As an antidote to all of the FEELINGS brought on by recent events, I've decided to resurrect my old hobby of blogging. I'm not sure that anyone reads blogs anymore. It's been 15 years since I've made a post on this vocabulary blog, but recent developments on social media are leading me to find different communication formats. 

I had selected a word for today, a word I thought would be a fitting restart to this blog, but a dear friend posted the following word on his social media today and I thought it much more appropriate. Thanks Tim!

NEFANDOUS

Pronunciation: (nuh-FAN-duhs)

Meaning

adjective: So wicked as to defy description: abominable, appalling.

Etymology:

From Latin nefandus (wicked), from ne- (not) + fandus (to be spoken), gerundive (verbal adjective) of fari (to speak). Earliest documented use: 1649.

Notes:

A synonym of today’s word is nefarious, but it’s from Latin fas (right, divine law) instead of fari (to speak).

Usage: 

“Does it not, then, fit such a man to a hair to call him nefandous? ... Better kiss an asp or a viper; then the risk is a bite and a pain which the doctor cures when you call him. But from the venom of your kiss, who could approach victims or altars? What god would listen to one’s prayer?”

Lucian (Translation: H.W. Fowler and F.G Fowler); The Works of Lucian of Samosata; Oxford University Press; 1905.

Stay tuned to increase your vocabulary. 

Clod

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Clod CLOD, n.
1. A hard lump of earth, of any kind; a mass of earth cohering.
2. A lump or mass of metal.
3. Turf; the ground.
4. That which is earthy, base and vile, as the body of man compared to his soul.
5. A dull, gross, stupid fellow; a dolt.
6. Any thing concreted.
CLOD, v.i. To collect into concretions, or a thick mass; to coagulate; as clodded gore.
[See Clot, which is more generally used.]
CLOD, v.t. To pelt with clods. clod


WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
clod n 1: a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder" [syn: ball, clod, glob, lump, clump, chunk] 2: an awkward stupid person [syn: lout, clod, stumblebum, goon, oaf, lubber, lummox, lump, gawk] clod

Viticulturist

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
viticulturist n 1: a cultivator of grape vine viticulturist

Chocoholic

chocoholic (chocoholics) A chocoholic is someone who eats a great deal of chocolate and finds it hard to stop themselves eating it. (INFORMAL) The Confectionery Warehouse is a chocoholic's dream. N-COUNT
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary

Devout

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Devout DEVOUT, a. [L. See Devote.]
1. Yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in religious exercises, particularly in prayer.
We must be constant and devout in the worship of God.
2. Pious; devoted to religion; religious.
Simeon was a just man and devout. Luke 2.
Devout men carried Stephen to his burial. Acts 8.
3. Expressing devotion or piety; as, with eyes devout.
4. Sincere; solemn; earnest; as, you have my devout wishes for your safety.
DEVOUT, n. A devotee. [Not used.] devout

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
devout adj 1: deeply religious; "a god-fearing and law-abiding people" H.L.Mencken [syn: devout, god-fearing] 2: earnest; "one's dearest wish"; "devout wishes for their success"; "heartfelt condolences" [syn: dear, devout, earnest, heartfelt] devout

Winnowed

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Winnowed WINNOWED, pp. Separated from the chaff by wind; sifted; examined. winnowed

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Winnew \Win"new\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Winnowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Winnowing.] [OE. windewen, winewen, AS. windwian; akin to Goth. winpjan (in comp.), winpi-skauro a fan, L. ventilare to fan, to winnow; cf. L. wannus a fan for winnowing, G. wanne, OHG. wanna. ????. See Wind moving air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.] 1. To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of wind; to fan; as, to winnow grain. Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor. --Ruth. iii. 2. 2. To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from truth; to separate, as had from good. Winnow well this thought, and you shall find This light as chaff that flies before the wind. --Dryden. 3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic] Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan Winnows the buxom air. --Milton.

Ingenious

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Ingenious INGE'NIOUS, a. [L. ingeniosus, from ingenium; in and genius, geno, gigno, to beget.
1. Possessed of genius, or the faculty of invention; hence, skillful or prompt to invent; having an aptitude to contrive, or to form new combinations of ideas; as an ingenious author; an ingenious mechanic.
The more ingenious men are, the more apt are they to trouble themselves.
2. Proceeding from genius or ingenuity; of curious design, structure or mechanism; as an ingenious performance of any kind; an ingenious scheme or plan; an ingenious model or machine; ingenious fabric; ingenious contrivance.
3. Witty; well formed; well adapted; as an ingenious reply.
4. Mental; intellectual. [Not used.] ingenious