Ultimo is an adjective that means of last month.

Our word of the day comes directly from Latin, maintaining the same pronunciation and meaning. Here’s an example of ultimo in use:

The first Monday ultimo was Connie’s birthday and I forgot it. I hope she doesn’t mind celebrating last month’s birthday this month.

Interlard is a verb that means to embellish with different material.

Stemming from a Latin word, the prefix I-N-T-E-R means ‘between’ or ‘among.’ The word ‘lard,’ although generally used as a noun to refer to excess fat, can also be a verb that means ‘to embellish with.’ When we interlard something, we embellish it with lots of different material.

Tonight I’m going to interlard the casserole with all of this week’s leftovers. I hope everybody’s hungry for sausage, cabbage, waffles and applesauce.

Stillicide is a noun that refers to a continual dripping.

The Latin prefix S-T-I-L-L-A means ‘drop,’ while the Latin word cedere (say DARE ay) means ‘fall.’

The stillicide of raindrops onto my window put me to sleep very quickly. A continual drip against a hard surface does that to me every time.

Remembrancer is a noun that refers to a souvenir.

Coming from the root word memory, which is Latin in origin, remembrancer can be used to describe a souvenir or a person who reminds someone of something.

My favorite remembrancer from my trip to Peru was a lovely knit cap. Every time I wear it, it reminds of all those wonderful times.

Adduce is a verb that means to cite as evidence.

The Latin word adducere (ah doo SER ay) means to lead towards. When we lead someone toward a conclusion, we adduce them — with evidence. Example:

My wife adduced a number of incidents of cookie thievery to help me realize our cat Tabitha was nibbling on food in the night. By citing these example, she made the case very clear.

Ochlophobia is a noun that refers to an extreme fear or dislike of crowds or mobs.

The prefix O-C-H-L-O is Greek in origin and it means crowds. P-H-O-B-I-A — also Greek — means fear. Here’s an example of our word of the day in use:

With my ochlophobia, it was concerned that the crowds for our band would make me uncomfortable. But it turned out the crowds were so small there wasn’t anything to fear.

Quincunx is a noun that refers to an arrangement of five objects with four at the corners and the fifth at the its center.

The literal translation of our word of the day is ‘five twelfths,’ but it is better understood as an arrangement that resembles a die that contains five dots. Here’s an example:

By arranging the blades on that shaver in quincunx, they made better shave available. Having five blades at the corner and one in the center ensures that no areas get missed.

Skylark is a verb that means to frolic or pass the time with nonsense.

Our word of the day is a variation on the word lark, a word of Old Norse descent that means to pass time with frivolous fun. Here’s an example of skyark in use:

As a teenager, I was nowhere near as motivated as I later became. It wasn’t rare for me to skylark the entire day without doing anything of substance.

Bovarism is a noun that refers to an exaggerated estimation of oneself.

Madame Bovary was a 19th century novel that featured a character — Madame Bovary — known for her extravagant lifestyle and inflated self-esteem. Our word of the day is best used to describe the tendency to embody these traits.

Musicians can be wonderful people, but let’s be honest. They often have a trace of Bovarism in them. That kind of inflated ego is not unusual in the music industry.

Bosh is a noun that means something regarded as absurd or nonsense.

Our word of the day is an informal word that comes from the Turkish word for ‘empty’ or ‘worthless.’ It entered the English language in the mid-19th century maintaining the same basic meaning.

Many people find Chris to be a great intellect, but I always thought his book were pure bosh. When you get right down to it, they don’t contain any important substance.