- Today's Word
Quilluminar
[kwil-loo-muh-nar]
Definition
- (verb) This inventive term combines “quill,” representing a writing implement, with “luminary,” signifying a person who inspires or influences others. It’s used to describe the act of creatively inspiring or illuminating through the written word.
Example
Picture an author whose words not only captivate readers but also inspire a sense of enlightenment and creativity. It’s not just writing; it’s a Quilluminar. You might say, “Her latest novel doesn’t just tell a story; it Quilluminates. The way she weaves words is truly inspiring and thought-provoking.”
Fun Fact
“Quill” represents a writing implement, often associated with creativity and literature, while “luminary” signifies a person who inspires or influences others, often associated with enlightenment. “Quilluminar” creatively combines these concepts to celebrate the act of creatively inspiring through the written word.
(adjective) Excessively smooth and flattering in a way that feels insincere; oily in manner or speech.
The unctuous sales manager greeted every client with the same practiced warmth — hand on the shoulder, lingering eye contact, a laugh perfectly timed to make you feel chosen — until you realized he did it with everyone.
Unctuous derives from the Medieval Latin unctuosus, meaning “greasy” or “oily,” rooted in unctum — “ointment” — from ungere, meaning “to anoint.” The same root gives us unguent and unction, the latter still used in religious contexts to describe the act of anointing with oil. It entered English in the 14th century with its literal meaning of oily or greasy texture before acquiring its figurative sense of someone whose excessive smoothness and flattery feels slippery and insincere — the social equivalent of something you can’t quite get a grip on.