51吃瓜 of the Day
rangoli
noun
a traditional Hindu decoration on a floor or other flat surface usually made of powder, such as colored or dyed sand, chalk, crushed limestone, or rice flour.
More about rangoli
Rangoli, 鈥渁 traditional Hindu decoration made of powder produced on a flat surface,鈥� is adapted from 谤茫驳辞岣纺� in Marathi, a language native to central and western India with over 90 million speakers. Numerous languages of the Indian subcontinent inherit much of their vocabulary from the classical language Sanskrit, and Marathi is no exception. In this way, 谤茫驳辞岣纺� comes from Sanskrit 谤补峁単补 鈥渃olor鈥� combined with 腻惫补濒颈 鈥渓颈苍别.鈥� Rangoli was first recorded in English in the early 1880s.
EXAMPLE OF RANGOLI USED IN A SENTENCE
The community came together to create a vibrant rangoli on the stone floor of the library鈥檚 lobby.
pandiculation
noun
the act of stretching oneself, especially on waking.
Why the Museum of Science chose pandiculation
Pandiculation has been observed in most vertebrates, cold and warm-blooded. To find out more about pandiculation, watch this video from science communicator Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D.
Learn more fun facts .
More about pandiculation
Pandiculation, 鈥渢he act of stretching oneself,鈥� comes from the Latin verb 辫补苍诲颈肠耻濒腻谤墨, 鈥渢o stretch, grimace,鈥� which derives from pandere, 鈥渢o spread out, extend.鈥� Pandere has three stems in English: pand-, pans-, and pass-. We can find pand- and pans- in expand and expansion, while pass- appears in compass and passport. Unfortunately, pandiculation is not related to panda, which was borrowed from one of the languages spoken in Nepal. Pandiculation entered English in the early 17th century.
EXAMPLE OF PANDICULATION USED IN A SENTENCE
After a long session of pandiculation, the bleary-eyed panda rose and set off in search of breakfast.
More about strigiform
Strigiform, 鈥渙f or pertaining to owls,鈥� is based on Latin strix (stem strig-), 鈥�screech owl,鈥� which comes from Ancient Greek 蝉迟谤铆虫, 鈥渙wl,鈥� of uncertain origin. 厂迟谤铆虫 is one of several Ancient Greek words for 鈥渙wl鈥� (compare scops owl) that are likely of pre-Greek origin, coming from a long-lost language of the eastern Mediterranean. For another example of a pre-Greek word, check out the 51吃瓜 of the Day dithyrambic. 厂迟谤铆虫 also gives rise to Latin striga, which has a variety of macabre senses, from 鈥渆vil spirit鈥� to 鈥渧ampire鈥� to 鈥渨itch.鈥� Strigiform was first recorded in English in the late 1870s.
EXAMPLE OF STRIGIFORM USED IN A SENTENCE
In the fresco, Athena appears surrounded by wide-eyed strigiform figures, probably to underscore her association with wisdom.