin

Smuggling of money, drugs, weapons, and other contraband is all too common.

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#266 contagion

contagion- the transmission of disease from direct or indirect contact; the spreading of an emotional or mental state among a number of people

contagious adj.

C14 from Latin contagio a touching, infection, contingere

That said Eurozone officials will be aware that an increase in contagion from the Greece situation would increase the chances of a EUR crisis.

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#265 consomme

consomme- a clear soup made meat or chicken stock

C19 from French, from consommer to finish, use up from Latin consummare- goodness of the meat goes into the liquid

Turkey giblets in consomme, Larded breats of mutton with chicory, Fried turkey a la ravigote.

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#264 connoisseur

connoisseur- a person with special knowledge or appreciation of a field, especially in the arts

C18 from French conoiseor, connoistre, from Latin cognoscere

A critical judge of any art, particularly of painting, sculpture, or music; one competent to pass a critical judgment: as, a connoisseur of carvings; a connoisseur of lace.

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#263 conjure

conjure- to call upon supernatural forces by spells, incantations; to appeal earnestly, strongly; to call or bring to mind

- C13 from Old French conjurer to plot, from Latin conjurare to swear together, form a conspiracy

Arizona conjures up images of stark deserts but there is much beauty there.

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#262 conflagration

conflagration- a large destructive fire

C16 from Latin conflagratio, fulgur lightning

Russia's conflagration is a graphic demonstration of the consequences of the dependency on fossil fuels and poor forest management.

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#261 condiment

condiment- any spice or sauce such as salt, pepper, mustard

C15 from Latin condimentum seasoning from condire to pickle

Arrange meatball skewers, noodles, lettuce and herbs on a platter and place dipping sauces in condiment bowls.

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#260 compassion

compassion- a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another, often including the desire to alleviate it

- C14 from Old French, from Latin compassio fellow feeling, from compati to suffer with, from Latin com with +pati to bear, suffer

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama

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#259 comeuppance

comeuppance- Informal- just retribution

C19 from come up (in the sense: to appear before a judge or court for judgment)

The most famous story of an intellectual hypocrite getting his comeuppance is the tale of the governor and his inn.

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#258 colloquial

colloquial- of or relating to conversation; denoting or characterized by informal or conversational idiom or vocabulary

colloquialism

He's a study in colloquial southern language and exaggerated accents.

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#257 cogito, ergo sum

cogito, ergo sum- I think, therefore I am, the basis of Descartes' philosophy

Latin

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#256 cockatrice

cockatrice- a legendary monster, part snake and part cock, that could kill with a glance

- C14 from Old French cocatris, from Medieval Latin cocatrix

A filthy cockatrice is set to torture me with whips, Whose breast against me is fulfilled with rancour and with hate.

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#255 cloister

cloister- a covered walk, usually around a quadrangle in a religious institution, having an open arcade or colonnade on the inside and a wall on the outside

C13 from Old French cloistre, from Medieval Latin claustrum, from claudere to close

A cloister is a secluded, private place which encourages meditation.

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#254 clemency

clemency- mercy or leniency; mildness, especially of the weather

C15 from Latin clementia, from clemens gentle

That's what the power of clemency is for -- to allow for some bending of the rules to accommodate unusual circumstances.

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#253 clandestine

clandestine- secret and concealed, often for illicit reasons; furtive

C16 from Latin clandestinus, clam secretly, related to celare to hide

He was involved in clandestine smuggling of arms and narcotics.

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#252 clairvoyance

clairvoyance- the alleged power of perceiving things beyong the natural range of the senses; keen intuitive understanding

C19 French from Latin clarus+voyance, from voir to see

Clairvoyance involves sagacity; penetration; quick intuitive knowledge of things.

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#251 citronella

citronella- a tropical Asian grass; the aromatic oil obtained from this grass, used in insect repellents, soaps, perfumes

C19 from French citronnelle lemon balm, from citron lemon

Ticks can't stand essential oils such as citronella, eucalyptus and peppermint.

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#250 cipher/cypher

cipher/cypher- a method of secret writing using substitution or transposition of letters according to a key; a secret message

C14 from Old French cifre zero, from Medieval Latin cifra, from Arabic sifr zero, empty

Poor Randolph had upon him a letter in cipher from the King to a certain lord.

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#249 cinnamon

cinnamon- a tropical Asian lauraceous tree, having aromatic yellowish-brown bark; the spice obtained from the bark

C15 from Old French cinnamome, via Latin and Greek, from Hebrew qinnamown

The spiciness from the cinnamon is the first thing that tempts the palate followed by the gradual heat from the cayenne.

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#248 cincture

cincture- something that encircles or surrounds, especially a belt, girdle, border

- C16 from Latin cinctura to gird

My cassock cincture is way too tight, but I really ought to lose weight instead of getting a bigger wardrobe.

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#247 cicerone

cicerone- a person who conducts and informs sightseers

C18 from Italian: antiquarian scholar, guide, after Cicero, alluding to the eloquence and erudition of these men

Mr. Henry, my host and very able cicerone, is an American missionary, and as such carries with him the gospel of peace on earth and good will to men.

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#246 chutney

chutney- a pickle of Indian origin,made from fruit, vinegar, spices, sugar - mango chutney

C19 from Hindi catni

Manufactured in Johannesburg and exported to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Germany, the chutney is a slightly sweet and spicy sauce made from apricots and peaches.

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#245 churl

churl- a surly, rude, ill-bred person

- Old English ceorl; Old Norse karl, Middle Low German kerle, Greek geron old man

- also adjective churlish

“What churl is this,” he said, “who has remained sitting stationary like a block of wood, or the fragment of a rock, when so many noble knights, the flower of chivalry, stand in reverence?"

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#244 chrysanthemum

chrysanthemum- widely cultivated flower

C16 from Latin- marigold, from Greek khrusanthemon, from khrusos gold + anthemon flower

Memorized that spelling?

It ranks as the national flower of Japan, where special attention is paid to its cultivation and variation, and where an open 16-petaled chrysanthemum is the imperial emblem.

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