Wondrous Words Wednesday

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading.  If you want to play along, grab the button, and join the fun!  (Don’t forget to leave a link in the comments if you’re participating.)

My first word this week comes from The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker.

1. physiognomy – “Wheras Serena Jane possessed the limbs and features of a vain little pixie, my physiognomy brought to mind the heaviest and roundest of objects – a cannonball, perhaps.”

Physiognomy means the art of discovering temperament and character from outward appearance.  In other words, it means judging a book by its cover.

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The rest of my words this week came from my nifty Word-a-Day calendar that Santa Claus brought me.  This calendar gives the definition, uses the word in the sentence and gives some interesting facts.

2. yashmak – “Even though the rest of her face was covered by a yashmak, I could tell by her eyes that she was displeased.”

A yashmak is a veil worn by Muslim women that is wrapped around the upper and lower parts of the face so that only the eyes remain exposed to public view.

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3. quaggy– “The alluring creeks and guts that cut through the quaggy archipelago are littered with too much manmade detritus.” (The quote is from the August 20, 2006 edition of the Balitmore Sun.)

Quaggy is related to quagmire and means marshy or flabby.

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What new words have you encountered lately?