Some words have definitions that perfectly align with how they look or sound. For example, “hullabaloo” flawlessly evokes the idea of a commotion, and “snicker” undoubtedly calls to mind a stifled, scornful laugh. However, other words don’t match up to their meanings, because of either a misleading spelling or pronunciation. Learn why “pulchritudinous” is actually quite flattering, how “puce” isn’t a sickly green, and a few other words that don’t seem to match up to their definitions.
Adjective: Beautiful.
Describing someone or something as “pulchritudinous” is a compliment. The word might conjure up images of similar-sounding negative words like “putrid” (“of or characteristic of rotting matter”) or “turpitude” (“depravity; wickedness”), but “pulchritudinous” is far from those words. It was derived from the Latin word for “beauty,” pulchritudo, and it was first recorded in American English in 1877, meaning “beautiful, fine, or graceful in any way.”
Noun: The right to vote in political elections.
The term “suffrage” has long been part of the political lexicon of the United States. At first glance, it might suggest suffering — somewhat opposite to its meaning. The real definition is “the right to vote in political elections,” but it has taken a journey from a more religious usage. In the late 14th century, “suffrage” referred to prayers (especially on behalf of another). Both the religious version of the word and its modern definition stem from the Latin word suffragium, which meant “support” or “ballot” but was also the word for a voting tablet. It first appeared in English as “the political right to vote” in the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
Noun: Dark red or purple-brown color.
Some words have a certain feeling about them. One of them is “puce.” We took a poll of the Word Smarts team, and the consensus about “puce” was that it sounds like a drab, brownish-green color. In fact, puce is a purplish-brown color, similar to mauve. The word came into English in the late 18th century from the French word puce, meaning “flea-color; flea,” which comes from the Latin word for “flea,” pucilem. Fleas aren’t typically depicted as purplish-brown, but there might be a connection between “puce” and the color of a flea bite (or a scab).
In a similar case of mistaken color identity, chartreuse is a pale yellowish-green color (not purple). It is named for its resemblance to the liqueur of the same name, which was first produced at La Grande Chartreuse, a Carthusian monastery near Grenoble in the French Alps.
Adjective: Of, resembling, or relating to twilight (especially animals that are active in twilight).
This has nothing to do with creepy-crawlies. Most often, “crepuscular” is used in zoology to describe animals that appear during twilight (or at dusk). Crepuscular animals have evolved this way for a variety of reasons, including avoiding predators (or hunting competition) and staying cool in warm environments. Examples of crepuscular animals include domestic cats, rabbits, deer, bears, skunks, bobcats, and opossums.
Interjection: An expression of surprise, regret, or grief.
“Lackaday” has nothing to do with laziness, despite sounding and looking very similar to “lackadaisical” (“lacking enthusiasm and determination”). Instead, it is used as an interjection to express feelings of regret or surprise. “Lackaday” emerged in the 17th century as a shortening of the phrase “alack the day” or “alack-a-day” — “alack” is a Middle English word to express sorrow or regret.
“Lackadaisical” and “lackaday” are related, although they have different definitions. In the 18th century, “lackadaisical” was derived from “lackaday” when it emerged as an adjective to describe people who were having a miserable day (those who cried “lackaday!”). Eventually, this “lack of enthusiasm” definition turned into “lazy.”
Noun: The act of throwing someone out of a window.
This has nothing to do with defense — it’s quite an offensive maneuver. Have you ever watched an action film where the bad guy is thrown from a window? That’s a classic case of “defenestration,” which is derived from the Latin word for “window,” fenestra. It was likely coined due to the events of May 21, 1618, which became known as the “Defenestration of Prague.” On that day, two Catholic deputies and a secretary were tossed out of a window by Protestant revolutionaries. Fortunately, they landed in piles of trash and survived, but the event marked the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War in Europe.
“Defenestration” maintains its political undertones today; another usage is for the dismissal of someone from a political party or authoritative office, as in, “They discussed the defenestration of corrupt judges.”
Adjective: Having an extremely offensive smell.
When reading this word, your brain likely connects “noisome” to “noisy.” However, this term relates to the sense of smell, not hearing. “Noisome” originated in Middle English from “noy,” a shortened version of “annoy,” which makes sense because foul odors are indeed annoying. It can also be used to describe something as “disagreeable or unpleasant,” as in, “She made a noisome remark about the long ceremony.”
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