Category word meaning

Meaning: The word cornerstone corresponds to an important quality or feature on which a particular thing is based on or depends upon. It also denotes a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls.

 Origin: The word, also used as corner-stone, has been in use from late in the 13th Century. Originally used to refer to the “stone which lies at the corner of two walls and unites them,” it acquired the figurative sense of “that on which anything is founded.” The word is arrived at by combining the words ‘corner and ‘stone’.

In U.S. history, American politician Alexander H. Stephen’s Cornerstone speech that explains that Confederate constitution was given on March 21, 1861.

Even though the word has been around for centuries, it has risen in popularity again in the last 100 years or so.

Usage: Funds for the primary schooling system were the cornerstone of her budget proposal.

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Meaning: Row as a noun means a noisy quarrel or argument. When the term is used this way, it’s pronounced “rauv” which rhymes with “cow”.

Origin: Row in the sense of a noisy quarrel has been in use in English since the mid-18th Century. But the origin of this word taking on this meaning is said to be uncertain.

Usage: An ugly row broke out between the two players in front of the spectators.

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Meaning: This noun refers to a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph.

Origin: This word comes from the Latin word paian which was a hymn of thanksgiving addressed to Apollo. The first known use of paean in the English language can be traced back to 1589.

Usage: His retirement party featured many paeans for his long years of service to the company.

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Meaning: This noun refers to one who prepares and sells compounds for medicinal purposes.

Origin: In use since the mid-14th Century, its origin goes back to the Old French word apotecaire, in turn, from Late Latin apothecarius, meaning “storekeeper”. This is from Latin apotheca, meaning “storehouse”, from Greek the word apotheke, literally “a place where things are put away”.

Usage: They fell ill and sought the assistance of the local apothecary.

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Meaning: A noun, sepulchre refers to a place of burial or tomb

Origin: The use of the word traces back to the beginning of the 13th century. The Anglo-French word was originally spelled sepulcre and has its roots in Latin.

Usage: Among the many discoveries made at the site, the archaeologists also found unique artefacts in the sepulchre of the kings.

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Meaning: The word meltdown is used to denote a disastrous collapse or breakdown. It is also used to refer to an accident in a nuclear reactor in which the fuel overheats and melts the reactor core or shielding.

Origin: The word meltdown was arrived at by bringing the words “melt” and “down” in the 1630s. The word was used to refer to “an act or the process of melting metal” by 1922. By 1956, it was also used in reference to the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor. The metaphoric extension of the word to imply “breakdown in self-control” is attested since 1979.

Usage: The COVID-19 pandemic led to multiple major meltdowns in the global financial systems.

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