Saturday, November 27, 2010

The word of the day is orotund:

[Shortened < classical Latin {omac}re rotund{omac} ORE ROTUNDO adv., perhaps after ROTUND adj.
  N.E.D. (1903) states that ‘This some have essayed to alter to ororotund, for ore- or orirotund’, apparently to reflect more closely its etymology. Evidence for these forms appears to be lacking except in the compounds OROROTUNDITY n. and OROROTUNDOISM n., the latter suggesting an altered form ororotundo.
    A. adj.    Originally (of a voice, speaker, or utterance): imposing, clear, resonant; such as is suited to public speaking, reading, or recitation. Now freq. in contemptuous use: inflated, bombastic; pompous, magniloquent.  (OED)

"Robert (Patrick Stewart), an orotund veteran, swaps tales and advice with John (T. R. Knight), his up-and-coming, youthful cohort."

 - John Lahr, "Screaming Me-Mes: David Hirson and David Mamet on life in the theatre", 25 October 2010 The New Yorker

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