Word of the Day

Brabble is an uncommon verb and noun meaning “to quarrel over trifles; a noisy quarrel.” Its etymology is obscure, but most authorities think brabble comes from the Middle Dutch verb brabbelen “to quarrel, stammer, babble” (there is no connection between babble and brabble). One relatively early citation of brabble in the sense “to quarrel over trifles” dates from the first half of the 16th century: It reads “And then they brable with us about the translation,” a quotation from John Field, originally an Anglican clergyman, later a radical Puritan clergyman. Brabbling over a translation may seem nowadays like a petty academic quarrel, but Field was talking about John Calvin’s sermons, which were explosive at that time and could result in one’s painful death as a heretic. Brabble entered English in the first half of the 16th century.

The adjective effulgent, “shining forth brilliantly, radiant,” comes from Latin effulgēns (inflectional stem effulgent-), the present participle of effulgēre “to shine forth, blaze, flash,” a compound of the prefix ef-, a variant of ex- “out, out of, forth” (also used as an intensive), and the simple verb fulgēre “to shine brightly.” The Latin root fulg- is an extension (with -g) of the complicated Proto-Indo-European root bhel- bhlē-, bhḷ- “to shine, blaze, burn.” Latin fulg- also appears in fulmen (from an unrecorded fulgmen) “lightning, thunderbolt,” source of English fulminate “to explode loudly, detonate.” Also related is the Latin verb flagrāre “to be ablaze, burn,” the source of English flagrant, now meaning “shockingly noticeable or glaring,” but formerly “blazing, burning.” From flagrāre Latin also derives flamma “flame” (from an unrecorded flagma). Effulgent entered English in the first half of the 18th century.

The adjective palmary, “deserving the palm of victory; praiseworthy,” comes from the Latin adjective and noun palmārius. As an adjective, palmārius means “pertaining to palm trees”; as a neuter noun, palmārium means “masterpiece, masterstroke,” and somewhat less nobly, “the fee for an advocate who wins his case.” Palmārius is a derivative of the noun palma “palm (of the hand); the width of a palm (as a measurement); palm tree (so called from the shape of its leaves); a palm branch awarded to the winner in a contest, first place.” Palma comes from an earlier, unrecorded palama, from Proto-Indo-European pḷəmā, and is closely related to Greek palámē “hand, flat of the hand, means, device,” and also to Old Irish lām (Proto-Celtic loses initial p-), Old High German folma (Proto-Indo-European p becomes f in Proto-Germanic), and Old English folm, all meaning “hand, flat of the hand.” Palmary entered English in the mid-17th century.

Most Americans are familiar with matzo “unleavened bread in the form of large crackers,” because food stores routinely stock matzo on their shelves, especially just before Passover, which occurs in the early spring. Matzo comes via Yiddish matse (plural matses) from Hebrew maṣṣāh (plural maṣṣōth). Maṣṣāh comes from a West Semitic root meaning “to be or become sour, ferment.” Matzo entered English in the mid-17th century.

The English verb fustigate, “to criticize harshly; scold severely,” comes from Late Latin fustīgātus, the past participle of the verb fustīgāre “to beat to death with a cudgel.” Fustīgāre is a compound of the noun fustis "a stick, club, cudgel” and the combining form -igāre, a derivative of the simple, much overworked Latin verb agere “to do, act.” The same combining form appears in lītigāre “to go to law,” source of English litigate and litigation; fūmigāre “to smoke,” source of English fumigate and fumigation; and nāvigāre “to travel by ship, sail,” English navigate and navigation. Fustigate entered English in the mid-17th century.