Is the word "lark," meaning a frolic, related to the lively bird, the lark?

Sorry. The frolic "lark" derives from the dialect verb "lake," to sport, while the bird "lark" comes from the Old English word for this type of bird, "lawerce."

Do you know which three of the following etymologies are authentic?

1. The verb "fawn," meaning to make a fuss over someone, derives from the term for a young deer.

2. A "coach" is so called because he or she carries athletes along, just as a coach carries its passengers.

3. A "prude" is so called because he or she is "prudent" in sexual matters.

4. A verbal "toast" is so called because people once dunked toasted bread into their drinks.

5. The dog known as a "husky" is so called because its physique is "husky" -- burly, large.

6. Foot soldiers are called "infantry" because they are young, like infants.

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1. False. "Fawn," meaning to seek favor by showing exaggerated attention, comes from the Old English "fagnian," to rejoice. "Fawn," meaning a young deer, derives from the Latin "fetus," offspring.

2. True. "Coach," meaning the horse-drawn carriage, is derived from a place in Hungary called "Kocs" where such vehicles were once made. Because academic tutors were seen as conveying their students through exams, these instructors came to be called "coaches," and so "coach" became a general term for someone who teaches or trains others.

3. False. "Prude" comes from the Old French "prode femme," good woman, while "prudent" comes from the Latin "prudens," a contraction of "providens," acting with foresight.

4. True. In England during the 1100s, people often dipped or crumbled spiced toast into their ale or wine to enhance its flavor. Soon people started paying tribute to others by saying that their presence enhanced the taste of drinks, and eventually such a salutation became known as a "toast."

5. False. The dog "husky" is a shortening of the Algonquian "Huskemaw," the same word that gives us "Eskimo." No one knows where the burly "husky" comes from, but it may be related to "husk," the outer covering of various seeds and fruits.

6. True. In Latin, the adjective "infans" meant "incapable of speech," and the Latin noun "infans" meant a very young child. In English, "infant" came to mean a boy. During medieval times, many foot soldiers were boys, so these troops became known as "infantry."

The word "diction," which derives from the Latin verb "dicere," to speak, has two common but quite different meanings in English.

"Diction" can refer to the nature of someone's oral speech -- enunciation, pronunciation and articulation. Picture 12-year-old Hayley Mills balancing a book on her head while a prim Victorian lady teaches her to articulate every syllable of "indubitably."

But "diction" can also refer to a writer's choice of words or range of vocabulary. Literary critics refer, for instance, to "Shakespearean diction," "the diction of Yeats" or, if they're being really playful, "the diction of dickering in Dickens" -- "I'll give you eight shillings for this lot, and not another sixpence!"

It's this latter definition of "diction" that gives us the word "dictionary" (a place where a wide range of words is stored). One way to invigorate your writing is to improve your diction; that is, to replace overused, vague terms with words that are sharp, fresh and specific. And that's where a dictionary or a thesaurus can come in handy.

Some of the dullest, rustiest blades are tired, all-purpose verbs: "bring," "go," "put," "affect," "use," "have," "hold," "make," "get," "do." Each of the following sentences contains a form of one of these verbs. Can you replace it with a razor-sharp stiletto of a word to enliven the story of Martha, the new CEO?

1. When Martha first arrived, no one knew what changes she would BRING.

2. She ignored the way the company had GONE in the past.

3. She PUT her attention on the employees.

4. Her optimism AFFECTED all the employees.

5. Martha knew how to USE power.

6. She HAD confidence, courage and commitment.

7. She HELD several meetings with the employees.

8. She MADE many improvements in the company.

9. She was able to GET employees to excel.

10. The employees appreciated what she had DONE.

Replacements (alternative verb choices in parenthesis):

1. introduce (implement, initiate) 2. performed (proceeded, operated) 3. focused (concentrated, fixed). 4. inspired (uplifted, animated) 5. wield (brandish, manage) 6. exuded (embodied, exemplified) 7. convened (called, organized) 8. implemented (introduced, initiated) 9. motivate (inspire, stimulate) 10. accomplished (achieved, attained)

canorous \kuh-NOR-us; KAN-or-uhs\ (adjective) - Richly melodious; pleasant sounding; musical.

"Even the most horrible of news was easier to take when delivered in the dulcet tones of Martin's canorous voice."

Canorous comes from the Latin canor, "melody," from canere, "to sing." It is related to chant, from French chanter, "to sing," ultimately from Latin canere.

circumlocution \sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn\ (noun) - The use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language.

"It seemed that all of the new management team were fans of circumlocution, as they rarely said anything succinctly and clearly intended their memos to obfuscate and intimdate."

Circumlocution comes from Latin circumlocutio, circumlocution-, from circum, "around" + loquor, loqui, "to speak."

numinous \NOO-min-us; NYOO-\ (adjective) - 1 : Of or pertaining to a numen; supernatural. 2 : Indicating or suggesting the presence of a god; divine; holy. 3 : Inspiring awe and reverence; spiritual.

"Frank was fond of pointing out that, while our culture was not much concerned with the numinous, in our language we preserve many of the marks of a culture that is."

Numinous is from Latin numen: literally a "nod of the head," as in giving a command, hence "divine power."

Today's Word "plaintive"

plaintive \PLAYN-tiv\ (adjective) - Expressive of sorrow or melancholy; mournful; sad.

"The treed cat's plaintive cries kept Francis awake all night."

Plaintive derives from Old French plainte, "complaint," from Latin planctus, past participle of plangere, "to strike (one's breast), to lament."

Today's Word "surreptitious"

surreptitious \suhr-uhp-TISH-uhs; suh-rep-\ (adjective) - 1 : Done, made, or gotten by stealth. 2 : Acting with or marked by stealth.

"The company's surreptitious activities regarding its retirement plan, once discovered, were a cause for great concern amongst all the employees."

Surreptitious comes from Latin surrepticius, "stolen, secret, surreptitious," from surripere, "to take away secretly; to steal," from sub-, "under" + rapere, "to seize, to snatch."

Today's Word "supposititious"

supposititious \suh-poz-uh-TISH-uhs\ (adjective) - 1 : Fraudulently substituted for something else; not being what it purports to be; not genuine; spurious; counterfeit. 2 : Hypothetical; supposed.

"When it was revealed that the mouse the couple had claimed to find in their soup was supposititious it was thought they would necessarily withdraw their claim."

Supposititious is from Latin suppositicius, from suppositus, past participle of supponere, "to put under, to substitute," from sub-, "under" + ponere, "to put." It is related to suppose.

Today's Word "tetchy"

tetchy \TECH-ee\ (adjective) - Peevish; testy; irritable.

"Alfred's tetchy and combative personality made him a difficult person to share an office with."

Tetchy probably comes from Middle English tecche, "a bad habit," from Old French tache, teche, "a spot, stain, blemish, habit, vice."

preponderate \prih-PON-duh-rayt\ (intransitive verb) - 1 : To exceed in weight. 2 : To incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; to be weighed down. 3 : To exceed in influence, power, importance, number, amount, etc.

"As John was quick to point out, random acts of kindness still tended preponderate over acts of incivility or nastiness."

Preponderate comes from the past participle of Latin praeponderare, "to weigh more, to exceed in weight," from prae, "before" + ponderare, "to weigh," from pondus, ponderis, "a weight."

preponderate \prih-PON-duh-rayt\ (intransitive verb) - 1 : To exceed in weight. 2 : To incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; to be weighed down. 3 : To exceed in influence, power, importance, number, amount, etc.

"As John was quick to point out, random acts of kindness still tended preponderate over acts of incivility or nastiness."

Preponderate comes from the past participle of Latin praeponderare, "to weigh more, to exceed in weight," from prae, "before" + ponderare, "to weigh," from pondus, ponderis, "a weight."

pule \PYOOL\ (intransitive verb) - To whimper; to whine.

"Darla's fretting and puling over her missing feline were such that she was banished to the furthest, most sound-proofed room in the domicile."

Pule is perhaps from French piauler, "to whine, to pule," ultimately of imitative origin.

dudgeon \DUH-juhn\ (noun) - A state or fit of intense indignation; resentment; ill humor -- often used in the phrase "in high dudgeon."

"Clarice had managed to work herself into a high dudgeon over the pet peeves and pecadillos of her latest beau."

The origin of dudgeon is unknown.

quotidian \kwoh-TID-ee-uhn\ (adjective) - 1 : Occurring or returning daily; as, a quotidian fever. 2 : Of an everyday character; ordinary; commonplace.

"Aline's sense of fun was typically crushed under the dull, quotidian beats of her routine suburban life."

Quotidian is from Latin quotidianus, from quotidie, "daily," from quotus, "how many, as many, so many" + dies, "day."

loquacious \loh-KWAY-shuhs\ (adjective) - 1 : Very talkative. 2 : Full of excessive talk; wordy.

"The meeting went on for hours, accommodating loquacious bores who were each allowed their say, although in the end very little to nothing was accomplished."

Loquacious comes from Latin loquax, "talkative," from loqui, "to speak."

Rhonda Kane of Cedar Park, Texas, writes to ask whether the word "news" is an acronym for "North-East-West-South."

Because the information we call "news" comes from all directions, this "weathervane" explanation might make sense. But in fact, "news" is simply a plural noun based on the adjective "new."

True, we don't speak of a single item of fresh information as "a new," but "news" has been used since the 1300s to refer collectively to reports of recent events.

Similar shifts from adjective to plural noun, with no accompanying formation of a singular noun, do occur in English. For instance, we can have the hots for someone, but we never speak of "a hot." We can kayak with that hottie on the rapids, but never on "a rapid," and when he or she rejects us, we have the blues, though we never experience "a blue."

"News" is just one of several words erroneously thought to be acronyms:

-- Tip -- This term for a gratuity comes not from "To Insure Promptness," but possibly from "stipend" or "tipple" (because drinkers tip generously) or "tap" (a light blow or touch).

-- Gorp -- The name of this hikers' snack of raisins, nuts and dried fruit isn't an acronym for "Good Old Raisins and Peanuts." It most likely derives from "gorp" (to wolf down) and "gorper" (a voracious eater).

-- Cop -- Derived from neither "Constable on Patrol" nor the copper buttons on a police officer's coat, "cop" is taken from the verb "cop," meaning to catch or nab, as in "to cop a thief."

-- Posh -- The story goes that round-trip tickets for first-class passengers on steamships traveling from England to India via the Suez Canal were stamped "P.O.S.H." for "Port Out, Starboard Home." This designation supposedly guaranteed a cabin on the cooler, northern side of the ship for both the outward and homeward voyages. Because of this association with elegant accommodations, "posh" came to mean fashionable or swanky.

It's a delightful tale, but there's absolutely no evidence to support it. Searches of steamship company records have produced no reference to this practice, and no ticket stamped "P.O.S.H." has ever surfaced, even in the Suez Canal.

It's more likely that the modern meaning of "posh" evolved from the word's earlier meanings of a dandy or money, but the origins of this word, first used in print in 1918, remain obscure.

temerarious \tem-uh-RAIR-ee-uhs\ (adjective) - Recklessly or presumptuously daring; rash.

"I have confessed myself a temerarious theologian, and in that passage from boyhood to manhood I ranged widely in my search for some permanently satisfying Truth." -- H. G. Wells, The New Machiavelli

Temerarious comes from Latin temerarius, "rash," from temere, "rashly, heedlessly."

exigent \EK-suh-juhnt\ (adjective) - 1 : Requiring immediate aid or action; pressing; critical. 2 : Requiring much effort or expense; demanding; exacting.

"Contrary to what Sloan had considered during the campaign, as a Congressman legislative sessions were long, constituents' demands exigent, and policy problems were increasingly complicated."

Exigent is derived from the present participle of Latin exigere, "to demand."

traduce \truh-DOOS; -DYOOS\ (transitive verb) - To expose to contempt or shame by means of false statements or misrepresentation; to represent as blamable; to vilify.

"In his idle moments, Henry would wonder whether those who traduce today's television had any conception just how much of it was actually worth watching even for those with college educations."

Traduce derives from Latin traducere, "to lead across, to lead along, to display, to expose to ridicule," from trans-, "across, over" + ducere, "to lead."

contrite \KON-tryt; kuhn-TRYT\ (adjective) - 1 : Deeply affected with grief and regret for having done wrong; penitent; as, "a contrite sinner." 2 : Expressing or arising from contrition; as, "contrite words."

"Often he'd look contrite and even apologize, later sending her roses and violets, even a bad poem."

Contrite derives from Latin conterere, "to rub away, to grind," hence "to obliterate, to abase," from con- + terere, "to rub, to rub away."

adage \AD-ij\ (noun) - An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb.

"We may find out too late the wisdom of the adage that cautions us to be careful what we wish for lest we get it."

Adage derives from the Latin adagium (akin to aio, "I say").

castigate \KAS-tuh-gayt\ (transitive verb) - To punish severely; also, to chastise verbally; to rebuke; to criticize severely.

"Though castigated by the administration, Professor Thompson continued to teach his theories to an ever-increasing classroom population."

Castigate comes from Latin castigare, "to purify, to correct, to punish," from castus, "pure."

The Word Guy: Coughing Up Some Word Origins

It's flu season, so if you're feeling a little under the weather, knowing the origin of the term for your affliction might perk you up. Then again, maybe not.

Influenza: "My stars!" you might declare during a particularly nasty bout of the flu. And, etymologically speaking, you'd be correct, for the word "influenza" comes from the stars.

In medieval Latin, "influencia" meant a liquid or flow emanating from the stars, and this fluid was believed to control human affairs.

When "influencia" became "influenza" in Italian, its meaning narrowed to any epidemic or sickness attributed to the stars, so diseases were referred to as "influenzas." During the early 1800s, people started clipping the word "influenza" to "flu."

Croup: If you have the croup, you're likely to have a loud, sharp cough. And the word "croup" originated as an imitation of the metallic sound of that cough -- "croup ... croup, croup, croup!"

"Croup," which first appeared as a dialectical term in southeastern Scotland during the 1700s, gained wider currency when Prof. Francis Home of Edinburgh used it in a 1765 article about the disease.

Grippe: This French word for influenza entered English in 1776. It's derived from the French "gripper," meaning to grasp or hook, and supposedly refers to the tightening of the throat felt by people in the grip of this disease.

The word "grippe" proved as contagious as the disease. It spread from French to other European languages after an influenza epidemic during the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

It even shows up in the first scene of Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace," set in 1805: "Anna Pavlovna ... was, as she said, suffering from la grippe; grippe being then a new word in St. Petersburg, used only by the elite."

Virus: In Latin, "virus" was pretty much a general term for everything icky -- from poison to the sap of plants to slimy liquid. When "virus" first infected English during the 1300s, it meant a venomous substance.

The medical meaning of "virus" as a poisonous substance or agent that causes an infectious disease first appeared during the early 1700s, while its first use to mean a disease infecting computers appeared in &G#K&X@ ... er, 1972.

Today's Word "nugatory"

nugatory \NOO-guh-tor-ee; NYOO-\ (adjective) - 1 : Trifling; insignificant; inconsequential. 2 : Having no force; inoperative; ineffectual.

"Mohinder's offense was no offense, or an error so nugatory as to demand no more than the lightest of sentences."

Nugatory comes from Latin nugatorius, from nugari, "to trifle," from nugae, "jests, trifles."

Today's Word "truckle"

truckle \TRUHK-uhl\ (intransitive verb) - To yield or bend obsequiously to the will of another; to act in a subservient manner.

"While Janice struggled to be obedient to the conventional values of her father, at the same time she worked to maintain her own playful, creative innocence, and the conflict made her truckle in the face of power."

Truckle is from truckle in truckle bed (a low bed on wheels that may be pushed under another bed; also called a trundle bed), in reference to the fact that the truckle bed on which the pupil slept was rolled under the large bed of the master. The ultimate source of the word is Greek trokhos, "a wheel."

today's Word "dilettante"

dilettante \DIL-uh-tont; dil-uh-TONT; dil-uh-TON-tee; -TANT; -TAN-tee\ (noun) - 1 : An amateur or dabbler; especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge sporadically, superficially, or for amusement only. 2 : An admirer or lover of the fine arts.

(adjective) - 1 : Of or characteristic of a dilettante; amateurish.

"Jack's writings began as a little more than a schoolboy's jottings for the amusement of classmates and continued into adulthood, although he described his youthful work as the mere musings of a dilettante."

Dilettante comes from the present participle of Italian delittare, "to delight," from Latin delectare, "to delight," frequentative of delicere, "to allure," from de- + lacere, "to entice."

Today's Word "bootless"

bootless \BOOT-lis\ (adjective) - Unavailing; useless; without advantage or benefit.

"I have seen a swan
With bootless labour swim against the tide."
-- Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part III

Bootless is from Old English bot, "advantage, profit" + -less, from Old English from leas, "without."

day's Word "ribald"

ribald \RIB-uhld; RY-bawld\ (adjective) - Characterized by or given to vulgar humor; coarse.

(noun) - A ribald person; a lewd fellow.

"The play's most memorable character delights you with his own delight in his silly, ribald jokes (most of which are unprintable here)."

Ribald derives from Old French ribaud, from riber, "to be wanton," from Old High German riban, "to be amorous" (originally, "to rub").