Word of the Day
quincunx
noun
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
More about quincunx
Quincunx literally means “five-twelfths” in Latin and is formed from quīnque, “five,” and uncia, “twelfth.” Quīnque is the source of numerous modern Romance words for “five,” such as French cinq and Spanish cinco. Uncia, meanwhile, is the source of both inch and ounce. Quincunx was first recorded in English in the 1640s.
EXAMPLE OF QUINCUNX USED IN A SENTENCE
Each area of the park featured four bushes arranged in a square, with a bench in the middle to complete the quincunxes.
orrery
noun
an apparatus for representing the positions, motions, and phases of the planets, satellites, etc., in the solar system.
Why the Museum of Science chose orrery
To find out, watch this video from science communicator Alex Dainis, PhD.
Learn more at the Museum of Science.
More about orrery
Orrery is the namesake of Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery. Orrery is the anglicized version of the Irish place name (or toponym) Orbhraighe, in which Orbh is an Irish name and -raighe is a common suffix roughly meaning “people of.” Orrery was first recorded in English around 1710.
EXAMPLE OF ORRERY USED IN A SENTENCE
The astronaut turned the old orrery’s crank to determine when the next eclipse would occur.
telekinesis
noun
the purported ability to move or deform inanimate objects, as metal spoons, through mental processes.
More about telekinesis
Telekinesis is formed from two Ancient Greek elements: têle, meaning “far,” and kī́nēsis, meaning “movement.” The root têle appears in telephone and television, while kī́nēsis comes from the verb kīneîn, “to move,” and is related to cinema and kinesthetic. Telekinesis was first recorded in English in the late 1880s.
EXAMPLE OF TELEKINESIS USED IN A SENTENCE
The Jedi master used a combination of telekinesis and saber-play to corner the Sith lord in battle.