Wondrous Words Wednesday
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun. (Don’t forget to leave a link in your comment if you’re participating.)
All of my words for this week come from Secret Daughter by June Cross.
1. cheongsam – “My mother bought a green cheongsam with slits up to her thighs.”
A cheongsam is a dress of Southern Chinese origin with a slit skirt and a mandarin collar. (I’ve seen plenty of these, but never knew there was a name for them.)
2. riposte – “I discovered I had a peculiar talent for these ripostes, even though I would never have dared play the dozens on the streets of Atlantic City.”
A riposte is a retaliatory verbal sally.
3. opprobrium – “Several of my classmates provoked our collective opprobrium: those who chose to socialize exclusively with whites even though their skin, noses and hair dictated that they join us in the west side of the dining room.”
Opprobrium is something that brings disgrace.
What new words have you discovered lately?
Bermudaonion's Weblog 
I knew the first two but not the third. I’m not sure if I could work that one in a sentence.
OK, I had some trouble finding definitions this week, here’s my post (wanna help me?) http://wordlily.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/words-from-my-reading-10/
Your book sounds good based on your words.
You can find my words at Joyfully Retired.
I think you have to be pretty slender to wear a cheongsam. Me, I’m more the sari type! :–)
Great words this week! I didn’t know either of them(as usual ;)).
Here is my words.
You had a two-for-one post for me because I see another new word (to me) in the definition of #2. 🙂
What’s a “verbal sally”?
Here are my 3 words for the week.
Thanks!
Great words Kathy…I remember cheongsams from Shanghai Girls… My words are here:
http://jo-jolovestoread.blogspot.com/2009/06/wondrous-words-wednesday-june-17.html
What terrific new words you’ve learned this past week! I think I’d have had to pull out my dictionary on those ones too.
Whoo-hoo, I knew all your words this week!
My post is here:
http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2009/06/wondrous-words-wednesday-june-17.html
I chose some interesting vocabulary from a book I recently finished about the tattoo industry. My words are
Sometimes I wonder if the author’s making a word up, and if I came across “cheongsam,” that’d definitely be one of those “They made that up” words.
Darn! Something went wrong with my link. Let’s try again: my words are here.
All of your words were new to me this week.
Here are mine: http://mercysnumber1fan.blogspot.com/2009/06/wonderous-words-wednesday-5.html
Good words. I only knew riposte.
Mine are up: http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/wondrous-words-wednesday-13/
I only knew cheongsam but I loved reading the others too….great vocab lesson!!
Great words this week; like you, I *know* the dress, I just didn’t know the correct name for it! Thanks for that.
Mine are up, here
Careful tho, the story title is a bit…risque’.
Hope everybody is enjoying their week!
Liked your words.
I liked opprobrium for some reason it sounds like a very nice way to say a negative word – disgrace.
Here is my Wondrous Words Musings:
http://ibeeeg.blogspot.com/2009/06/wondrous-words-wednesday-musings.html
Opprobrium is new to me. I didn’t find any unfamiliar words this week.
cheongsam- nice. i’m reading a book set in india and could do a whole post just from that book alone!
I actually purchased a cheongsam when I was on vacation once, but had no idea there was a specific name for it either. Cool beans.
I haven’t done any Wondrous Words this week, but now that I know about it, I’ll be participating next week for sure. 😀
a few that I found.
Opps! Let me try that again! Mine are
Will the third time be the charm? Try this one!
I’m gonna join in. Weds is gonna be busy. lol.
Great words. 🙂
Neither did I know cheongsam is the word for such a dress. I see it everywhere in the garments markets in my part of the world.
I’m joining WWW today. My entry is up.
http://delineatingdes.blogspot.com/2009/06/wondrous-words-wednesday-old-is-new.html
Cheers from Bangkok!