Flivver is a noun that refers to a cheap automobile.

The origin of our word of the day is unknown, but we do know it’s an informal word used to describe an old vehicle — but never in a complimentary way. For example:

That old flivver I used to drive in college lasted only eight months before it died on me. Given how cheap it was, I was surprised it lasted the drive back from the car lot.

Hyperborean is a noun that refers to an inhabitant of the cold north. It can also be used as an adjective that means related to the far north.

In ancient Greek mythology, our word of the day was used to describe members of a group who lived in a land of sunshine beyond the north wind. Centuries later, hyperborean retains the same meaning. Here’s an example of it:

You’d think a hyperborean like uncle Brad would be accustomed to the cold, but even after all those years of living in Minnesota, he still complains every time the temperature dips below sixty.

Gewgaw is a noun that refers to a showy trinket.

Our word of the day comes from Middle English and is typically used in the plural to refer to a bunch of worthless, but showy items.

I’m not sure why my aunt Sheila holds on to all those gewgaws in her attic. She seems to think they’re worth something, but the truth is that for all their flamboyance, those items wouldn’t get a cent from a pawn shop.

Dido is a noun that refers to a mischievous prank.

The origin of our word of the day is unknown, but we know it is an informal word for a prank. Here’s an example of dido in use:

The cup factory was a lot more fun when Ronnie was in charge. It was dido after dido all day long. The only problem was, with all those pranks being played, we never got any work done.

Glyptic is an adjective that means related to carving or engraving.

Our word of the day came from the Greek word gluptikos (GLOOP tea kose) which means ‘carver.’ The word migrated to English in the early 19th century and is today used to describe anything related to carving or engraving.

My daughter’s glyptic activities on the weekend have begun to take up a great deal of her time. I only hope her carving doesn’t distract her from her schoolwork.

Nonage is a noun that refers to immaturity.

Our word of the day comes from Middle English, combining the Latin prefix N-O-N with the English word age. Here’s an example of it in use:

Terry’s nonage was filled with all kinds of tomfoolery. But he’s no longer an adolescent, so it simply doesn’t make sense for him to behave in such an immature way anymore.

Catamount is a noun that refers to a wild cat, especially those found in mountainous regions.

Our word of the day combines the English words ‘cat’ and ‘mountain’ to give us a word for wild cats that dwell in the mountains. The word covers a wide range of species, but usually refers to a medium or large cat.

Nobody got hurt on last year’s trip to Tibet, but we did have some close calls. We saw a catamount that looked pretty hungry. Let’s hope we don’t have any problems like that on this year’s climb.

Appurtenance is a noun that refers to an item indicating a particular lifestyle.

Our word of the day is not to be confused with the word appurtenant, which means ‘pertinent.’ But the two words share a common ancestry in the Latin word appertinere (ah PER tin air ay) which means ‘belong to.’

Appurtenance refers to an item associated with an activity or style or living. Here’s an example:

After a while, you get used to all the appurtenances of a life of luxury — and for good reason. Certain items just can’t be lived without if you intend to live the high life.

Cynosure is a noun that refers to a person or thing that is the center of attention.

Our word of the day comes from the Greek words for ‘tail’ and ‘dog.’ The term initially referred to the constellation Ursa Minor or the pole star which it contains. This star was used for quite some time by navigators, which made it the center of attention for many people. Today, we use the word Cynosure to describe something or someone that is the center of attention.

Wearing this bright green sweater wasn’t something I did to become the cynosure of the party, but it seems to have made me the center of attention for some reason.

Epexegesis is a noun that refers to the addition of words to clarify meaning.

Our word of the day comes directly from the Greek words for ‘in addition’ and ‘explanation.’ Here is an example of epexegesis:

Don’t get me wrong, I like those short simple sentences that our manager uses. I just think there are times when it may be helpful for him to add an epexegesis. Sometimes a clarification is needed.