Word of the Day
gusto
noun
hearty or keen enjoyment, as in eating or drinking, or in action or speech in general: to dance with gusto.
More about gusto
Gusto comes from the Italian noun gusto “taste, flavor,” from Latin gustus “tasting, flavor, sense of taste.” Gustus is also the source of Spanish and Portuguese gosto and French goût, all meaning “taste, flavor, relish.” The main current sense of gusto, “keen enjoyment,” first appeared in 1629 but only started to become very common in the early 19th century.
how is gusto used?
She ate with gusto, sending particles of egg flying onto the table as she spoke.
Anna could hear her father singing with gusto.
usageaster
noun
a self-styled authority on language usage.
More about usageaster
A true expert on language usage will know that using usageaster “a self-styled authority on language usage” is not meant kindly. For instance: “The reader was no more than a usageaster; he insisted on corrections that were merely a matter of style, not grammar.” Usageaster is composed of usage and the -aster, which is a “diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing.” This suffix, derived from Latin, can also be found in such words as poetaster “an inferior poet” and criticaster “incompetent critic.”
how is usageaster used?
We can help such people overcome their insecurity by making a clear distinction between usageasters and usage experts.
… a usageaster pretends to know about questions of usage in language.
avocation
noun
something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure; hobby: Our doctor's avocation is painting.
More about avocation
Avocation derives from Latin āvocātiō, which literally means “a calling away” but has the sense of “distraction.” Āvocātiō is formed on the verb āvocāre “to call away; divert; distract; amuse,” composed of the prefix ā– “away from” and vocāre “to call,” source of English vocation. A person’s hobby or leisure pursuit is called an avocation, etymologically speaking, because it “calls away” that person from their main work—their vocation, or “calling.” Starting in the 1600s, however, avocation was used as a synonym for vocation, apparently on the thinking that a person’s side work can be or become as important as their regular occupation. Avocation entered English in the early 1500s.
how is avocation used?
So they signed up for a second shift, an avocation that earns them psychic income in the currencies of artistry, adventure and passion.
Her three avocations—gardening, current events, and photography—were, like her writing, deeply informed by a desire to secure fragile moments as objects of art.