Word of the Day

Friday: Raffine: Adjective. Refined, sophisticated. At the party, I tried to think of worldly anecdotes that would make me seem raffiné.

Saturday: Frowsy: Adjective. Something that has a massy or dirty appearance.

The lamp, discovered in a neglected corner of a frowsy antique store, turned out to be quite valuable.

Sunday: Avoirdupois: Noun. A system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces or 7,000 grains, widely used in English-speaking countries.  The cookbook listed measurements in avoirdupois weights, but I need to convert them to my measuring cups.

Monday: Devoir: Noun. A person’s duty. During World War II, many Americans saw it as a devoir to grow their own vegetables in victory gardens.

Tuesday: Ephemeral: Adjective. Lasting for a very short time. Having a very short life cycle.  Noun. An ephemeral plant.  The beautiful pink glow at sunset was ephemeral, dissolving before we could take a photo.

Wednesday: Cajole: Verb. Use flattery or gentle urging to persuade them to do something or to give you something.  It can also mean to deceive with soothing words or false promises. They hoped to cajole him into cooperating with local officials.

Thursday: Pseudonym: Noun. A name that someone (such as a writer) uses instead of their real name. Bell Hooks is the pseudonym of the American writer Gloria Jean Watkins.