Word of the Day

Bai is a loanword from Japanese and was exported from Middle Chinese to multiple languages of East Asia. In this way, bai is related to Mandarin mái and Cantonese maai, both meaning “fog” or “dust storm.” Bai was first recorded in English in the mid 1910s. EXAMPLE OF BAI USED IN A SENTENCE As the bai drifted over the countryside, the sun began to pale, and a thin coating of dust gathered in the treetops.

Chryselephantine is based on Ancient Greek chrȳsós, “gold,” and eléphās, “elephant.” Because of its similarity to Biblical Hebrew kharúts, “gold,” chrȳsós may have been borrowed from a Semitic language such as Phoenician. Eléphās may also be of Semitic origin. Chryselephantine was first recorded in English in the 1820s. EXAMPLE OF CHRYSELEPHANTINE USED IN A SENTENCE The chryselephantine statue of Athena glistened in the sunlight streaming through the temple.

Pervicacious comes from Latin pervicāx, meaning “stubborn, willful” or, more literally, “tending to conquer completely.” The -vic- element derives from the verb vincere, “to conquer,” which is the source of invincible and victory. The -āx part appears as -acious in many English adjectives, such as audacious and loquacious. Pervicacious was first recorded in English circa 1630. EXAMPLE OF PERVICACIOUS USED IN A SENTENCE When the dog walker wanted to change direction, the pervicacious Yorkie dug her nails into the ground and glared.

In lilapsophobia, lilaps- comes from Ancient Greek laîlaps, meaning “violent storm.” Though laîlaps is also often translated as “hurricane,” the Mediterranean Sea does not have true hurricanes, which form in the tropics. The -phobia element comes from Ancient Greek phóbos, “panic fear.” Lilapsophobia was first recorded in English in the late 1970s. EXAMPLE OF LILAPSOPHOBIA USED IN A SENTENCE Their lilapsophobia began to fade the moment they learned that the tropical wave had failed to organize into a cyclone.

In Latin, ipse dīxit means “he himself said.” The feminine equivalent, “she herself said,” is ipsa dīxit. The plural versions, both meaning “they themselves said,” are ipsī dīxērunt for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and ipsae dīxērunt for a group of women. Ipse dixit was first recorded in English in the late 15th century. EXAMPLE OF IPSE DIXIT USED IN A SENTENCE The protester claimed that aliens were responsible for recent unexplained events, but these ipse dixits all lacked even a shred of evidence.