AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Conté • noun [mass noun] a kind of hard, grease-free crayon used as a medium for artwork: [as modifier] Conté pastels. — origin mid 19th cent.: named after Nicolas J. Conté (1755–1805), the French inventor who developed it. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com mystagogue • noun a teacher or propounder of mystical doctrines. — derivatives mystagogy noun. — origin mid 16th cent.: from French, or via Latin from Greek mustagogos, from mustes ‘initiated person’ + agogos ‘leading’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Lebensraum • noun [mass noun] the territory which a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development. — origin German, literally ‘living space’ (originally with reference to Germany). Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com evection • noun [mass noun] Astronomy regular variation in the eccentricity of the moon's orbit around the earth, caused mainly by the sun's attraction. — origin mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘elevation, exaltation’): from Latin evectio(n-), from evehere ‘carry out or up’, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + vehere ‘carry’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Marrano • noun (pl. Marranos) (in medieval Spain) a Jew or Moor who had converted to Christianity, especially one who professed conversion in order to avoid persecution. — origin Spanish, of unknown origin. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com klezmer • noun (pl. klezmorim) [mass noun] traditional eastern European Jewish music. • [count noun] a musician who plays klezmer music. — origin 1920s: Yiddish, contraction of Hebrew kele zemer ‘musical instruments’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com regolith • noun [mass noun] Geology the layer of unconsolidated solid material covering the bedrock of a planet. — origin late 19th cent.: from Greek rhegos ‘rug, blanket’ + -lith. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com tian • noun (pl. pronounced same) a dish of sliced vegetables cooked in olive oil and then layered in a dish and baked au gratin. • a large oval earthenware cooking pot traditionally used in Provence. — origin Provençal, based on Greek teganon ‘frying pan’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com rath • noun Archaeology (in Ireland) a strong circular earthen wall forming an enclosure and serving as a fort and residence for a tribal chief. — origin Irish. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Humint • noun [mass noun] covert intelligence-gathering by agents or others. — origin late 20th cent.: from human intelligence. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com allophone • noun Phonetics any of the various phonetic realizations of a phoneme in a language, which do not contribute to distinctions of meaning. For example, in English an aspirated p (as in pin) and unaspirated p (as in spin) are allophones of , whereas in ancient Greek the distinction was phonemic. — derivatives allophonic adjective. — origin 1930s: from allo- ‘other, different’ + phoneme. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com yuga • noun Hinduism any of the four ages of the life of the world. — origin Sanskrit. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com panino • noun (pl. panini) a sandwich made with a baguette or with Italian bread, typically one that is toasted. — origin 1950s: from Italian, literally ‘bread roll’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com koan • noun a paradoxical anecdote or riddle without a solution, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and provoke enlightenment. — origin Japanese, literally ‘matter for public thought’, from Chinese gongàn ‘official business’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com kaross • noun S. African a rug or blanket of sewn animal skins, formerly worn as a garment by African people, now used as a bed or floor covering. — origin South African Dutch, from Khoikhoi karos. Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com challah • noun (pl. challahs or chalot, chaloth) a plaited loaf of white leavened bread, traditionally baked to celebrate the Jewish sabbath. — origin from Hebrew hallah. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com spelter • noun [mass noun] commercial crude smelted zinc. • a solder or other alloy in which zinc is the main constituent. — origin mid 17th cent.: compare with Old French espeautre, Middle Dutch speauter; related to pewter. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com terne • noun (also terne metal) [mass noun] a lead alloy containing about 20 per cent tin and often some antimony. • (also terne plate) thin sheet iron or steel coated with terne. — origin mid 19th cent. (denoting terne plate): probably from French terne ‘dull, tarnished’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Auslese • noun [mass noun] a white wine of German origin or style made from selected bunches of grapes picked later than the general harvest. — origin from German, from aus ‘out’ + Lese ‘picking, vintage’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com clair-de-lune • noun [mass noun] a soft white or pale blue-grey colour. • a Chinese porcelain glaze of this colour. — origin late 19th cent.: French, literally ‘moonlight’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com statoscope • noun a form of aneroid barometer for measuring minute variations of pressure, used especially to indicate the altitude of an aircraft. — origin early 20th cent.: from Greek statos ‘standing’ + -scope. Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com sousaphone • noun an American form of tuba with a wide bell pointing forward above the player's head, used in marching bands. — derivatives sousaphonist noun. — origin 1920s: named after J. P. Sousa, on the pattern of saxophone. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

AskOxford: Word of the Day

Word of the Day from AskOxford: www.askoxford.com Weltanschauung • noun (pl. Weltanschauungen) a particular philosophy or view of life; the world view of an individual or group. — origin German, from Welt ‘world’ + Anschauung ‘perception’. Pronunciation available online: www.askoxford.com Source: Oxford Dictionary of English www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198610571 Useful links from around OUP Celebrating the new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Find out about OUP's Online Products: www.oup.com/online Launching September 2007 Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com Special offer disgo and busbi USB keys - preloaded with a 30 day trial of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary: www.clever-stuff.ie We hope you have enjoyed your word of the day. However, if you wish to be removed from the mailing list please visit: www.askoxford.com/contactus/email Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008