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Jan 20, 2025
This week’s themeWords to describe people This week’s words 
The Daily Prophet, a newspaper in the Harry Potter universe
Image: Harry Potter Wiki Previous week’s theme Words with double lives 
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargEight billion people. That’s a lot of humanity -- and a lot of personality! Which is why I believe one can never have too many words, especially words to describe people. Sometimes a single word just won’t cut it when summing up someone’s essence. This week’s words might help. Who in your life, at work, or beyond fits one or more of these words? Share on our website or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Include your location (city, state). nefandous
PRONUNCIATION:
(nuh-FAN-duhs)
MEANING:
adjective: So wicked as to defy description: abominable, appalling.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin nefandus (wicked), from ne- (not) + fandus (to be spoken),
gerundive (verbal adjective) of fari (to speak). Earliest documented
use: 1649.
NOTES:
A synonym of today’s word is nefarious, but it’s from Latin fas (right, divine law) instead of fari (to speak).
USAGE:
“Does it not, then, fit such a man to a hair to call him nefandous? ...
Better kiss an asp or a viper; then the risk is a bite and a pain which
the doctor cures when you call him. But from the venom of your kiss,
who could approach victims or altars? What god would listen to one’s
prayer?” Lucian (Translation: H.W. Fowler and F.G Fowler); The Works of Lucian of Samosata; Oxford University Press; 1905. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Maybe every other American movie shouldn't be based on a comic book. Other
countries will think Americans live in an infantile fantasy land where
reality is whatever we say it is and every problem can be solved with
violence. -Bill Maher, comedian, actor, and writer (b. 20 Jan 1956)
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