How can one say something is bad, disappointing, or undesirable in a perceptive way? Try some of the following words.
Catastrophe means utter failure. In the 16th century catastrophe referred to something that is not so bad. A catastrophe was the final action that completes the unraveling of the plot in a play, especially a tragedy. In 1567, George Turberuile wrote in The Heroycall Epistles of the Learned Poet Publius Ouidius Naso (translation), “and after the Catastrophe of this worldly Comedie, (wherein you play a statelye parte).”
By the early 17th century, catastrophe had taken on a more fateful meaning and would be used when describing some great calamity. Today the word has taken on a broadened meaning and may be found referring to failures of varying levels of dreadfulness. A catastrophe could describe unsuccessful dinner parties, trips with one's extended family, and fruitless attempts to fix the bathroom sink.
Nefandous means unfit to be spoken of. Nefandous is derived from the Latin fari, meaning to speak, plus ne (not). Benjamin Rudyerd said in Five Speeches in the High and Honourable Court of Parliament (1641), “The prophane superstitions, the abhominable Idolatryes, the filthy nefandous wickednesse of their lifes, did stink in Gods nostriles, did call downe for vengeance, for reformation.” The accounts of many war zone atrocities are filled with nefandous details of abuse and suffering.
The noun form, nefandum, was published in a 1669 sermon by Thomas Stephens, "to avoid this nefandum, this unheard of wickedness, a less mischief is imbraced.” However, no English dictionaries have recorded the word.
Putid means rotten or worthless. Putid is a reasonable short word whose sound matches its meaning. Putid comes from the Latin putere, meaning to stink or be rotten. “And the truth is (all things considered) it is a most putid and irrational thing, once to conceive, that any such thing was ever intended by our present Parliament in the imposing therof,” penned John Price in A Moderate Reply to the Citie-Remonstrance (1646). His putid actions had alienated him from his friends and family.
Putrid, related to putid, refers to the foul odor of decaying organic matter. Putrid is a more intense and specific version of what putid can describe.
Pessimum, in its scientific usage, means the least favorable environmental condition under which an organism can survive. Pessimum comes straight from the Latin. From the Register of Debates in Congress of 1828 comes, “Suppose that the British Government, instead of being anxious, as they are, to vomit forth the Lazaroni of Ireland—that wretched population who are reduced to the minimum, and the pessimum too, of human existence—to the potato, the whole potato, and nothing but the potato—was desirous of detaining them in Ireland … but would it be “inhuman” … to bring a number of these miserable beings to this country!”
Pessimum is the point at which your job is almost intolerable, but not quite bad enough that you quit.
Excrementitious means concerned with or caused by dung. The English language has a history of using words relating to excrement in figurative ways. Toby Allein in Truths Manifest Revived (1659) writes, “It would be also tedious and troublesome to enumerate the odious railings of excrementitious stuffe, that hath drop't from his venemous pen; and wherewith his Book is full fraught, unbeseeming any sober Christian, much more a Pastor of a congregation.”
Every once in a while colour your language with words that make people think.
Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to [email protected] . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
