The California superbloom included Nemophila maculata, a white blossom with a dab of purple at the end of each of five petals. It’s also called fivespot. The maculata in the scientific name derives from Latin macula, meaning...
A deipnosophist is someone skilled in the art of dinner table conversation. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “What is a Deipnosophist?” We were talking earlier about a literary dinner party and I’m reminded of one...
If you have an aversion to human company and a love of solitude, you have apanthropy, from Greek words that mean “away from humans.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of ““Apanthropy” Is Aversion to Company and a Love of...
Land of milk and honey, Judgment Day, and root of all evil are well-known phrases that first appeared in English translations of the Bible. There are several less obvious ones, though, including bottomless pit, meaning an abyss, which first appears...
The term sign of the times, denoting something indicative of the kinds of things happening in a particular period, goes back to the Gospel of Matthew. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Sign of the Times” Here’s...
Why is the ch pronounced differently in spinach and stomach? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “The Differing “ch” in “Spinach” and “Stomach”” Hi there, you have A Way with Words. Hi...