Conlang is a noun that refers to an artificially created language.

Our word of the day came around in the 1990s. It is short for ‘constructed language.’ The conlang of Klingon from the TV show Star Trek may be the best example of a conlang. It originated on the show itself and continued by fans.

When we were kids, my sister and I tried to create a conlang of our own, but it didn’t get very far. In the end, we discovered the world was just fine with the already existing language and wasn’t hungry for a new one.

Recreant is an adjective that means cowardly or unfaithful to duty. The word can also be used as a noun that refers to a coward.

The Latin word ‘recredere’ means ‘to surrender.’ A recreant is someone eager to surrender.

In difficult times, being a recreant is not what the world needs. A truly courageous person accepts the challenge of trying times.

Organon is a noun that refers to an instrument for acquiring knowledge.

Our word of the day comes directly from Greek. Organon was the title of a philosophical work by Ancient philosopher Aristotle. The word is mainly derived from the word ‘organ.,’ as in an ‘instrument’ or ‘device.’

Phil’s big turning point as a thinker was when he learned to use his computer as more than a device for entertainment, but as an organon, something that helped him learn more about the world around him.

Popinjay is a noun that refers to a vain or supercilious person.

Our word of the day comes indirectly from the Arabic word ‘babbagha’ (bob BOB ah) a disparaging term for a parrot or flamboyant person. A popinjay is often a person who dresses and behaves with great extravagance.

Being the popinjay that he was, Peter entered the building in a loud, flamboyant manner. His purple feathered boa attracted everyone’s attention. Sadly, his six-inch high heels attracted his doctor’s attention when he fell and sprained his ankle.

Hermitage is a noun that refers to a secluded hideaway.

The word ‘hermit,’ meaning ‘a person living in solitude,’ comes from Middle English. Our word of the day may refer to the dwelling of a hermit or it can refer to any remote, hidden location.

After finding a hermitage in the woods, the band was able to record their second album without endless distractions from fans and media. Sometimes a little solitude can be helpful.

Appellative is a noun that refers to a descriptive name or designation. It can also be used as an adjective that means relating to or denoting the giving of a name.

The Latin word appellare (ah pel LAR ay) means ‘to address.’ This is the origin of our word of the day. An appellative can be used formally or informally, meaning words like ‘Doctor’ or ‘professor’ can be appellatives, but so can words like ‘shorty’ or ‘blondie.’

It took a while to know which appellative was appropriate to address my boss, Pastor Harris. He was an ordained minister, but also a college professor and a Ph.D. But after getting to know him, his easy-going personality made it impossible to call him anything other than ‘Fred.’

Egress is a noun that refers to an exit or place to leave.

Our word of the day comes almost directly from the Latin word egressus (eh GRESS oos) meaning ‘gone out.’ Egress is mostly used as a noun, but it can also be a verb meaning ‘to leave.’

Here’s an example of it as a noun: The scariest thing about the haunted house is how difficult it is to find the egress. Theres is something about being trapped somewhere without being able to exit that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Infinitesimal is an adjective that means immeasurably small. It is also a noun that refers to a very small amount.

The root word of infinitesimal is ‘infinite,’ which means ‘not finite,’ or ‘not having limits.’ ‘Finite’ comes from the Latin word ‘finitus,’ (FEE knee toos) meaning ‘finished.’ When something is called infinitesimal, it is infinitely small or so small it cannot be measured.

I played on a championship softball team for two years, but I get the feeling my contribution to the team was infinitesimal. Without me, they may have scored a few less runs, but that’s about it.

Avidity is a noun that refers to eagerness.

Our word of the day is derived from the adjective avid, which comes from the Latin word avere (ah VAIR ay) meaning ‘’crave.’ Avidity is simply the noun that describes the craving or enthusiasm for something.

I didn’t know how skilled Charlie would be on the job, but I knew his avidity was a good sign. The fact that he was so eager to get started probably meant he’d be a good employee.

Granular is an adjective that means finely detailed.

Our word of the day comes from the Latin word granum (GRAHN oom) which means ‘grain.’ When we analyze the grains of something, we are inspecting all the details. So a granular report means a highly detailed one.

Here’s an example of granular in use: The initial information given to me wasn’t detailed and specific enough to be helpful. It wasn’t until I was given the granular data that I could make sense of it.