A.W.A.D. - Words With Three Letters in Sequence
with Anu Garg
I've been alerted to an event that will take place later this week, something that happens once and only once over the course of history. Shortly after noon on July 8, comes the moment that can be called 12:34:56 7/8/9. To mark this momentous event, this week we'll feature words that have three consecutive letters in order, something that doesn't happen very often either (there are hundreds of everyday words, but we are talking here about unusual and interesting words).
It's not exactly true that this sequence of time/date happens only once. If you follow the day/month/year convention, you can observe the same sequence next month, on August 7. And even though it appears to be a rare occurrence, such interesting patterns aren't that unusual.
Consider these from the past:
01:23:45 6/7/89
12:34.56 7/8/90
01:02:03 04/05/06
In a couple of years we'll have 11:11:11 11/11/11. What other unusual patterns can you think of that are in the near future?
defenestrate
PRONUNCIATION: (dee-FEN-uh-strayt)
MEANING: verb tr.: To throw someone or something out of a window
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin de- (out of) + fenestra (window)
NOTES: There have been many defenestrations over the course of history, but the most famous, and the one that inspired the word defenestration, was the Defenestration of Prague on May 23, 1618 . Two imperial regents and their secretary were thrown out of a window of the Prague Castle in a fight over religion. The men landed on a dung heap and survived. The Defenestration of Prague was a prelude to the Thirty Years' War.
See a Lego sculpture of the Defenestration of Prague. Also, check out the defenestration of various articles of furniture in this unique San Francisco sculpture.
USAGE: "When someone in a Joe Lansdale novel is defenestrated, you feel like shaking the glass shards out of your lap." Jeff Salamon; The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard; The Austin American-Statesman (Texas); Jul 4, 2009.
limnology
PRONUNCIATION: (lim-NOL-uh-jee)
MEANING: noun: The study of bodies of fresh water, such as lakes and ponds
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek limne (lake) + -logy (study). Limnophilous, the word to describe an organism living in lakes, pools, etc., has four consecutive letters from the alphabet.
USAGE: "Retired professor and head of the department of limnology, Dr VJ Druve, pointed out that the state is abundant in water resources with high potential for inland fish production." PJ Joychen; Udaipur Fisheries College Crying For Attention; The Times of India (New Delhi); Jun 16, 2008.
panoply
PRONUNCIATION: (PAN-uh-plee)
MEANING: noun:
1. A wide-ranging array of resources
2. A full suit of armor
3. A protective covering
4. A ceremonial attire or paraphernalia
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek panoplia (a complete suit of armor), from pan (all) + hopla (arms, armor), plural of hoplon (weapon).
USAGE: "Ask one of those corporate bosses in receipt of a fat bonus why they need an incentive to do their job to the best of their ability when workers ranging from surgeons to school caretakers do not, and they are usually at a loss for a coherent explanation. The panoply of bonuses and awards has simply become the norm." Julia Finch; Bonus Scam Admitted At Last; The Guardian (London, UK); Jun 9, 2009.
somnolent
PRONUNCIATION: (SOM-nuh-lent)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Sleepy; drowsy
2. Sleep-inducing
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin somnus (sleep). Ultimately from the Indo-European root swep- (to sleep) that is also the source of insomnia, hypnosis, soporific (inducing sleep), and somnambulate (to walk in sleep). Somnopathy, a variant of somnipathy, the word for a sleep disorder, has four consecutive letters from the alphabet.
USAGE: "It is encouraging to see such curiosity from the traditionally somnolent panel." The House Eyes the Swamp; The New York Times; Jul 2, 2009.
Sturm und Drang
PRONUNCIATION: (SHTOORM oont DRANG)
MEANING: noun: Turmoil; upheaval
ETYMOLOGY: From German Sturm und Drang (translated as: storm and stress, literally: storm and urge/yearning), title of the 1776 play about the American Revolution, by dramatist Friedrich Maximilian von Klinger (1752-1831). It was also the name of an 18th century German literary movement characterized by greater expression of emotional unrest. The name of the Durmstrang Institute, one of the wizarding schools in the Harry Potter series, is a spoonerism of Sturm und Drang.
USAGE: "After the sturm und drang of Revolutionary Road, director Sam Mendes opted for a looser, lighter story." Colin Covert; Pregnant Pause With 'Away We Go'; Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota); Jun 12, 2009.
I've been alerted to an event that will take place later this week, something that happens once and only once over the course of history. Shortly after noon on July 8, comes the moment that can be called 12:34:56 7/8/9. To mark this momentous event, this week we'll feature words that have three consecutive letters in order, something that doesn't happen very often either (there are hundreds of everyday words, but we are talking here about unusual and interesting words).
It's not exactly true that this sequence of time/date happens only once. If you follow the day/month/year convention, you can observe the same sequence next month, on August 7. And even though it appears to be a rare occurrence, such interesting patterns aren't that unusual.
Consider these from the past:
01:23:45 6/7/89
12:34.56 7/8/90
01:02:03 04/05/06
In a couple of years we'll have 11:11:11 11/11/11. What other unusual patterns can you think of that are in the near future?
defenestrate
PRONUNCIATION: (dee-FEN-uh-strayt)
MEANING: verb tr.: To throw someone or something out of a window
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin de- (out of) + fenestra (window)
NOTES: There have been many defenestrations over the course of history, but the most famous, and the one that inspired the word defenestration, was the Defenestration of Prague on May 23, 1618 . Two imperial regents and their secretary were thrown out of a window of the Prague Castle in a fight over religion. The men landed on a dung heap and survived. The Defenestration of Prague was a prelude to the Thirty Years' War.
See a Lego sculpture of the Defenestration of Prague. Also, check out the defenestration of various articles of furniture in this unique San Francisco sculpture.
USAGE: "When someone in a Joe Lansdale novel is defenestrated, you feel like shaking the glass shards out of your lap." Jeff Salamon; The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard; The Austin American-Statesman (Texas); Jul 4, 2009.
limnology
PRONUNCIATION: (lim-NOL-uh-jee)
MEANING: noun: The study of bodies of fresh water, such as lakes and ponds
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek limne (lake) + -logy (study). Limnophilous, the word to describe an organism living in lakes, pools, etc., has four consecutive letters from the alphabet.
USAGE: "Retired professor and head of the department of limnology, Dr VJ Druve, pointed out that the state is abundant in water resources with high potential for inland fish production." PJ Joychen; Udaipur Fisheries College Crying For Attention; The Times of India (New Delhi); Jun 16, 2008.
panoply
PRONUNCIATION: (PAN-uh-plee)
MEANING: noun:
1. A wide-ranging array of resources
2. A full suit of armor
3. A protective covering
4. A ceremonial attire or paraphernalia
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek panoplia (a complete suit of armor), from pan (all) + hopla (arms, armor), plural of hoplon (weapon).
USAGE: "Ask one of those corporate bosses in receipt of a fat bonus why they need an incentive to do their job to the best of their ability when workers ranging from surgeons to school caretakers do not, and they are usually at a loss for a coherent explanation. The panoply of bonuses and awards has simply become the norm." Julia Finch; Bonus Scam Admitted At Last; The Guardian (London, UK); Jun 9, 2009.
somnolent
PRONUNCIATION: (SOM-nuh-lent)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Sleepy; drowsy
2. Sleep-inducing
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin somnus (sleep). Ultimately from the Indo-European root swep- (to sleep) that is also the source of insomnia, hypnosis, soporific (inducing sleep), and somnambulate (to walk in sleep). Somnopathy, a variant of somnipathy, the word for a sleep disorder, has four consecutive letters from the alphabet.
USAGE: "It is encouraging to see such curiosity from the traditionally somnolent panel." The House Eyes the Swamp; The New York Times; Jul 2, 2009.
Sturm und Drang
PRONUNCIATION: (SHTOORM oont DRANG)
MEANING: noun: Turmoil; upheaval
ETYMOLOGY: From German Sturm und Drang (translated as: storm and stress, literally: storm and urge/yearning), title of the 1776 play about the American Revolution, by dramatist Friedrich Maximilian von Klinger (1752-1831). It was also the name of an 18th century German literary movement characterized by greater expression of emotional unrest. The name of the Durmstrang Institute, one of the wizarding schools in the Harry Potter series, is a spoonerism of Sturm und Drang.
USAGE: "After the sturm und drang of Revolutionary Road, director Sam Mendes opted for a looser, lighter story." Colin Covert; Pregnant Pause With 'Away We Go'; Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota); Jun 12, 2009.
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