Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Kathy at Bermudaonion, where we post about the unfamiliar words we have encountered in our reading the past week.

I found the following word in Breathing Out the Ghost by Kirk Curnutt

Adamantine: I've lashed myself to a boulder with adamantine chains to pick my liver's with an eagle's beak.

Pronunciation:
\ˌa-də-ˈman-ˌtēn, -ˌtīn, -ˈman-tən\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Latin adamantinus, from Greek adamantinos, from adamant-, adamas
Date:
13th century
1 : made of or having the quality of adamant 2 : rigidly firm : unyielding <adamantine discipline> 3 : resembling the diamond in hardness or luster

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Next one, I read in Sweet Voices by C.P.Cavafy on knopf's Poem-a-day:

Sweet Voices

Those voices are the sweeter which have fallen
forever silent, mournfully
resounding only in the heart that sorrows.

In dreams the melancholic voices come,
timorous and humble,
and bring before our feeble memory

the precious dead, whom the cold cold earth
conceals; for whom the mirthful
daybreak never shines, nor springtimes blossom.

Melodious voices sigh; and in the soul
our life’s first poetry
sounds — like music, in the night, that’s far away.

Function:

adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Medieval Latin timorosus, from Latin timor fear, from timēre to fear
Date:
15th century
1 : of a timid disposition : fearful timorous and cautious — Daniel Defoe> 2 : expressing or suggesting timidity timorous steps — Edward Gibbon>
tim·o·rous·ly adverb
tim·o·rous·ness noun


6 comments:

Serena said...

great words...pss...I gave you an award here: http://www.savvyverseandwit.com/2009/05/true-fairy-tale-award-more.html

bermudaonion said...

You found some great words. I think I would stumble all over my tongue trying to pronounce adamantine. Thanks for playing today!

J.S. Peyton said...

You've gotta read/watch more comic books/movies! The only reason why I'm familiar with "adamantine" is because of Wolverine, mutant of the adamantium claws. =)

Kerri said...

Adamantine was new to me. Good word.

wendy elizabeth said...

what a great meme will visit Bermudaonian to catch up on past wednesdays. there's an award for you at we read

avisannschild said...

Adamantine is new to me too, although I feel like I've heard it before. I just can't remember where! Ah I just read the previous comments and realized it was the Wolverine connection!