51吃瓜 of the Day
phlogiston
noun
a nonexistent chemical that, prior to the discovery of oxygen, was thought to be released during combustion.
More about phlogiston
Phlogiston 鈥渁 chemical once thought to be released during combustion鈥� is the neuter form of Ancient Greek 辫丑濒辞驳颈蝉迟贸蝉 鈥渋nflammable, burnt up,鈥� from the verb 辫丑濒辞驳铆锄别颈苍 鈥渢o set on fire.鈥� Relatives of 辫丑濒辞驳铆锄别颈苍 in English include phlegm (from 辫丑濒茅驳尘补 鈥渇lame鈥�) and phlox (from 辫丑濒贸虫 鈥渁 flame-colored plant鈥�). All these words ultimately come from a Proto-Indo-European root roughly meaning 鈥渢o burn, flash, shine鈥� that appears today in English words containing bl-, fl-, ful-, or phl-, depending on the language of origin. For more descendants in English from this rather productive root, check out our recent 51吃瓜s of the Day听effulgent,听Phlegethon, and trailblaze. Phlogiston was first recorded in English circa 1730.
how is phlogiston used?
The theory of phlogiston was not debunked until the 1770s, when Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier showed that combustion is a reaction with a gas鈥攐xygen. More than a century after that, it became possible to transmute one metal into another鈥攂ut using a nuclear reactor rather than a philosopher鈥檚 stone.
folklorico
adjective
containing, using, or performing Mexican folk dancing, especially a program or repertoire of such dances.
More about folklorico
Folklorico 鈥渃ontaining Mexican folk dancing鈥� is a borrowing of Spanish 蹿辞濒办濒贸谤颈肠辞 (note the acute accent) 鈥渇olkloristic,鈥� based on English folklore and the Spanish adjective-forming suffix -ico. Despite the similar pronunciations, English folk is not related to Latin vulgus 鈥渢he general public鈥� (as in English vulgar); instead, it may be distantly related to hoi polloi 鈥渢he common people鈥� (from Ancient Greek) and the recent 51吃瓜 of the Day plebeian (from Latin 辫濒脓产脓蝉 鈥渢he common people鈥�). Lore, meanwhile, is closely related to English learn, and both come from a Germanic root meaning 鈥渢o teach.鈥� Folklorico was first recorded in English in the early 1940s.
how is folklorico used?
As director, she trains children and teens in folklorico dance steps and choreography as well as ballet and yoga. The classes and training are designed to provide the dancers with a balance of exercises that maintain both their strength and their flexibility.
muffuletta
noun
a thick, round sandwich, typically containing ham, salami, and cheeses and topped with an olive salad, a specialty of New Orleans.
More about muffuletta
Muffuletta 鈥渁 thick, round deli sandwich from New Orleans鈥� comes from the Sicilian dialect of Italian, perhaps from standard Italian muffola 鈥渕颈迟迟别苍.鈥� Muffola, in turn, likely comes by way of French moufle from Medieval Latin muffula 鈥渢hick glove,鈥� which appears to also be the source of camouflage. One possible source of muffula is a compound of two Germanic roots鈥攐ne meaning 鈥渟leeve, something folded鈥� (compare English moue or mow 鈥渁 pouting grimace鈥�) and the other meaning 鈥渟kin鈥� (compare English fell 鈥渢he skin of an animal). Muffuletta was first recorded in English in the late 1960s, though the sandwich itself appears to date to the early 20th century.
how is muffuletta used?
One could fill an encyclopedia with the culinary delights on offer in this famously delicious city, but no visit to New Orleans is complete without partaking of a few classics: the city鈥檚 two most famous sandwiches, the muffuletta and the po鈥檅oy鈥�
We鈥檝e tried a ton of amazing sandwiches over the years, but the muffuletta reigns supreme鈥攊t is just impossibly good. You can find them all over Louisiana and increasingly in other parts of the country, though it鈥檚 still a regional standard.