insuperable (adjective)
Something that is insuperable (in-SOO-puh-ruh-bul) cannot be surmounted or overcome. As used by J.R.R. Tolkien: “The original ‘Hobbit’ was never intended to have a sequel – Bilbo ‘remained very happy to the end of his days and those were extraordinarily long’: a sentence I find an almost insuperable obstacle to a satisfactory link.”
parvenu (noun)
A parvenu (PAR-vuh-noo) is someone who has suddenly gained wealth, influence, or celebrity but does not yet have the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it. As I used it today: “I don’t like this parvenu expression ‘speak to’ when its meaning is ‘speak about.’”
entropy (noun)
Entropy (EN-truh-pee) is the gradual, inevitable decline from order to disorder. As I used it today: “Entropy operates at every level and in every part of every business: customer service, production, fulfillment. Even sales and marketing.”
assiduous (adjective)
Assiduous (uh-SIJ-oo-us) means constant, persevering, industrious, attentive. As used by William Hurt: “Great risks come in long term, tremendously assiduous, very courageous study.”
balletomane (noun)
A balletomane (bah-LET-uh-mane) is a ballet enthusiast. Example from A Feather on the Breath of Godby Sigrid Nunez: “Balletomanes tend to be critical, their hates are as strong as their loves, and at intermission, listen: You’re as likely to hear them tearing a dancer down as praising her.”
flâneur (noun)
A flâneur (flah-NUR) is an idle man-about-town; a casual wanderer and observer of street life. Example from the Norton Museum of Art website: “From the 19th-century flâneur… to today’s social media networkers, the need to get a glimpse of famous or notorious personalities and the compulsion to be seen within an aura of celebrity and influence has driven – and been driven by – the graphic arts.”
vertiginous (adjective)
Something that’s vertiginous (ver-TIH-jih-nus) is unstable – marked by change that is so quick and/or frequent that it gives one the feeling of being disoriented, dizzy. As used by Rebecca Makkai in a NYT review of Spring by Ali Smith: “Is it possible, in this vertiginous moment, for a novel to be both timely and deep? Timeliness, these days, requires a quick trigger finger….”
audacious (adjective)
Audacious (aw-DAY-shus) means bold, daring, fearless. As I used it today: “I pick an audacious title – one that is likely to attract attention. Then I challenge myself to write something that measures up to it.”
sine qua non (noun)
Sine qua non (sih-NAY kwah NOWN) is Latin for “without which, not.” We use the term for something that is absolutely indispensable or essential. As I used it today: “The first of [life’s three essential skills] – thinking – is a sine qua non as far as being well educated is concerned.”
galumph (verb)
To galumph (guh-LUMF) – may be a blend of “gallop” and “triumph” – is to prance about in a clumsy, self-satisfied manner. This is one of many words coined by Lewis Carroll in the nonsense poem “Jabberwocky.” Here it is in the 5thstanza: “One, two! One, two! And through and through / The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! / He left it dead, and with its head / He went galumphing back.”