Every day I eagerly await Fox News Channel's "The Factor" with Bill O'Reilly. There is never a dull moment in the show. Mr. O'Reilly's topics are always about interesting news and events that may impact our daily life.
The best part of the show for me is the #Factor Word of the Day. It is interesting to learn about a new word, how it is used and its etymology.
Allow me to share with you my love for languages and the latest group of words I have learned.
1. PECKSNIFFIAN
A word that came from the brilliant mind of Charles Dickens. It originally referred to a character is one of his books, Seth Pecksniffian who was a land surveyor.
By definition, the word Pecksniffian means "blatantly hypocritical," "self-righteous." People who are labeled as Pecksniffians put up a facade of having high moral principles, being benevolent and righteous. However, deep underneath, they are highly critical, mean and treacherous.
Sample sentence: "You know you're in trouble when a Pecksniffian smiles at you."
2. NUGATORY
The word "Nugatory" was first used in 1603, the origin of which is from the Latin word "nugatorius." Merriam Webster's online dictionary defines it as "of little or no consequence."
In modern day language, the word "Nugatory" would be similar to the words "invalid" or "non-binding." Practical applications of the word could be seen in legal documents pertaining to corporations and contracts.
Sample sentence: "The majority vote rendered the bill nugatory."
Credits:
http://www.billoreilly.com/factor-words-of-the-day
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nugatory
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