Wondrous Words Wednesday 3/2/11

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Bermuda Onion, where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading.  

I've recently read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Whilst thoroughly enjoyable, it wasn't quite the wordfest that I remember Pride and Prejudice being when I first read it . I did come across three interesting words though. 

1. propinquity- fairly obvious in context:

Mr Gardner expressed a wish of going round the whole park, but feared  it might be too dangerous given the propinquity of the herd. 

pro·pin·qui·ty  (pr-pngkw-t)

n.

1. Proximity; nearness.

2. Kinship.

3. Similarity in nature.

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[Middle English propinquite, from Old French, from Latin propinquits, from propinquus, near; see per¹ in Indo-European roots.]

2. dilatory- definitely a new usage for me

His family knew him to be a most negligent and dilatory correspondent; but at such a time they had hoped for exertion. 

dil·a·to·ry  (dl-tôr, -tr)

adj.

1. Intended to delay.

2. Tending to postpone or delay: dilatory in his work habits. See Synonyms at slow.

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[Middle English dilatorie, from Latin dltrius, from dltor, delayer, from dltus, past participle of differre, to delay : d-, dis-,apart; see dis- + ltus, carried; see tel- in Indo-European roots.]

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dila·tori·ly adv.

dila·tori·ness n.

3. connubial- also obvious in context:

But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubial felicity really was. 

con·nu·bi·al  (k-nb-l, -ny-)

adj.

Relating to marriage or the married state; conjugal.

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[Latin cnbilis, from cnbium, marriage : com-, com- + nbere, to marry.]

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con·nubi·al·ism, con·nubi·ali·ty (-l-t) n.

con·nubi·al·ly adv.