#566 genteel

genteel- affectedly proper or refined; excessively polite; respectable, polite, and well-bred; appropriate to polite or fashionable society

C16 from French gentil well-born

The area is home to several renowned lodges where one can chase gobblers in genteel southern luxury.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#565 genre

genre- kind, category, or sort, especially of literary or artistic work; a category

C19 from French, from Old French gendre; gender

And what about those authors whose "genre" is hard to pin down but whose vision of the future is not sweetness and light, like Kurt Vonnegut (Player Piano, The Sirens of Titan, Cat's Cradle).

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#564 genocide

genocide- the policy of deliberately killing a nationality or ethnic group

C29 from geno, from Greek genos race + cide

Turkey strongly rejects the term genocide to describe the mass killings of Armenians back in 1915.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#563 genial

genial- cheerful, easygoing, and warm in manner of behaviour; pleasantly warm, so as to give life growth, or health: the genial sunshine

C16 from Latin genialis relating to birth or marriage, from genius tutelary deity

A very extended landscape, however genial, is also sober in its effect on the mind.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#562 gendarme

gendarme- a member of the police force in France or in countries formerly influenced or controlled by France; a sharp pinnacle of rock on a mountain ridge, especially in the Alps

C16 from French, from gens d'armes people of arms

A gendarme in one of the towns estimated that at least 100 Nigerian women were working there as prostitutes.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#561 geld

geld- to castrate a horse or other animal; to deprive of virility or vitality; emasculate; weaken

C13 from Old Norse gelda, from geldr barren

- a tax on land levied in late Anglo-Saxon and Norman England

Old English gield service, tax; related to Old Norse gjald tribute, Old High German geltl retribution, income

Nevertheless, they stood in some degree of subjection to the lord, since the geld due to the State was paid through the lord as responsible to the sheriff for all who held land within the manor.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#560 geek

geek- a sideshow performer who bites the heads off or eats live animals

C19 variant of Scottish geck fool, from Middle Low German geck

The term geek is characterized by extreme passion for, and expertise, in an unexpected specialization.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#559 gazump

gazump- to raise the price of something, especially a house, after agreeing a price verbally with an intending buyer; to swindle or overcharge

gazumper- noun

State schools are trying to "gazump" each other as they fight to attract the best pupils, research suggests today.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#558 gazpacho

gazpacho- a Spanish soup made from tomatoes, peppers, etc. and served cold

Eating poorly made gazpacho is a bit like eating mediocre salsa.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#557 gaunt

gaunt- bony and emaciated in appearance; of places bleak or desolate

C15 Scandinavian, Norwegian dialect gand tall lean person

Our young-old faces, chiseled and gaunt from the fever and the heat and the sleepless nights, now stare back at us, lost and damned strangers, frozen in yellowing snapshots packed away in cardboard boxes with our medals and our ribbons.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#556 gauche

gauche- lacking ease of manner; tactless

Old French gauchir to swerve, Old High German wankon to stagger

What the hell am I supposed to wear in Europe, since it's kind of gauche to run around in jeans and sneakers and t-shirts with the necks cut off?

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#555 gasconade

gasconade- boastful talk, bragging or bluster

C18 from French gasconnade, from gasconner to chatter

It was thus and from these beginnings that the casual acquaintance between us ripened into intimacy, and that I gradually came into a knowledge of the reserves behind The Major's buoyant optimism and occasional gasconnade.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#554 garrulous

garrulous- given to constant and frivolous chatter; loquacious; talkative; wordy or diffuse;

C17 from Latin garrulus, from garrire to chatter

Miss Letitia presided over the table in garrulous majesty.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#553 garret

garret- another word for attic

C14 from Old French garite, watchtower, from garir to protect, of Germanic origin

He still inhabited the upper room, which he calls a garret; it would not seem that the alteration in his status, assistant now and no longer apprentice, had increased his social conveniences.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#552 garnish

garnish- to decorate; trim; to add something to food in order to improve its appearance

C14 from Old French garnir to adorn, equip, of Germanic origin, Old High German warnon to pay heed

The guy who first trained me to mix drinks called a garnish "garbage."

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#551 garlic

garlic- a hardy widely cultivated Asian alliaceous plant,

Old English garleac, from gar spear + leac leek

Add the rest of the tempering ingredients and saute until the garlic is aromatic and starting to brown.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#550 gargoyle

gargoyle- a waterspout carved in the form of a grotesque face or creature and projecting from a roof gutter especially of a Gothic church

C15 from Old French gargouille gargoyle, throat

The origin of the word gargoyle and its use by the Church can be traced back to a 7th century dragon known in France as gargouille or Goji.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#549 garbanzo

garbanzo- another name for chickpea

C18 from Spanish, from arvanco, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German araweiz pea

Chickpea flour, also called garbanzo flour, is available at health food stores and some supermarkets.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#548 garb

garb- clothes, especially the distinctive attire of an occupation or profession; style of dress; fashion

C16 from Old French garbe graceful contour, from Old Italian garbo grace, probably of Germanic origin

She has straight black hair and dressed in Japanese garb.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#547 gape

gape- to stare in wonder of amazement, especially with the mouth open

C13 from Old Norse gapa; related to Middle Dutch gapen, Danish gabe

The audience all turned to gape as the royal procession started.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#546 gamut

gamut- entire range or scale, as of emotions; a musical scale especially in medieval theory one starting on the G on the bottom line of the bass staff

C15 from Medieval Latin, from gamma

Interpretations of that film run the gamut from a coming of age-story, to a healing of maternal bonds, to a scrutiny of the zeal behind technological advancement, and it goes on & on.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#545 gambol

gambol- to skip or jump about in a playful manner; frolic; a playful antic; frolic

C16 from French gambade

Rows of brick garden apartments all backed onto a massive common garden: a shared backyard for children to play, dogs to gambol, and families to eat picnics together.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#544 gambit

gambit- chess: an opening move in which a chessman, usually a pawn is sacrificed to to secure an advantageous position; an opening comment, manoeuvre

C17 from French, from Italian gambetto a tripping up, from gamba leg

The problem with the madman gambit is that you pretty much have to be a madman to do it.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#543 galumph

galumph- informal, to leap or move about clumsily or joyfully

C19 coined by Lewis Carroll; probably a blend of gallop+triumph

Galumph is "to prance about in a self-satisfied manner," 1872, coined by Lewis Carroll in "Jabberwocky."

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#542 gala

gala- a celebration; festive occasion

C17 from French or Italian, from Old French gale pleasure, galer to make merry, probably of Germanic origin

The next fundraising gala is scheduled for October.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#541 gaga

gaga- informal, senile; doting; slightly crazy

C20 from French, of imitative origin

Lady Gaga is fast becoming a cultural icon.

(This word was too timely for me to ignore.)

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes