Wondrous Words Wednesday
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where you can share new words that you’ve encountered or spotlight words you love. Feel free to get creative! If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post and come back and add your link to Mr. Linky!
I found more words in Mademoiselle Chanel by C. W. Gortner.
1. peripatetic – “I had become accustomed to a peripatetic existence and welcomed the changes, furnishing my new residence with sandalwood Coromandel screens, Venetian mirrors, and antique statues bought in Italy.”
Peripatetic has quite a few meanings but I think the author used it to mean pedestrian or itinerant.
_____________________________________________________
2. vitrine – “In November, we presented the collection at my home, displayed on wax mannequins in police-guarded vitrines.”
A vitrine is a glass showcase or cabinet, especially for displaying fine wares or specimens. I can’t wait to use this one!
_____________________________________________________
3. petard – “That spring, the working class held the largest strike ever seen, hoisting their petards and marching in the streets.”
A petard is a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall.
_____________________________________________________
What words do you want to celebrate today?
I think I remember this novel having quite a few unique words. I only knew the second one!
I have always wondered about petard and why people might be hoisted on it. I need to read this book with all this rich vocabulary. It’s already on my TBR, so maybe this summer.
Interesting words!
Knew peripatetic cold! 1 out of 3 is not that good.
Vitrine was new to me. I knew peripatetic, and had heard petard, but could not have given a definition. Thanks for sharing these words, I am going to have to move this book up nearer the top of my TBR list.
I knew vitrine from my interior design background, but the others were new to me!
I haven’t even heard of that book!
I can’t believe you’re still getting WW from this book. It seems to be good for both story and new words.
Hi Kathy,
Whist this probably isn’t a book I would enjoy, I love the very eloquent language the author adopts. Despite my love of the rather gritty thriller, I also particularly enjoy literary fiction at its very best and ‘Mademoiselle Chanel ‘ seems to fit the bill very nicely!
I was therefore rather impressed that I actually knew all of your words this time, although I have a terrible time getting my tongue around peripatetic, without it coming out all wrong!
Thanks for a lovely post and for continuing to host WWW, it is always fun to play along 🙂
Yvonne
Wow – all new – and difficult to pronounce – for me!
Excellent words this week! Peripatetic sounds like an SAT word. I’d like to use vitrine also! 🙂
Good and interesting words.
I knew nr 2! 😀 Cos that is what it is called here. Vitrin…
I would love to remember to toss around peripatetic in conversations!
These words are very spiffy and this book sounds fab!