Though pixelated is the standard spelling of the word meaning rendered with visible pixels, there’s a good reason that spell check does not catch pixilated. Pixilated is an old, seldom-used Americanism dating from the middle of the 19th century and peaking (in this use) in the middle 20th century. ... Read more
Fabulist
Fabulist traditionally refers to someone who invents or tells fables. Aesop, for instance, is perhaps history's most famous fabulist. In recent popular usage, however, the word has gained at least two new senses, both especially common in the U.S. First, the word tends to refer to bold ... Read more
Bowdlerize
Henrietta and Thomas Bowdler were an English sister and brother who prepared and published an 1807 edition of Shakespeare's works that was meant to be appropriate for women and children and for families to read together. To accomplish this, they removed or changed many words, phrases, and passages ... Read more
Piecemeal
Piecemeal is (1) an adjective meaning done piece by piece, (2) an adverb meaning little by little, and (3) a noun denoting something done piecemeal or a piecemeal way of doing something. Piecemeal works as an adverb, so adverbial phrases such as in a piecemeal manner and in a piecemeal fashion ... Read more
Star-crossed
In the phrasal adjective star-crossed, cross carries the relatively rare sense to betray or thwart, and star refers to the astrological belief that stars guide people's destinies. So star-crossed means opposed by fate or destined to misfortune. The phrase apparently comes from a line in ... Read more
Invite (as a noun)
Although there is good cause to argue against the use of invite as a noun---mainly that we already have invitation, a perfectly good word---the assumption that this is a recent development is simply wrong. The Oxford English Dictionaries cites examples of invite as a noun from as long ago as ... Read more
Landlubber
Lubber is an old word (dating from the 14th century) meaning a clumsy or stupid person.1 This is its sense in the sailing term landlubber, which refers to an unseasoned sailor. The word alludes to what veteran sailors regard as new sailors' distinctive ineptitude at sea. See this passage from Herman ... Read more
Shanghai (as a verb)
To shanghai is (1) to kidnap someone for service as a sailor, especially by drugging them or using force; (2) to use fraud compel someone to do something; or (3) to kidnap. Inflected, the verb makes shanghaied and shanghaiing. The s is uncapitalized. The word developed in the middle 19th century ... Read more
Canard
Canard is French for duck, but even in French it has another rare sense: an extravagant or absurd story used to take advantage of someone. This is the meaning canard takes in English, and it's sometimes extended to mean, simply, an unfounded or false story or a groundless rumor. In political ... Read more
Grandfather (as a verb)
A grandfather clause is a provision in a law or contract that allows old rules to continue to apply in certain situations. The term originated in the U.S. during the late 19th century, when conservative lawmakers seeking to enact restrictive voting laws were forced to make exceptions for young ... Read more
