Circumference

Okay. Late today. Today’s word is circumference. Circumference is the distance around something. Usually something circular. Circumference derives from the Latin words circum (around) and fero (I carry). Oh, and Circumference was the most rotund knight at King...

Circle

There a several Latin words for circle.  Orbis, circulus, and circlus.  Sometimes the Romans would even use the word, circus.  Usually, though, the word circus referred to a race course, or a celebration of games performed in a round arena. Related to circulus,...

Pedicure

Pedicure: care for the feet. From the Latin words pes, (the genitive is pedis), and the verb curare, which means, to care for. Some time ago, one of my high school students held her hands out in front of herself for a long time. She was clearly not paying attention in...

Isopod

Isopod: a crustacean with seven pairs of legs.  They use the legs to crawl.  Most isopods live in the water, though you can find some isopods living under logs, or in dark places. The name Isopoda comes from the Greek ἴσος (iso), the same, and the Greek word for foot,...

Pedigree

Pedigree: Lineage; line of ancestors from which a person or tribe descends; genealogy. Pedigree comes from the French phrase, pie de grue, meaning: the crane’s foot.  Some thought that the spreading lines of a genealogical chart resembled the foot of a crane. The...