- Today's Word
Solstalgia
[sol-stal-jee-uh]
Definition
- (noun) This evocative term combines “solstice,” representing the point in the year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point, with “nostalgia,” signifying a sentimental longing for the past. It’s used to describe the wistful feeling associated with the changing seasons, especially during solstices.
Example
Imagine standing in the crisp air of a winter solstice, surrounded by the beauty of nature transitioning to a new phase. It’s not just a seasonal shift; it’s a Solstalgia. You might say, “Every winter solstice brings a sense of Solstalgia. The changing landscapes and the memories associated with this time of year create a beautifully nostalgic atmosphere.”
Fun Fact
“Solstice” refers to the point in the year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point, marking a change in seasons, while “nostalgia” signifies a sentimental longing for the past. “Solstalgia” creatively combines these concepts to celebrate the wistful feelings associated with the changing seasons.
(noun) A spoken curse or expression of malicious intent directed against a person or group.
The ousted king’s malediction against his betrayers was so elaborate and public that historians still reference it as one of the ancient world’s most theatrical acts of revenge.
Malediction derives from the Latin maledictio, meaning “evil speaking,” built from malus (“bad” or “evil”) and dicere (“to speak” or “to say”). The same root dicere gives us diction, dictate, predict, and verdict — a family of words all built around the act of speaking. Its direct opposite is benediction — “good speaking” — still used today in religious ceremonies as a formal blessing, making malediction and benediction precise linguistic mirror images of each other.