Category: Word Nerds
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Astronomy is science’s star
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Astronomy Astronomy is the study of stars and planets, not to be confused with astrology, which attempts to…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Getting too many valentines? Blame the Royal Mail
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Valentine February is the month of love, thanks to St. Valentine and his feast day. A sweetheart or…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: What does ‘avatar’ have in common with yoga and vegetarians?
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Avatar Thanks to video games and blockbuster movies, 21st century Westerners have become familiar with the ancient Hindu…
THE AMATUER WORD NERD: No need to be dyspeptic about Pepsi
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Dyspepsia The word dyspepsia is another word for indigestion. People with indigestion may experience heartburn, gas and nausea,…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Asperand is where it’s at no matter what it’s called
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: @ (the “at” symbol) The little character used daily in Twitter and emails in modern life is more…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: ‘Bankrupt’ origins are to be broke, literally
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Bankrupt “Bankrupt” is from the Italian banca rotta, which mean “broken bench” or “broken counter.” The British adopted…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Nothing cryptic about this defintion
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Cryptic “Cryptic” comes from the Greek word kryptos, meaning hidden. Cryptic means concealed or mysterious and gives us…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Confetti, the sweet and not so sweet
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Confetti Happy New year! Maybe you threw confetti, those small bits of colored paper sprinkled festively for celebrations….
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Having a map, doesn’t mean you’ll get where you’re going
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Map Most maps todays are on computer screens, which is just a newer format of the old paper…
THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: If you have to say it, it’s not tacit
By Barbara McAllister Word of the Day: Tacit A tacit agreement is an unspoken agreement, one that is implied or understood without being stated. The…
Androscoggin Bank
