vigiler
n.— «The vigils, participants and observers say, illustrate a dramatic transformation of the Catholic laity in the United States that has been unfolding since the 1960s, but has accelerated over the last three years as Catholics have become increasingly vocal in demanding change after the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Many of the vigilers, a word they have coined to describe themselves, are not affiliated with any interest groups and have not previously protested church activities, but have been spurred to resistance by a combination of sadness, anger, and distrust of the church hierarchy.» —“From the pews, quiet rebellion” by Michael Paulson Boston Globe Dec. 19, 204. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...