Words of the Day: Abominate and á bon marché

As a writer it’s important that I have a large vocabulary, so I have decided to read through the dictionary. To keep me accountable I will post my favorite words from each dictionary page. Definitions come from Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition. I like word etymologies so a lot of the words of the day will be root words.

Abominate: 1 to feel hatred and disgust for; loathe 2 to dislike very much. [from classical Latin abominatus, pp. of abominari, to regard as an ill omen]  This is a much more original way of saying “I hate __!” Of course, if you’re Rose Smith from Meet Me in St. Louis and your father’s job promotion is going to move you away from your childhood home, then you may want to use as many synonyms for hate as you can: “Money! I hate, despise, loathe, and abominate money!” To which her father replies, “You also spend it.”

á bon marché: French for “at a good bargain; cheap.”  Next time I buy something at the thrift store I can say “I bought it á bon marché.”

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