Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fabulous weekly meme hosted by Bermuda Onion, where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our weekly reading.
Keeping with the Paris in July theme this month here are some words from my recent reading of Paris in Love.
In an art gallery: tiny, ornate reliquary boxes, the kind that house a saint's finger bone.
A receptacle or repository for relics, esp relics of saints. The Free Dictionary.
2. Chasuble (Noun)
Back in New Jersey, Father Mahoney wore a black cassock over his majestic stomach, occasionally adding a purple chasuble.
A long sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by a priest during services. The Free Dictionary. Hmmm, alb.
3. Polly Pockets (Noun)
My favourite item at Musee Lambinet were two 'surprise' Easter eggs, given to Princess Victoire, daughter of Louis XV. They are essentially, Polly Pockets, but made with real heans' eggs.
It took me a while to work this out. I think the picture needs to tell the story here. I'm sure the real thing at the Musee is amazing.
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4. Curlicue (Noun)
At least three usages.
We found a furniture store in the Marais that features curlicues: lampshades with elaborate cutouts; a cabinet with wrought iron overlay; a sofa whose arms spiral around and around, like a snail's shell.
A fancy twist, or curl, composed usually from a series of concentric circles. It is a recurring motif in architecture, calligraphy and in general scrollwork. Wiki
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5. Louche (Adj)
Today, Carrie, Charlotte, Anna and I tumbled into Le Dome, a cafe on rue de Rivoli, and were driven by loud music into the back room, which turned out to be fascinating: a louche setting of velvet couches and low tables with metal lanterns that sent out twinkling spills of light.
Shady, shifty, disreputable. From the French word for squinting.
Paris in July is cohosted by Karen at BookBath and Tamara atThyme for Tea
I knew chasuble, but not the others.
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I actually had a couple Polly Pockets when I was in elementary school. I've never heard the phrase used that way though. They actually have boxes just to house a finger bone? That makes me shudder.
ReplyDeleteI actually knew all of these except Louche! You and I must be reading the same kinds of books!
ReplyDeleteNice post this week :)
I didn't realize you were doing French words until I got to louche. This is one of my favorites and so apropos when dealing with teenagers, as i do. I'm blogging about a French blog I like today as part of my Paris in July meme. Here's Mine
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the random prize.
Thanks for looking them up for me cause I don't know them. This is an interesting exercise and great that you can combine it with Paris in July.
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