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Word of the day

consanguineous

[ kon-sang-gwin-ee-uhs ] [ ˌkɒn sæŋˈgwɪn i əs ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

having the same ancestry or descent; related by blood.

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More about consanguineous

Consanguineous comes from Latin con-, “together, with,” and sanguis, “blood.” Some linguists have connected sanguis to the rather unsavory Latin noun saniēs, “ichor, discharged fluid.” Sanguis is also the source of the Words of the Day sanguine and sanguivorous. William Shakespeare introduced consanguineous into English in his play Twelfth Night, written in 1602.

EXAMPLE OF CONSANGUINEOUS USED IN A SENTENCE

Though they called themselves blood brothers, the friends were in fact distant, albeit consanguineous, cousins.

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Word of the day

bloviate

[ bloh-vee-eyt ] [ ˈbloʊ viˌeɪt ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to speak pompously.

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More about bloviate

Bloviate is strongly associated with President Warren G. Harding, who popularized the term but did not invent it. Bloviate is an alteration of blow in the sense “to boast,” as in blow-hard, perhaps on the pattern of abbreviate, deviate, or obviate. Bloviate was first recorded in English in the early 1850s.

EXAMPLE OF BLOVIATE USED IN A SENTENCE

When the poll revealed a high demand for shows relevant to modern audiences, the TV executive bloviated, insisting that the old ways were the best.

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Word of the day

bahuvrihi

[ bah-hoo-vree-hee ] [ ˌbɑ huˈvri hi ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a compound noun or adjective in which the first word describes the person or object denoted by the second.

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More about bahuvrihi

Bahuvrihi is from a Sanskrit word that literally means “having much rice.” In this rather meta way, bahuvrihi is itself a bahuvrihi. Sanskrit vrīhi and English rice may not look much alike, but they are indeed distantly related. Bahuvrihi was first recorded in English in the 1840s.

EXAMPLE OF BAHUVRIHI USED IN A SENTENCE

It was challenging to decide which bahuvrihi best described the hotheaded, dimwitted loudmouth.

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