B words - All Flashcards
Baby
Definition: A very young child, especially one newly or recently born.
Michelle Obama had a baby.
Etymology: Middle English, from babe
Language of Origin: Middle English
Bath
Definition: A contained liquid for a special purpose.
I had to take a bath before going to my mom’s brother’s wedding.
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English bæth; akin to Old High German bad bath, Old High German bāen to warm
Language of Origin: Middle english
Bean
Definition: A valueless item
I used a bean to plant my new cherries.
Etymology: Middle English bene, from Old English bēan; akin to Old High German bōna bean
Language of Origin: Middle english
Began
Definition: to do the first part of an action : go into the first part of a process : START
She began by introducing herself.
Etymology: Middle English beginnen, going back to Old English beginnan, from be- BE- + -ginnan, going back to Germanic *genn-a-, verbal base of uncertain meaning and origin.
Language of Origin: Middle english
Belt
Definition: a strip of flexible material worn especially around the waist as an item of clothing or a means of carrying something (such as tools)
Some drunk got mad and threatened to belt me.
Etymology: Middle english , from Old English; akin to Old High German balz belt; both from Latin balteus belt
Language of Origin: Middle english
Bent
Definition: changed by bending out of an originally straight or even condition
bent twigs.
Standing with knees slightly bent
Etymology: Middle English, grassy place, bent grass, from Old English beonot-; akin to Old High German binuz rush
Language of origin: Middle English
Bevy
Definition: a large group or collection
a bevy of girls
Etymology: Middle English bevey
Language of origin: Middle English
Blanket
Definition: a large usually oblong piece of woven fabric used as a bed covering
A horse blanket.
Etymology: Middle English, white woolen cloth, bed covering, from Anglo-French blankete, from blanc white — more at BLANK
Language of origin: Middle English
Boil
Definition: to generate bubbles of vapor when heated —used of a liquid
A pot of boiling water
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French buillir, boillir, from Latin bullire to bubble, from bulla bubble
Language of origin: Middle English
Bolt
Definition: a lightning stroke
She sat bolt upright, staring straight ahead.
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German bolz crossbow bolt, and perhaps to Lithuanian beldėti to beat
Language of origin: Middle English
Bones
Definition: one of the hard parts of the skeleton of a vertebrate
Knew in his bones that it was wrong.
Etymology: Middle English bon, going back to Old English bān, going back to Germanic *baina- (whence also Old Frisian & Old Saxon bēn “bone,” Old High German bein “bone, leg,”
Language of origin: Middle English
Box
Definition: a rigid typically rectangular container with or without a cover
a cigar box
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek pyxis, from pyxos box tree
Language of origin: Middle English
Brad
Definition: a thin nail of the same thickness throughout but tapering in width and having a slight projection at the top of one side instead of a head
Attach wheel to plate with a gold brad.
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse broddr spike; perhaps akin to Old English byrst bristle — more at BRISTLE
Language of origin: Middle English
Bulb
Definition: a rounded or swollen anatomical structure
The bulb of the thermometer
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin bulbus, from Greek bolbos bulbous plant.
Language of origin: Middle English
Bumpy
Definition: having or covered with bumps
The road was rough, so we had a bumpy ride.
Etymology: of a road, etc., “marked by bumps,” 1865, from bump + -y (2). Of airplane flights, “uneven because of bumps,” 1911.
Language of origin: Middle English
Baleful
Definition: deadly or pernicious in influence
baleful effects
Etymology: Middle English balefull “(of humans or animals) bent upon mischief or destruction, malevolent, (of things) pernicious,” also “wretched, miserable,” going back to Old English bealluful “full of evil, sinful,” from bealu BALE entry 1 + -ful -FUL entry 1
Language of Origin: Middle English
Bandicoot
Definition: any of several very large rats (genera Bandicota and Nesokia) of southern Asia destructive to crops
In a conservation first, Australia’s eastern barred bandicoot is back from the brink of extinction.
Etymology: Telugu pandikokku
Language of Origin: Telugu
Beige
Definition: cloth made of natural undyed wool
A beige skirt
Etymology:borrowed from French, going back to Middle French baige, noun derivative of Old French bege “uncolored, having the color of natural wool,” of uncertain origin
Language of Origin: French
Benign
Definition:of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life
a benign lung tumor
Etymology: Middle English benigne, from Anglo-French, from Latin benignus, from bene + gignere to beget — more at KIN
Language of Origin: Middle English
Bias
Definition: to give a settled and often prejudiced outlook to
his background biases him against foreigners
Etymology: Middle French biais
Language of Origin: Middle English
Biome
Definition: a major ecological community type (such as tropical rainforest, grassland, or desert)
Everyone has a different biome, to the point where two siblings can have completely different biomes.
Etymology: BI+ome
Language of Origin: Spanish
Bison
Definition:any of several large living or extinct bovine mammals
The castle sits next to Tierpark, Europe’s oldest wildlife park with 80 different species, including bison, wild horses, and penguins.
Etymology: Latin bisont-, bison, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wisant aurochs; akin to Old Prussian wissambrs aurochs
Language of Origin: German
Bomb
Definition: an explosive device fused to detonate under specified conditions
The planes successfully bombed their target.
Etymology: derivative of BOMB entry 1
Language of Origin: Spanish
Bronze
Definition: to give the appearance of bronze to
a bronzed sculpture
Etymology: French, from Italian bronzo
Language of Origin: French
Butter
Definition: any of various fatty oils remaining nearly solid at ordinary temperatures
peanut butter
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English butere, from Latin butyrum, from Greek boutyron, from bous cow + tyros cheese; akin to Avestan tūiri- curds — more at COW
Language of Origin: Middle english
Baobab
Definition:any of several related trees chiefly of Madagascar and Australia
Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar On a dirt road near Madagascar’s west coast is a stretch of enormous baobab trees, all that remains of a once-dense forest.
Etymology: New latin bahobab
Language of Origin: New latin
Barrabora
Definition: a sod or turf hut of northern Siberia or of Alaska
There was a big Barrabora for soccer.
Etymology: Russian dialect barabora
Language of origin: Russian
Bauhaus
Definition: of, relating to, or influenced by a school of design noted especially for a program that synthesized technology, craftsmanship, and design aesthetics
He remained loyal to the Bauhaus emphasis on geometric design principles.
Etymology: German Bauhaus, literally, architecture house, school founded by Walter Gropius
Language of origin: German
Beignet
Definition: a light square doughnut usually sprinkled with powdered sugar
Additionally, the tantalizing smell of Tiana’s signature beignets will permeate the ride’s queue.
Etymology: American French & French; American French, from French, from Middle French bignet, from buyne bump, bruise
Language of origin: American French, French and Middle French
Bezoar
Definition: any of various calculi found chiefly in the gastrointestinal organs and formerly believed to possess magical properties
The pendant is backed with an Indian bezoar stone, famous in Europe for its healing properties.
Etymology: Middle French, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic dialect bezuwār, from Arabic bāzahr, from Persian pād-zahr, from pād protecting (against) + zahr poison
Language of origin: Middle French, Medieval Latin and Arabic
Bibelot
Definition: a small household ornament or decorative object : TRINKET
practically every horizontal surface in the Victorian parlor was blanketed with fussy little bibelots
Etymology: French
Language of origin: French
Birkie
Definition: a lively smart assertive person
I love the classic look of birkie sandals.
Etymology: Origin Unknown
Language of origin: Origin Unknown
Bocaccio
Definition: a large rockfish (Sebastes paucispinis) of the Pacific coast locally important as a market fish
Both bocaccio and darkblotched give live birth to their young, rather than lay eggs.
Etymology: perhaps modification of Spanish bocacha, augmentative of boca mouth
Language of origin: Spanish
Boudin
Definition: a spicy Cajun sausage containing rice and meat (such as pork) or seafood
a spicy Cajun sausage containing rice and meat (such as pork) or seafood
Etymology: Louisiana French & French, sausage
Language of origin: Louisiana French & French
Boulevardier
Definition: a frequenter of the Parisian boulevards
Try it neat before mixing it into your next boulevardier.
Etymology: French, from boulevard
Language of Origin: French
Boulevardier
Definition: a frequenter of the Parisian boulevards
Try it neat before mixing it into your next boulevardier.
Etymology: French, from boulevard
Language of origin: French
Bruit
Definition: REPORT, RUMOR
word of his imminent dismissal was bruited about
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, noise
Language of origin: Middle English
Buisson
Definition: a fruit tree with a very short stem and a closely pruned head
They went down to the fields, strewn with clumps of trees, and at the end of which was the little wood called Joli- Buisson.
Etymology: French, literally, bush, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German busc bush
Language of origin: German and French
Balitao
Definition: a Philippine peasant dance in mazurka rhythm and semi-European style depicting work movements
The dancers wore colorful costumes and moved in sync to the beat of the balitao music.
Etymology: native name in the Philippines
Language of origin: Philippines
Bandurria
Definition: a Spanish stringed instrument of the lute family
The bandurria is a popular instrument in Spanish folk music.
Etymology: Spanish
Language of origin: Spanish
Bauno
Definition: a wild mango (Mangifera verticillata) found in the Philippines having a juicy rich subacid fruit
Bauno is a name given to a person who is brave and courageous.
Etymology: probably borrowed from Cebuano of Mindanao
Language of origin: Cebuano
Bhalu
Definition: SLOTH BEAR
George had no idea what bhalu was, but he tried to figure it out.
Etymology: Hindi bhālū, from Sanskrit bhallūka, from bhalla bear
Language of origin: Hindi and Sanskrit
Bijou
Definition: something delicate, elegant, or highly prized
Following is the Wunderkammer room, focused on the maison’s bijou wonders.
Etymology: French, from Breton bizou ring, from biz finger
Language of origin: French
Bilharzia
Definition: SCHISTOSOME
Honorine could stay home in the mornings and bilharzia, a disease caused by parasites that live in dirty water, was no longer plaguing the community.
Etymology: New Latin, genus name, from Theodor Bilharz †1862 German zoologist
Language of origin: New Latin and German
Binturong
Definition: An Asian prehensile-tailed civet (Arctictis binturong)
The bearcat is also known as the binturong.
Etymology: Malay bĕnturong, binturong, binturon
Language of origin: Malay
Biscotti
Definition: a crisp cookie or biscuit of Italian origin that is flavored usually with anise and filberts or almonds —usually used in plural
“Actually, a biscotti would be nice” “And a biscotti if you’ve got it” “Chett doesn’t strike me as a biscotti guy” “Honey, they got that almond biscotti J.D. loves” “Just don’t want a biscotti anymore” “No, I do not want a biscotti with that”.
Etymology: Italian, biscuit, cookie, from (pane) biscotto, literally, bread baked twice
Language of origin: Italian
Blase
Definition: UNCONCERNED
People get blasé about their hometown.
Etymology: French
Language of origin: French
Bouillabaisse
Definition: a highly seasoned fish stew made with at least two kinds of fish
Consider his bouillabaisse, built on a proper fish stock and populated with delicious bites of cod, littleneck clams and scallops — Hokkaido from northern Japan and cured in kombu.
Etymology: French
Language of origin: French
Bouquiniste
Definition: a dealer in secondhand books
The bouquiniste tricked someone for money.
Etymology: French, from bouquin old book (from obsolete Dutch boeckin little book, diminutive of Dutch boek book) + -iste -ist; akin to Old High German buoh book
Language of origin: French & German
