Layette

Layette (ley-ET) is an outfit of clothing, bedding, etc. for a newborn baby.

This is my first time to encounter such a word as layette although I have seen many a set of clothing for newborn babies before I just didn't know that they were called layette. Well, now I know!

Makebate

Makebate (MEYK-beyt) is a person who causes contention or discord.

"Are you a makebate? Because some people are just who they are - makebates, prone to get involved in any heated argument, in dispute, in a strife, in a quarrel. Is it because they are argumentative, egoistic or just defending their values and principles?  I can't say but I am sure that makebates can't handle discussions or criticisms really well".

Terpsichorean

Terpsichorean (turp-si-kuh-REE-uhn) pertains to dancing or a dancer

The word terpsichorean comes from the name of the Greek muse of dancing, Terpischore. The word is a combination of the Greek terpein, "to delight", and khoros, "chorus".

"The members of the Sining Kambayoka are agile, flexible, and creative. They're terpsichorean"!

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (uh-SIN-di-ton) is 

• the omission of conjunctions, as in "He has provided the poor with jobs, with opportunity, with respect."
• the omission of cross references, especially from a catalog

Asyndeton comes from the Greek roots a + syndetos literally meaning "not bound together".

Gorgonize

Gorgonize (GAWR-guh-nayhz) means to affect as a Gorgon; hypnotize; petrify

Gorgons were ancient Greek mythological figures. They were three sister monsters commonly represented as having snakes for hair, wings, and brazen claws. Their eyes turned anyone looking into them to stone. Thus, to gorgonize someone is to turn them into stone.

"If King Midas turns everything he touches into gold, Gorgons turn everyone who stares at them stone. And since to gorgonize means to hypnotize, I guess not one eye can escape from the Gorgons." 

Fen

Fen is a low land covered wholly or partially with water; boggy land; a marsh

"The word fen is a very usual word in scrabble and admittedly many players put this word on the board without even knowing what it is. Well, do you?"

Poniard

Poniard (PON-yerd) is a small, slender dagger; to stab with a poniard.

Poniard comes from the Latin word, pungus, meaning "fist". The Old French word poignal literally refers to something held by the fist.

"I could have reached for my poniard which my father had gifted me on my birthday and stabbed the assailant before he could attack me but I just couldn't grabbed it out from my boots.  I struggled only to wake up and found out I was all alone in my room."

Satrap

Satrap (SEY-trap) is

• a subordinate ruler, often a despotic one
• a governor of a province under the ancient Persian monarchy.

Satrap originated in the Old Persian from the literary prefix kshathrapavan, meaning "guardian of the realm".

"Datu Soliman governed the acres of land 500 miles from here for his brother, who had been ill for quite a long time. And since he is the satrap of that land he has to know everything about it including the neighboring lands."

Boustrophedon

Boustrophedon (boo-struh-FEED-n) 

• is an ancient method of writing in which the lines run alternately from right to left and from left to right.

Boustrophedon describes a snake-like motion in which a line of text doubles back on itself as it descends a page.

"I never heard of boustrophedon until now. I know how Chinese writes. I know how Arabs write. And of course, I know how the usual people right - from right to left and back to right to left. So I am wondering which ancient group of people used this method of writing."

Whinge

Whinge means to complain or to whine.

"Wanting to have children of your own is a choice, and for me, not a wise decision. And yet people who have children whinge about their children's behavior, demands, school performance, etc. I can't understand. They wanted children and now that they have them they complain about many things about them."

Velleity

Velleity (vuh-LEE-i-tee) is

• volition in its weakest form
• a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it

The word velleity stems from the Latin word "velle" meaning "to be willing".

"I've had heard people with so many wishes, things that they would like to happen and have in their lives yet I have never seen them exert an effort to have these wishes come true. Do they just pray over these wishes and hope they come true? Velleity is like a prayer to me. It doesn't do anything".

Primaveral

Primaveral (prahy-muh-VEER-uhl) pertains to the early springtime.

The word primaveral hails from the Latin word prima vera, which literally means springtime. And this word shares with an Italian noodle dish, pasta primavera, pasta served with fresh vegetables.

"Okay so, the girls have primaveral excitement to visit The Valley of Flowers in April and take note the different varieties they expect to find and see but unfortunately the road up there doesn't open until June. Too bad huh!".

Feuilleton

Feuilleton (FOI-i-tn) is 

• a part of a European newspaper devoted to light literature, fiction or criticism. 
• It also refers to an item printed in the feuilleton.

"I assume that anyone who knows what feuilleton means also knows which page of a European newspaper it is found and what items are written there."

Sward

Sward (swawrd), both noun and verb, is the grassy surface of land; turf

• the outer layer of the earth where grass grows

The front lawn of our house in Philippines is sward with carabao grass. It's easy to grow, thick yet soft to stand on or sit upon.

Ouphe

Ouphe (Auf) is an elf, a goblin or a fairy. 

The Lord of the Ring has many ouphes, huh! Legolas looks attractive in his long white hair.

Spelunk

Spelunk (spi-LUHNGK) is to explore caves, especially as a hobby.

The word spelunk comes from the Latin word spelunca meaning "cave" or "cavern".

"Do you know anyone who spelunk?"

Codger

Codger (KOJ-er) is an eccentric man, especially an old one.

Codger is likely related to the word cadge meaning "to beg".

"While waiting for the officers' wives I got the opportunity to look around their area of residence and found one codger, sitting on the porch of one of the flats, alone and sad. He must be a relative!"

Marmoreal

Marmoreal is an adjective which means of or like marble.

Marmoreal comes from the Latin word marmoreus meaning "of marble".

Trousseau

Trousseau is an outfit of clothing, household linen, etc. for a bride.

The word comes from the Old French trousse meaning "bundle", which was used to describe a bundle of keys in 1200. Only in 1800's that it became to mean the clothes and linen of a bride.

So when a woman is about to marry, her relatives and friends have to present her a varied trousseau to choose from for her wedding? Is that it?

Scherzando

Scherzando (skert-SAHN-doh) means playful or sportive.

It comes from the Italian word scherzare meaning "to joke".