a n e tfa lle n

ar c exce cres
lsior

Words We Never Knew

Out-of-the-way vocabulary

doldrums epip i p i t y
h any serend
al fresco
serendipity (noun)

• Definition: An unexpected, but fortunate, discovery that happens by chance

• Used in a sentence: “By serendipity he happened to draw the winning number.”
• Synonyms: chance, happy coincidence, lucky break
• Origin of word: This word was coined in 1754 by the British writer Horace
Walpole in The Three Princes of Serendip, a fairy tale in which the heroes ‘were
always making discoveries, by accident’.
• Trivia: Horace Walpole was the son of the first British prime minister, Sir Robert
Walpole.
verisimilitude (noun)

• Definition: Seemingly true or resembling reality

• Used in a sentence: “The artist Picasso was not interested in
verisimilitude or photographic reality, but rather in abstraction that
reflected the way he viewed things.”
• Synonyms: realism, naturalism, lifelikeness
• Origin of word: from the Latin “verus” (true) and “similis” (like)
• Trivia: Think of all the words that sprout from these roots: similar,
verity, simulate, veracity, verify and on and on…………
al fresco (adjective,adverb)
• Definition: taking place in the open air
• Used in a sentence: “They had a picnic al fresco in the park.”
• Synonyms: outdoors, in the open
• Origin of word: from the Italian al (to the) + fresco (fresh or fresh air)
• Trivia: In some countries, dining al fresco is a time-honoured tradition.
 crestfallen (adjective)
• Definition: sad or depressed because of a recent disappointment
• Used in a sentence: “As the votes were counted and the results
became known, he looked crestfallen.”
• Synonyms: discouraged, demoralized, depressed
• Origin of word: unknown; dated to the 16th century; most likely has
reference to a defeated cockerel, its crest having fallen
• Trivia: Used in literature since the late 1500s; for example:
“Despite all his mad, daring attempts and hundreds of pounds spent to make it
back to London in time, Fogg feels crestfallen to find that he arrives in London too
late.” (Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, 1872)
 doldrums (noun)

• Definition: a state of inactivity

• Used in a sentence: “After the previous defeat, the cricket team
members were in the doldrums.”
• Synonyms: depression, gloom
• Origin of word: From the late 18th century English doldrum (dull or
sluggish person)
• Trivia: In Norton Juster’s children’s novel The Phantom Tollbooth, the
doldrums is a physical place that is explored in The Lands Beyond.
 arcane (adjective)

• Definition: secret, known only to a few; requiring secret knowledge to

understand
• Used in a sentence: “The vocabulary of cricket is not nearly as arcane
as that of sailing.”
• Synonyms: mysterious, inscrutable, obscure
• Origin of word: from the Latin arcānus (secret, closed) and from arca
(a chest or box, an ark)
• Trivia: Arcane was an important word in medieval alchemy, the
forerunner of chemistry, where alchemists used secret formulas in
their attempts to convert base metals into gold.
 ephemeral (adjective)

• Definition: lasting a very short time

• Used in a sentence: “Fashion trends are ephemeral, ever-changing.”
• Synonyms: temporary, fleeting, brief
• Origin of word: from the Greek epi (for) and hemera (day) or lasting
only one day
• Trivia: ‘Ephemeral’ was originally a medical term with the specific
meaning "lasting only one day," as a fever or sickness (hemera
meaning one "day" in Greek).
 epiphany (noun)
• Definition: a life-changing experience; an illuminating realization
• Used in a sentence: “She had an epiphany and realized that she could
not go around criticizing people.”
• Synonyms: insight, inspiration, realization
• Origin of word: from the Greek verb phainein (to appear), meaning
manifestation or appearance.
• Trivia: In classical Greek the word epiphany was used for the
appearance of dawn, the sight of an enemy in war, and especially for
the appearance of a deity to a worshipper (a theophany).
 excelsior (noun)
• Definition: slender, curved wood shavings used for packing
• Used in a sentence: “We carefully put the glass vase into a box stuffed with
excelsior before placing it in the car trunk.”
• Synonyms: stuffing, padding, packing material
• Origin of word: from the Latin ex (out) + celsus (lofty) meaning “higher”
or “onward and upward!”
• Trivia: ‘Excelsior’ is the motto of the state of
New York (USA) and is also the title of
a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
“Excelsior” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath,

Flashed like a falchion* from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!
*
“Excelsior,” ctd.
In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said;

"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!"
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!
“Excelsior”, ctd.
Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest
"

Thy weary head upon this breast! "

A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!

Beware the awful avalanche!“
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!
“Excelsior,” ctd.
At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound,

Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
“Excelsior” ctd.

There in the twilight cold and gray,

Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell like a falling star,
Excelsior!