We wish our readers a joyous and peaceful new year!

This week’s theme
New words

This week’s words
nutation
noodly
pneumic
nouveau

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(NOO-voh, noo-VOH)

MEANING:

adjective: New.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French nouveau (new), from Latin novus (new). Earliest documented use: 1828.

NOTES:

In French, nouveau simply means new, as in Nouvel An (New Year). A language rarely borrows a word as a pure synonym. In English it often carries a faintly dismissive tone, suggesting a lack of pedigree. It appears most often in compounds such as nouveau riche and nouveau pauvre.

USAGE:

“The emergence of a nouveau privileged class comes with newfound anxieties about establishing a legacy, as we’ve seen demonstrated by billionaires adopting science-fiction measures to ensure their longevity.”
Sable Yong; What Would You Pay to Smell Like One in Eight Billion?; Marie Claire (New York); 2025.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: