This week’s theme
No el

This week’s words
frowze
pipsqueak
gobmouthed
juvenescence
oxytonize

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(OK-si-tuh-nyz)

MEANING:

verb tr.: To make oxytone, that is, to put the stress on the last syllable.

ETYMOLOGY:

From oxytone, from Greek oxys (acute) + tonos (tone). Earliest documented use: 1887.

NOTES:

If there were any justice in the world, this word would put its stress where its mouth is and be pronounced as ok-si-tuh-NYZ. The universe, however, enjoys a good irony.

By placing this word on Fri, we’ve done our best to oxytonize the week (put the stress last). Here’s hoping your holidays keep the stress to a minimum.

USAGE:

“None of the accented words are oxytonized, but several have the antepenult emphasized.”
James P. Howley; The Beothucks or Red Indians; Cambridge University Press; 1915.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: