Academy Awards Headlines and Buckner

posthumous
Pronunciation: \ˈpäs-chə-məs also -tə-, -tyə-, -thə-; päst-ˈhyü-məs, ˈpōst-, -ˈyü-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin posthumus, alteration of postumus late-born, posthumous, from superl. of posterus coming after — more at posterior
Date: 1619
1 : born after the death of the father
2 : published after the death of the author
3 : following or occurring after death

egregious
Pronunciation: \i-ˈgrē-jəs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin egregius, from e- + greg-, grex herd — more at gregarious
Date: circa 1534
1archaic : distinguished
2: conspicuous ; especially : conspicuously bad : flagrant

Example: Heath Ledger Wins Posthumous Award for 'Dark Knight'

Egregious is a word used commonly by President Buckner, the New York, NY Stake President.

Gabfest and TR

avuncular
Pronunciation: \ə-ˈvəŋ-kyə-lər\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin avunculus maternal uncle — more at uncle
Date: 1831
1 : of or relating to an uncle
2 : suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or geniality

taxidermy
Pronunciation: \ˈtak-sə-ˌdər-mē\
Function: noun
Etymology: tax- + derm- + 2-y
Date: 1820
: the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals and especially vertebrates

I heard the first word on Slate's Political Gabfest Podcast and liked it.

I heard the second word a few weeks ago while visiting Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace on East 20th Street in New York. Young TR was fascinated by taxidermy.

Words that I want to use in conversation

red herring
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
1: a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color
2 [from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs] : something that distracts attention from the real issue



didactic
Pronunciation: \dī-ˈdak-tik, də-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Greek didaktikos, from didaskein to teach
Date: 1658
1 a: designed or intended to teach b: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment
2: making moral observations

These are some words that I wanted to memorize a few months ago but never did...

New York Documentary and Dad

disparate
Main Entry: dis·pa·rate
Pronunciation: \ˈdis-p(ə-)rət, di-ˈsper-ət, -ˈspa-rət\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English desparat, from Latin disparatus, past participle of disparare to separate, from dis- + parare to prepare — more at pare
Date: 15th century
1 : containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements
2 : markedly distinct in quality or character

ec·u·men·i·cal
Pronunciation: \ˌe-kyə-ˈme-ni-kəl, -kyü-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin oecumenicus, from Late Greek oikoumenikos, from Greek oikoumenē the inhabited world, from feminine of oikoumenos, present passive participle of oikein to inhabit, from oikos house — more at vicinity
Date: circa 1587
1: worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application
2 a: of, relating to, or representing the whole of a body of churches b: promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation

The first word was used multiple times to describe the people of New York in a documentary that I watched. The second was a word that my dad used when we were having a discussion about religion.

Bonus word that goes with ecumenical:

cath·o·lic
Pronunciation: \ˈkath-lik, ˈka-thə-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English catholik, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French catholique, from Late Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, general, from katholou in general, from kata by + holos whole — more at cata-, safe
Date: 14th century
1 aoften capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the church universal boften capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the ancient undivided Christian church or a church claiming historical continuity from it ccapitalized : roman catholic
2: comprehensive , universal ; especially : broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests "a catholic taste in music"

Who knew?