Juvenescence is a noun that refers to the state or period of being young.

The latin word juvenis (YOU ven ees) which means ‘young’ is the basis for the word juvenile as well as the basis for our word of the day which entered the English language in the early 19th century.

If I had been more determined to prepare for the future, I would have spent my juvenescence keeping up with the latest technology. But instead I spent my youth playing guitar and keeping up with the latest music videos.

Ostentatious is an adjective that means characterized by vulgar or pretentious display.

Our word of the day comes from the Latin word ostentare (OS ten TAR ay) which means ‘to show or display.’ Entering English in the mid 15th century, our word of the day is often used to describe the tendency to show or display one’s wealth a little too much.

For my tastes, Jill can get a little showy when it comes to decorating her home. I mean, it’s one thing to have one’s walls covered in fancy wallpaper, but having your dog’s house wallpapered is downright ostentatious.

Rapturous is an adjective that means expressing or feeling great pleasure.

Our word of the day is derived from the Latin word raptus (ROP toos) which means ‘to seize.’ From this word, rapture entered the English language in the late 16th century. Rapturous is the adjective version. Here’s an example of it in use.

The first ten minutes of the movie had a rapturous grip on me. That fast-paced chase scene really seized my attention. But once the tedious love story began, my attention began to wander.

Valedictory is an adjective that means serving as a farewell.

The Latin phrase vale dicere (VAL ay dee CHAIR ay) means ‘to say goodbye,’ and it provides the origin or our word of the day. Valedictory is often used in a formal setting. Here’s an example. It was a touching moment to watch the king offer a heartfelt valedictory to his subjects. Saying goodbye after a long, distinguished reign like that must not have been easy.

Cozen is a verb that means to trick or deceive.

The Latin word cocio (COE see oh) means ‘dealer,’ but after a trip through the Italian language, the word evolved into a verb cozzonare (coe zone ARE ay) meaning ‘to cheat.’ By the late 16th century it landed in English as our word of the day. Here’s an example of cozen in use:

Sorry I didn’t reply to your email sooner. I was afraid that your request for my home address was an attempt to cozen me out of my money. From now on, mom, I’ll trust that you aren’t trying to cheat me.

Dscerp is a verb that means to tear apart.

Our word of the day combines the Latin prefix D-I-S, meaning ‘apart’ with the Latin word carpere (car PAIR ay) which means ‘to tear or pick.’

I wanted to discerp the memo about our coffee break as soon as I read it, but I was afraid that tearing the memo up wouldn’t undo the damage.

Speechify is a verb that means to deliver a speech in a tedious or pompous way.

By strict definition, our word of the day simply means ‘to make a speech,’ but when used colloquially, it makes to speak in arrogant, self-aggrandizing ways. Speechify’s origin is in the German word sprache (SPRAH huh).

The dinner went well until the governor felt he needed to say a few words. The next thing you know, we’re listening to him speechify for two hours on his favorite topic: himself.

Glamping is a noun that refers to the act of camping with luxurious accommodations.

Our word of the day was born in the early 21st century and combines two familiar English words, glamor and camping.

I had a feeling that Ana’s idea of ‘roughing it’ was really just a form of glamping. It’s not surprising that someone so preoccupied with glamor would need her tent to be stocked with a hot tub, a curling iron, a massage table and a plasma TV.

Immiserate is a verb that means to cause to become poor or impoverished.

The word ‘miser’ today refers to someone who hoards money, but its Latin roots are in a word that means ‘wretched.’ This is where words like misery and miserable come from. It’s also the source of our word of the day. To immiserate someone is to make them miserable or unhappy, usually in fiscal terms, for example:

As much as I loved owning that ranch, it began to immiserate our family after a while. We simply couldn’t afford to feed ourselves anymore with all those horses to take care of.

Vaticinate is a verb that means to foretell the future.

The Latin word vates (VOT es) means ‘prophet.’ Our word of the day has evolved from this word into a verb for what a prophet does: seeing the future. It entered the English language in the early 17th century. Here’s an example of it in use:

When my daughter was ten, I couldn’t vaticinate a future where  this mild-mannered sweet girl would become a mixed martial arts champion. But here she is, living the life that no one who knew her as a child could possibly have predicted.