Polysemy is a noun that means possibility of many meanings for a word.

Our word of the day has a fairly recent origin. It combines the Greek prefix ‘poly’ for ‘many’ and the Greek ‘simadi’ (see MA dee) meaning ‘sign.’ 

I encourage my students to use simple words in their writing. Polysemy can often cause unintended ambiguity.

Bevy is a noun that refers to a large gathering of people or things of a particular kind. 

The precise origin of bevy is unknown, but it came to refer to a group of birds — especially quail — just as a ‘pack’ refers to a group of wolves. It may also refer to a group of people, for example: I was stunned by the bevy of movie stars I saw at the party that night. I’d never seen such a breathtaking collection of celebrities.

Aplomb is a noun that means self-confidence. 

Aplomb comes from French, where it means, ‘according to a plumb line.’ A plumb line refers to a line dipped into water to determine the water level. It is steady and solid — just like a person with aplomb. 

Diana’s unwavering aplomb was a great source of comfort for us. Because she didn’t lack confidence, neither did we.

Ameliorate is a verb that means to make something better. 

The French word meilleur (me YARE) beans ‘better.’ This is where our word of the day comes from. Ameliorated is often, but not always, used in a medical context.

When I was ill, I found that chicken soup ameliorated my cold. With every sip, I could feel my symptoms slowly fade away.

Swimmingly is an adverb that means smoothly or without problems. 

The Dutch word zvem (ZVEM) is where we get swim from, but how do we get from that to a synonym of smoothly? Swimming suggests gliding motions and that suggests smooth or without problems. 

Everything was going swimmingly with our experiment until the beaker exploded. After that, we had some serious problems.

Belie is a verb that means to fail to give a true impression of.

In Old English the word Leogan (LEE oh gan) means to lie. It’s basically an ancestor of the current word ‘lie.’ To belie something means to make something untrue or a lie. 

Ross’ brand new wardrobe belies his claims of financial hardship. There’s no way a poor person could afford such extravagant clothes. 

Variegated is an adjective that means exhibiting different colors. 

The Latin word varius (VAR ee oos) means various, and it’s given birth to many words like variety, varied, and of course, variegated. The term is frequently used by botanists to describe leaves that contain multiple colors, but there’s a wide variety of ways our word of the day may be used.

If you ask me, Troy’s car looks a little tacky. The variegated hub caps are a bit much.

Animus is a noun that refers to hostility or ill will. 

Our word of the day comes directly from Latin, but the word has shifted meaning a little. In Latin animus (AHN ee moos) means spirit or soul. Once imported to English, animus came to mean hostility or ill feeling. 

It’s unlikely that Larry harbors any animus toward me. He doesn’t seem like the type to be angry over such a minor affair.

Sillage is a noun that refers to a scent that lingers in the air. 

Sillage comes directly from French where it means ‘trail,’ but unlike ‘trail’ which has a broader meaning, our word of the day almost always refers to a scent. 

Finding my old lucky horseshoe in the basement wasn’t difficult. I just had to follow that unmistakable sillage of rusted metal.

Coterie is a verb that means an inner circle or clique. 

In Middle Low German the word kote (KOE tuh) refers to an association of tenants. Over the years the word’s definition has broadened to mean an association of just about anyone, but usually with the implication of exclusivity. 

Those guys seemed to enjoy having me around, but I never felt a part of their coterie. I guess I just wasn’t cool enough to truly be one of them.