ext_147905 ([identity profile] prettygoodword.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] 1word1day2017-03-09 07:45 am
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Thursday word: quisquilian

quisquilian (kwiz-KWIL-ee-an) - adj., worthless, trivial, consisting of rubbish.


That last being the root sense -- for this is from Latin quisquiliae, trash/rubbish. Another 17th century Latinate borrowing, and I have to wonder whether it was by Sir Thomas Urquhart -- I mean, he would, if someone didn't grab it first. As one blog post helpfully points out, this is potentially useful for covert insults:

"My, what a quisquilian prom dress you have, dear."

---L.

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