More about nebulous

• First recorded in 1375–1425.
• Comes via late Middle English from the Latin word nebulōsus, meaning “full of mist, foggy, cloudy.”
• Nebulōsus comes from nebul(a) “cloud, mist, vapor,” from which we get nebula, “a cloud of interstellar gas and dust.”
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EXAMPLES OF NEBULOUS

• His explanation was so nebulous that it left everyone in the room puzzled and unsure of what to do next.
• The line between dreams and reality felt increasingly nebulous as she struggled to wake up.

More about desuetude

• First recorded in 1425–75.
• Comes via late Middle English from the Latin word dēsuētūdo, equivalent to the base of dēsuēscere, “to become disaccustomed to, unlearn.”
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EXAMPLES OF DESUETUDE

• Over time, the once bustling marketplace fell into desuetude as modern shopping centers took over.
• As technology advanced, many manual skills and crafts fell into desuetude, replaced by automation and machinery.

More about firkin

• First recorded around 1400–50.
• Comes from the late Middle English word ferdkyn or firdekyn.
• This is formed from a variant of ferthe, meaning “fourth,” and the diminutive suffix –kin.
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EXAMPLES OF FIRKIN

• The antique store had a collection of quaint firkins on display, each with its own unique design.
• After the harvest festival, the townspeople gathered around to share stories over slices of bread from a firkin of butter.

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