My Science School

(Pronounced stai.mee)

Meaning: As a verb, "stymie" means to hinder the progress of or to stop someone from doing something. As a noun, the term means a situation presenting such difficulties as to deter any attempt to deal with it.

Origin: Of uncertain origin, it perhaps came from the Scottish "stymie" meaning "person who cannot see well." The word "stymie" entered English in the 19th Century as a noun referring to a golfing situation in which one players ball lies between another ball and the hole on the green, thereby blocking the line of play. Later, it came to be used as a verb in the present sense and also in non-golf contexts.

Usage: Faced with financial constraints, the company is putting a stymie on spending.

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(pronounced i.naw.gruhl)

Meaning: The word inaugural marks the beginning of an institution, activity, or period of office.

Origin: In use since the 1680s, the word is derived from French inaugural, which has been around since the 17th Century. The French word is from inaugurer "to inaugurate”, which is from Latin inaugurare, of the same meaning. The noun meaning "an inaugural address" has been in use from 1832.

Following a spike in usage from the 1850s to the 1900s, the usage of the word has remained fairly even.

Usage: The inaugural Women's Premier League auction saw some of the top international women players end up with fat pay cheques.

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(Pronounced tsuk.ket.to.)

Meaning: This noun refers to a Roman Catholic cleric’s skullcap with different colours for different ranks - black for a priest, purple for a bishop, red for a cardinal, and white for the Pope.

Origin: This word has its origin in the Italian word zucca, meaning gourd, head, in reference to its shape. This is, in turn, from Late Latin cucutia, meaning gourd, probably from Latin cucurbita, meaning pumpkin or squash.

Example: The wind swept away the Pope's zucchetto.

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Pronounced as: ga-muht

Meaning: A noun, "gamut" means an entire range or series

Origin: Its origin is considered to be a contraction of "gamma ut', a Latin expression in the Middle Ages for "the full range of notes in music," Its first known was in the 15th Century.

Usage: When it was time to perform for the first time on stage, she experienced an entire gamut of emotions.

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(Pronounced reverie)

Meaning: This noun refers to a state of having pleasant dream-like thoughts.

Origin: It comes from the Old French word "reverie" which means 'wildness" or "delirium."

Example: I was lost in reverie and did not realise my flight was boarding until it was almost too late.

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(Pronounced reverie)

Meaning: This noun refers to a state of having pleasant dream-like thoughts.

Origin: It comes from the Old French word "reverie" which means 'wildness" or "delirium."

Example: I was lost in reverie and did not realise my flight was boarding until it was almost too late.

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Pronounced as: fluh-res-uhns

Meaning: A noun. "florescence" means a state or period of flourishing

Origin: Its origin is from the Latin word "florescentia" meaning "blossoming." Its first known use was in 1793.

Usage: The 1960s was a period of florescence of art, music, and culture and it ushered in a significant change in the social spectrum.

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(pronounced splint uh)

Meaning: A noun, splinter refers to a small, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material that has broken off a larger piece, a fragment or a sliver. It can also be used as an adjective and a verb.

Origin: The term which has been in use in English since the early 14th Century, was borrowed from Middle Dutch splinter, splenter meaning "a sharp fragment of a material". Its adjective form was first recorded in 1935. Figuratively, the word can be used to describe something that separates in a violent way.

Usage: My little sister came crying with a splinter in her finger.

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(Pronounced mif)

Meaning: This noun refers to a slight annoyance or offence, often resulting from a minor disagreement or misunderstanding. It describes a feeling of being slightly put out or irritated.

Origin: The word miff originated in the early 18th Century and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mifle," meaning to stammer or speak in a faltering manner. Over time, it evolved to connote a state of being displeased or offended.

Example: Jane was in a bit of a miff after her colleague criticised her presentation during the meeting.

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(Pronounced maa-vl.)

Meaning:  As a noun, it refers to a thing or person that is very surprising or causes a lot of admiration. As a verb, marvel means to show or experience great surprise or admiration.

Origin: As a noun, this Middle English word is derived from the Old French word merveille, in turn, from late Latin mirabilia, a neuter plural of the Latin word mirabilis, meaning ‘wonderful’. This is from mirari, meaning wonder at. The verb is from merveillen (of persons), meaning ‘to be filled with wonder’. This is from Old French merveillier, meaning ‘to wonder at, be astonished’, from the word merveille.

Example: I marvel at her knowledge and grasp of the subject.

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What are meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Palanquin’?

Meaning: This noun refers to a structure formerly used in East Asia for transporting one person. It consists of a box carried by four or six people by means of two long poles.

Origin: In use since the 16th Century. 1580s, it is from the Portuguese word palanquim, which is from the Malay and Javanese word palangki, meaning litter or sedan (enclosed seat used for transporting people). This, in tum, is from the Sanskrit word palyanka, meaning couch, litter, from the words 'pari (meaning around)+'ancati, (meaning it bends, curves), meaning, perhaps, that which bends around the body.

Example: "Palanquin Bearers" is a poem by Sarojini Naidu.

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Meaning: The word privy can be used as an adjective and as a noun. When used as an adjective, it means sharing in the knowledge of something private or secret. It is usually followed by the preposition "to". As a noun, it means a toilet located outside a house or building.

Origin: The term entered Middle English in the early 13th Century from Old French prive meaning "intimate or private place" which in turn came from Latin privatus meaning "private or personal."

Usage: Ram is not privy to the discussions of the top management. The farm house is a privy place for the writer to relax and think about his next plot.

Meaning: The word spree corresponds to a spell or sustained period of unrestrained activity of a particular kind.

Origin: The word has been doing the rounds since the start of the 19th Century. A word of uncertain origin, its earliest use was in Scottish dialect works. In British dramatist Samuel Foote's comedy "The Maid of Bath" (1794), the word appears as a Scottish dialect pronunciation of another word.

After steady usage for over a hundred years, the word started growing further in popularity in the second half of the 20th Century.

Usage: He went on a shopping spree immediately after his salary was credited to his account.

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Meaning: It is a verb that means to move or be shaped like waves.

Origin: This word is derived from unda which is Latin for wave.

Example: Beautiful rows of lavender undulated across the field.

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What are meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Motley’?

Pronunciation: maht-lee

Meaning: An adjective, motley means made up of many different people or things

Origin: The first known use of the word was in the 14th century. The word has its origin in Middle English, from mot, meaning speck or a tiny particle.

Usage: The police tried their best to barricade the motley crowd that had shuffled in at the scene of the accident.

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