All right, given that the last thread was moderately well-received, it looks like I'll be doing this regularly. I know it kind of seemed out-of-the-blue, but I'm sure that once it becomes a regular thing, everyone'll be used to it.
This is gonna be another straightforward selection of words--no gimmicks for now, but I'm sure there'll be some special editions in the coming days.
Oh, and I'll add an archive to each thread, as well:
Now with audio pronunciations!
Ephemeral -
/eh - FEH - mer - uhl/[ephemerally] [ephemerality]
Derived from the Greek ephēmeros.Here's a relatively common one. It's an adjective used to describe things that last a very short time: Though their love for each other seemed genuine at first, it resulted only in an
ephemeral relationship. The term is also used in botany, to describe plants with a particularly short lifespan, and in geology, to describe bodies of water that briefly fill up land formations, only to be evaporated shortly thereafter. Normally, you would use the word to describe a situation that, though it lasted for only moments, you wish lasted for a far greater amount of time--if not forever.
Convalesce -
/con - vuh - LESS/[convalescent] [convalescence] [convalesces] [convalescing] [convalesced]
From the Latin con, meaning "altogether", and valescere, meaning "grow strong" (which in itself is derived from valere, meaning "be well")I hope you'll never have to use this word any time soon. That's because this word means to recuperate, or regain one's health and strength after suffering an illness: He will have to stay in bed for two weeks until he
convalesces. Normally, due to its dramatic-sounding nature, you would only use the word if you're dealing with a serious illness: While you can
convalesce from your paper cut, people might give you odd looks if you use that specific term.
Oneiric -
/oh - NAHY - rik/[oneirically] [oneirism]
From the Greek oneiros, meaning "dream".What a cool word. It has a simple definition: of, pertaining to, or having the characteristics of
dreams. It's just a fancy-pants way of saying "dreamlike".
Oneirism is a concept in film theory that discusses what makes a film
feel dreamlike, whether it be a dream scene or not: The scene was very
oneiric, as it contained a lot of surreal imagery, a distilled atmosphere, and incomprehensible dialogue.
The next time your significant other is ill, ask them after awhile if they've convalesced.
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