Commissionaire

Today’s Word: Commissionaire.

Pronunciation: /kəmIʃəˈneə/

Part of Speech: Noun.

Etymology: from French and Latin commission. First used in 1641.

Meaning: A uniformed doorman who stands at the entrance to a hotel, theatre, etc. A uniformd attendant.

Usage: The commissionaire was shot dead during the robbery attack.

Synonym: Doorman.

General Note:  A security guard is different form a commissionaire who is a civilian or specially trained personnel who must be in uniform to be able to stand out. The main duty is to open and close door, stop vehicles to allow entry and exit or movement of pedestrians. Also welcoming and assisting members of staff and visitors as and when required, as well as operating and monitoring CCTV cameras.

 
 Commissionaires do not handle weaponry and this differentiates them from security men on guard.

Plebeian

Today’s word: Plebeian

Pronunciation: /pləbi:ən/

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Etymology: from plēbēiu in Latin

Meaning: (as an adjective) 1. Connected with common people.

                                              2. Uncivilized.

                  (as a noun)   A person from a very low social class.

Usage: (as an adjective)    I hate him for his plebeian mentality.

             (as a noun)   He went to marry from among the plebeians

Synonyms: common, uncultivated, unrefined, commoner, peasant.

Antonyms: polished, aristocratic, patrician, cultivated.

largesse

Today’s Word:  largesse

Pronunciation: /la:ˈdɜes/

Part of Speech:  Noun (uncountable)

Etymology:  From old French

Meaning: 1. The act of generosity.

                  2. The money, gifts or favours given to those in need.

Synonyms: generosity liberality munificence kindness, benevolence

Antonyms: meanness, callousness, meanness, tight-fistedness, miserliness

Usage:   1. I respect her for her largesse.

              2. They will like to take advantage of John’s largesse.

Note: largesse can as well be written as largess.

Aficionado

A Word for Today: aficionado

Meaning: a person who likes a particular activity, subject or sport.

Pronunciation:  / Əfi∫Ə’na:dƏu/

Etymology: Spanish:  aficionar

Part of Speech: noun

Synonyms: fan, lover, enthusiast, admirer, devotee

Usage:

1.     He is an aficionado of reggae.

      2.   We have jazz aficionados in the house today.

 

Majorly

A Word for Today: Majorly

Meaning: very, extremely, really.

Pronunciation: / meidзƏƖі /

Part of Speech: adverb

Usage: I was majorly disturbed by what he said.

Wrong Usage: She loves little children, majorly girls.

Synonyms: very

General Note: Majorly does not mean especially, generally, or mostly as it is commonly used. Also, there is no proven link between the adjective major and the adverb majorly. Majorly is a separate entity entirely; not derived from the adjective major

We may have: angry ↔ angrily

          manual ↔ manually.

But not:             major ↔ majorly.

Opportune

A Word for Today:  Opportune

Meaning:

1. Happening at an appropriate time.

2. Suitable for a particular purpose.

Pronunciation:  / ˈɒpəˌtjuːn/

Etymology: from Latin word: opportunus

Part of Speech: adjective

Usage:

1. Police intervention came at a more opportune time.

2. This is an opportune time to take an action.

3. Your instant reply has been opportune.

Wrong Usage:

1. I will come to your office when I am opportuned.

2. I was opportuned to see her.

Synonyms: appropriate, timely, favourable, advantageous, suitable.

Antonyms: inappropriate, inopportune, unsuitable, untimely, unfavourable.

Derived Form: opportunely (adverb); opportuneness (noun)

General Note: Opportune is not a verb and must not be used as such. You must not add any –ed suffix to it. For example:

I will see you when I’m opportuned. You should rather say: I will see you at a more opportune time.

Also, note that opportune is stressed on the first syllable: OP-por-tune.

Taxing

Todays' Word: TAXING

Meaning: Needing a great amount of mental or physical effort.
Pronunciation: Taxing: /‘tæksIŋ/
Part of speech: adjective
Etymology: Its origin is traceable to the morphological change in the verb form of 'tax' which, among other meanings, means to demand a great amount of mental or physical effort.
Usages:  1) He was given the exceedingly taxing duty of panting all the rooms. 2) My job role is more taxing.
Wrong usage: My job role is very tasking. It should have been ‘my job role is very taxing

Synonyms: demanding, hectic, exacting, strenuous, onerous, tiring, exhausting.
Antonyms: undemanding, light.
Derived forms: taxingly (adverb).
General Note: 'Taxing' is not a gerund form of the verb 'tax'. It is rather an adjective and it is given a separate entry in the dictionary.
However, it is very common these days to hear people saying 'tasking' instead of 'taxing'.

To task someone is to assign him or her a work. It is usually used in the passive form. For example:  She is tasked with the responsibility of cleaning the compound every morning.

Please note that there is no adjective like ‘TASKING’

Computerate

Today's word: computerate

Pronunciation:  /com'pju:tƏrƏt/

Part of speech: adjective

Etymology: It is a word formed from computer and literate

Meaning: able to operate computers very well

Usage: You must be computerate to be eligible for the job.

Synonym: computer-literate

General comment: Computerate is a new word in English Language. Its formation is informed by the advancement in science and technology in this present age.