Rarefied is an adjective that means of high class or caliber.

The Latin word rarus (RAHR oos) means ‘thin’ or ‘rare.’ When something is rarefied it is made more rare and more valuable. For example: These rarefied antiques are worth much more than they appear to. That tea kettle you’re looking at is worth at least a million dollars.

Raiment is a noun that refers to clothing of the finest quality.

Our word of the day originated in Middle English and usually refers to ornate or luxurious clothing. For example: The raiment wore at the ball was truly breathtaking. I hadn’t seen clothes that extravagant since my last visit to a museum.

Peccable is an adjective that means capable of sin.

The Latin word peccare (peck CAR ay) means ‘to sin.’ Our word of the day simply means ‘capable of sin.’ You may be familiar with the similar word ‘impeccable,’ which means faultless.

At first, I thought Angela was perfect in every way, incapable of any misdeeds. But soon after become her personal assistant, I discovered she was quite peccable.

Quaff is a verb that means to drink with gusto.

The origin of our word of the day is unknown, but we can say that it entered the English language in the early 16th century, probably as an imitation of the sound made by a person drinking.

I was so thirsty after the race that I had to quaff a water bottle in about two seconds. That was probably the most enthusiastically I’d ever drank anything since college.

Popple is a verb that means to flow in a tumbling or rippling way.

Derived from Middle English, popple can also be used as a noun that refers to a rolling or ripping of water. But it’s mostly used to describe water in the act os splashing or trickling.

For example: Growing up on the beach, I had gotten accustomed to waking up with the sound of the waves as they would popple onto shore. That splashing sound is something I’ve come to identify with my childhood.

Yare is an adjective that means ready or set for action.

Coming from Old English, our word of the day was originally a term used to describe a ship that was easily manageable. Over time, it became more commonly used in everyday life. For example: The fans may have been yare, but the team was sluggish and unprepared. And unfortunately, the fans weren’t the ones on the field facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Roister is a verb that means to engage in boisterous revelry.

The Latin word rusticus (ROOS tea coos) meaning ‘rustic’ or ‘rural.’ In time, the word’s meaning shifted and roister became a verb that described the act of celebrating in a loud and boisterous way.

I can still remember all the noise and ruckus outside when the Cubs won the world series. I could hear rowdy fans roister well into the night.

Prima facie is an adjective that means based on the first impression. It can also be used as an adverb that means ‘on the first impression.’

Our word of the day comes directly from a Latin phrase that translates to ‘first face,’ meaning the appearance you first see.

I know that prima facie, our team doesn’t look very good, but trust me: we’re a lot more athletic and less hard working than we appear to be in practice.

Objurgate is a verb that means to harshly criticize.

The Latin word objugare (obe joo GARE ay) means ‘abuse’ or ‘rebuke.’ This word was imported into English in the early 17th century and has maintained the same basic meaning.

I often find myself in a position where I have to objurgate my students for their work habits. Harsh criticism, although not everybody’s favorite method, works very well.

Mononym is a noun that refers to a first name without a surname.

The Prefix M-O-N-O comes from Greek and means ‘alone’ or ‘singular.’ When combined with the Greek word onyma (OH nee ma) the result is our word of the day which refers to a single name. A mononym may be a moniker given to someone who has last name or it may be a historical figure known only by a single name. For example: