Carolina Institute for Faith & Culture

Paul Schleifer The definition of maladroit from www.dictionary.com is “lacking in adroitness,” a definition which appears somewhat circular, but then it is followed up with several synonyms: “unskillful; awkward; bungling; […]

Paul Schleifer The definition of apex on www.dictionary.com reads more like a list of synonyms than an actual definition: “1. the tip, point, or vertex; summit. 2. climax; peak; acme.” […]

Paul Schleifer According to the Oxford English Dictionary, denouement means “Unravelling; spec. the final unravelling of the complications of a plot in a drama, novel, etc.; the catastrophe; transf. the […]

Paul Schleifer There are two definitions of platitude in the OED, and it is the second one which is the more familiar. The first is “The quality (esp. in speech […]

Paul Schleifer The first definition one finds in the OED for perspicacious is “keen, sharp; clear-sighted,” and then, “Chiefly fig.,” meaning that is used figuratively, not literally. The first sentence […]

Paul Schleifer According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ablution means the act of washing oneself. The OED further says that the English word has multiple origins, including Middle French ablucion, […]

Paul Schleifer According to the Oxford English Dictionary, choky is an English slang word for a prison. It also means a customs-house, or a toll station, or a station for […]

Paul Schleifer Decorum, according to dictionary.com, means 1. dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.; or 2. the quality or state of being decorous, or exhibiting such dignified propriety; orderliness; […]

Paul Schleifer According to etymonline.com, the word rotund comes into English around 1705 from the “Latin rotundus “rolling, round, circular, spherical, like a wheel,” from rota “wheel” (see rotary). Earlier […]

Paul Schleifer According to etymonline.com, progeny comes into English in the 14th century from Latin through French, but in a pretty unadulterated way. The 13th century French is progenie, and […]

Paul Schleifer Jocularity is a noun derived (using a derivational suffix) from the adjective jocular. Jocular, in turn, means “given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or […]

Paul Schleifer Pied is an adjective meaning “having patches of two or more colors, as various birds and other animals.” According to etymonline.com, the adjective enters the language in the […]