David Zapatka Reader and pickleball player Cindy Schwarzkopf wrote, “I am with SunBird Hikers, and we went to the Copper Mine tour at Bisbee. Very, very interesting story. It was incredible! I was reminded of the word ‘slavering’ from reading Wuthering Heights, which was written in the mid-1800s and is probably now an archived word.…
Tag: word of the month
Card Games & Sports, March 2026
Word of the Month: Kairotic
David Zapatka Reader Kim Park wrote, “reading in the Religion & Liberty magazine published by the Acton Institute, the word ‘kairotic’ appeared in a striking historical observation. In the article The Gospel According to Silicon Valley by Dan Churchwell and A. Trevor Sutton, the authors wrote: ‘Thus the burgeoning technology of the printing press found…
February 2026, Community News
Word of the Month: Meliorist
David Zapatka Reader, friend and fellow bridge player, Maria, writes, “Hi Dave. I came across this word while reading The Road to Character by David Brooks. He was describing the life and writing of George Eliot. ‘She was a meliorist and a gradualist, believing that people and society were best reformed by slow stretching, not…
January 2026, Community News
Word of the Month: Quotidian
David Zapatka While reading in the October Mensa Bulletin, member and contributor Ruth said she loved watching old monster movies and said, “I preferred all these monsters to quotidian life.” Quotidian: kwoh-TID-ee-uhn, adjective, 1. Occurring daily; happening every day 2. Ordinary or everyday, especially when mundane or trivial 3. (Medical) Recurring every day, particularly referring…
December 2025, Community News
Word of the Month: Contronym (Continued!)
David Zapatka Reader JoAnn Weston writes about the October 2025 WOTM column, “Hello David. Here is another contronym for your list: “Bound,” meaning to leap, but also the opposite, tied up. I enjoy your column, very clever! Oh, another one—“Leave” meaning to go and to remain!” In serendipitous fashion, friend and fellow verbivore, Richard Lederer,…
October 2025, Clubs & Classes
Word of the Month: Contronym
David Zapatka Reader, friend, and bridge player, Maria Davis, writes, “I ran across a word that was new for me today: ‘contronym’, a word that can have opposite meanings, like sanction or oversight. I ran across it playing a New York Times free online game called Connections—a fun daily quiz. A quick Google search turned…
September 2025, Community News
Word of the Month: Corrival
David Zapatka Longtime friend, wordsmith, and fellow verbivore Bill Lewis recently sent me a summary of the Missouri State Games table tennis results where he presides as the grand master tournament director. He writes, “In a Johnny Quest race for first place in the Under 2100 division, there were 12 hardy corrivals.” Corrival—cor·ri·val noun 1:…
August 2025, Community News
Word of the Month: Balkanization
David Zapatka This comment was printed in a recent news article: “Taleblu warned against Western attempts to divide the country. ‘The way to unite the Iranian population is not to talk about balkanization,’ he said. ‘That would be an own goal of moral and strategic proportions.’” Balkanize—bal·kan·ize verb 1: to break up (a region, a…
July 2025, Community News
Word of the Month: Cudgel
David Zapatka Friend and fellow bridge player, Susan, writes, “I recently read a new word, ‘cudgel.’ Would you research this word for your column?” Cudgel—cud·gel noun: A short, thick stick used as a weapon. verb: To strike or beat with a cudgel; metaphorically, to forcefully apply or exert something, such as pressure or influence Origin…
June 2025, Community News
Word of the Month: Opacarophile
David Zapatka Friend and pickleball player Natasha Thompson is a scuba and sunset enthusiast who writes, “loves me some sunsets. Do you know this one, “opacarophile?” Opacarophile—oh-pah-car-oh-fiel noun: an individual who cherishes sunsets, often seeking them out to enjoy the tranquil and colorful transition from day to night. This term reflects a deep affection for…