chapel Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 06, 2010 is:
chapel • \CHAP-ul\ • noun
1 : a private or subordinate place of worship *2 : an assembly at an educational institution usually including devotional exercises 3 : a place of worship used by a Christian group other than an established church
Example sentence:
The school required all of its students to attend chapel daily.
Did you know?
"Chapel" is ultimately derived from the Late Latin word "cappa," meaning "cloak." How did we get from a garment to a building? The answer to this question has to do with a shrine created to hold the sacred cloak of St. Martin of Tours. In Medieval Latin, this shrine was called "cappella" (from a diminutive of "cappa" meaning "short cloak or cape") in reference to the relic it contained. Later, the meaning of "cappella" broadened to include any building that housed a sacred relic, and eventually to a place of worship. Old French picked up the term as "chapele," which in turn passed into English as "chapel" in the 13th century. In case you are wondering, the term "a cappella," meaning "without instrumental accompaniment," entered English from Italian, where it literally means "in chapel style."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
myrmidon Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 05, 2010 is:
myrmidon • \MER-muh-dahn\ • noun
: a loyal follower; especially : a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously
Example sentence:
The boss was more likely to offer promotions to her myrmidons than to those workers who occasionally questioned her tactics or proposed alternate solutions.
Did you know?
The Myrmidons, legendary inhabitants of Thessaly in Greece, were known for their fierce devotion to their king, Achilles, who led them in the Trojan War. "Myrmex" means "ant" in Greek, an image that evokes small and insignificant workers mindlessly fulfilling their duty. Whether the original Myrmidons were given their name for that reason is open to question. The "ant" association is strong, however. Some say the name is from a legendary ancestor who once had the form of an ant; others say the Myrmidons were actually transformed from ants. In any case, since the 1400s, we've employed "myrmidon" in its not-always-complimentary, ant-evoking, figurative sense.
felicitous Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 04, 2010 is:
felicitous • \fih-LISS-uh-tus\ • adjective
*1 : very well suited or expressed : apt 2 : pleasant, delightful
Example sentence:
The film’s score, at least, is felicitous, as it lends emotional intensity to the otherwise wooden acting.
Did you know?
The adjective "felicitous" has been a part of our language since the late 18th century, but "felicity," the noun meaning "great happiness," and later, "aptness," was around even in Middle English (as "felicite," a borrowing from Anglo-French). Both words ultimately derive from the Latin adjective "felix," meaning "fruitful" or "happy." The connection between "happy" and "felicitous" continues today in that both words can mean "notably fitting, effective, or well adapted." "Happy" typically suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate (as in "a happy choice of words"), and "felicitous" often implies an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful (as in "a felicitous phrase").
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
gloze Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 03, 2010 is:
gloze • \GLOHZ\ • verb
*1 : to mask the true nature of : give a deceptively attractive appearance to -- often used with "over" 2 : to deal with (a subject or problem) too lightly or not at all -- often used with "over"
Example sentence:
"His modesty and shyness were at any rate proverbial, and it does seem that he went out of his way to conceal or gloze over certain aspects of his career, his military exploits in particular." (Eleanor Perenyi, Green Thoughts)
Did you know?
"Gloze" and its synonym "gloss" have long, intertwined histories. "Gloze," which comes from Middle English "glose," meaning "flattery," "plausible pretext," or "explanation of a difficult word," is the older of the two; it has been used as both a verb and noun since the 14th century. The noun "gloss," referring to an explanation or interpretation, first appeared in the mid-16th century as an alteration of "gloze," and the verb "gloss" followed about a century later." During the 19th century, "gloze" briefly took on the additional meaning "to brighten" (adapting the meaning of another, unrelated "gloss" referring to luster or brightness), but by the end of that century all uses of "gloze" had faded into relative obscurity. "Gloss," on the other hand, flourished and continues to be the more common term by far today.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
embargo Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 02, 2010 is:
embargo • \im-BAHR-goh\ • noun
1 : an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports *2 : a legal prohibition on commerce 3 : stoppage, impediment; especially : prohibition
Example sentence:
Because of the trade embargo against Cuba, certain items, such as Cuban cigars, are illegal in the United States.
Did you know?
Embargoes may be put in place for any number of reasons. For instance, a government may place a trade embargo against another country to express its disapproval with that country’s policies. But governments are not the only bodies that can place embargoes. A publisher, for example, could place an embargo on a highly anticipated book to prevent stores from selling it before its official release date. The word "embargo," dating from the late 16th century, derives via Spanish "embargar" from Vulgar Latin "imbarricare," formed from the prefix "in-" and the noun "barra" ("bar").
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
beatific Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:15:02 -0500
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 01, 2010 is:
beatific • \bee-uh-TIFF-ik\ • adjective
1 : of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss *2 : having a blissful appearance
Example sentence:
A beatific smile spread across Grandmother’s face as she reminisced about her wedding day.
Did you know?
"Beatific," from Latin "beatificus" ("making happy"), first occurred in English in the phrase "beatific vision," a theological allusion to the direct sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven. Although "beatific" originally meant "conferring happiness," the word now more frequently means "expressing happiness," and a blissfully joyful look or appearance may be called "beatific." A closely related word is "beatitude," which can refer to a state of utmost bliss. (You may also know "the beatitudes" as a series of blessings from Jesus in the Bible.)
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
MedTerms Word of the Day
Hallervorden-Spatz disease Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Hallervorden-Spatz disease: A genetic disorder in which there is progressive neurologic degeneration with the accumulation of iron in the brain. The gene for the disease is on chromosome 20 in region 20p13-p12.3.
The syndrome was first described by Julius Hallervorden and Hugo Spatz in 1922 in 5 sisters who showed increasing dysarthria (trouble speaking) and progressive dementia and, at autopsy, brown discoloration of specific parts of the brain (the globus pallidus and substantia nigra).
The disease is characterized by progressive rigidity, first in the lower and later in the upper extremities. Involuntary movements of choreic or athetoid type may precede or accompany the rigidity. Both involuntary movements and rigidity may involve muscles supplied by cranial nerves, resulting in difficulties in articulation and swallowing. This disorder affects the muscular tone and voluntary movements progressively, making coordinated movements and chewing and swallowing almost impossible. Mental deterioration, emaciation, severe feeding difficulties, and visual impairment occur commonly in the late stages of the disease.
The disease has its onset in the first or second decade of life. The average survival time after the diagnosis is made 11 years. Death usually occurs before the age of 30 years.
The diagnosis of Hallervorden-Spatz disease has usually been made postmortem. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alterations in the basal ganglia of the brain now permit diagnosis during life in someone who has an affected sibling and is therefore at high (25%) risk for the disease.
Hallervorden whose name is associated with this disease made important contributions to neurology. However, his active involvement in euthanasia in Germany during World War II raises serious questions about the moral obligations of medical science. No euthanasia law was ever enacted in the Third Reich. Rather, physicians were empowered to carry out 'mercy killings' but were never obliged to do so. There was never a direct order to participate, and refusal to cooperate did not result in legal action or professional setback. Hallervorden's enthusiastically encouraged the killings and the other aspects that led to the dehumanization of both the victims and the participants. Some believe that Hallervorden's name should be removed from this disorder. It has been suggested that the disease might be called "Martha-Alma disease" for the 2 unfortunate sisters whose brains were first dissected in the original description of the disease by Hallervorden and Spatz.
Other names for this disorder include neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) and late infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy.
MedTerms (TM) is the Medical Dictionary of MedicineNet.com.We Bring Doctors' Knowledge To You
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