The word for today is… retinue (noun): : a group of retainers or attendants Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Retinue comes via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb retenir, meaning “to retain or keep in one’s pay or service.” Another retenir descendant is retainer, which has among its meanings “one who
Phoebe “I’m now an orphan.” “Pardon?” was the reply. I then explained what I meant. The impact is naturally not the same if I truly were an orphan. Or, not the same if both (or either) of my parents had died whilst I was still a child or a
A supermarket built to plug the “massive hole” in one of the most deprived communities in Hamilton is nearly set to open its doors. Nawton residents are getting a brand new and the biggest independent supermarket in New Zealand, FIFO – Fresh In Fresh Out, after eight months of living in
The word for today is… ideology (noun): 1a: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture b: the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program c: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture 2: visionary theorizing Source
Ryan Bridge is first in line to be the new host of Newstalk ZB’s 5-6am Early Edition morning show, Stuff understands. Bridge, who hosted Three’s AM Show from 2021 to 2023, was slated to have his own 7pm current affairs show at the commercial broadcaster starting later this
The word for today is… caterwaul (verb): 1: to make a harsh cry 2: to protest or complain noisily Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Though the most familiar sense of caterwaul, “to protest or complain loudly,” is not specific to our feline friends, we still think it’s the cat’s
Chief Petty Officer Tapene, from Hikurangi, north of Whangarei, enlisted in 2001. He specialised in communications and has since deployed throughout Asia, Hawaii, the Gulf of Arabia and Australia. This week he is part of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) contingent in Türkiye taking part in the commemoration services
The word for today is… opprobrium (noun): 1: something that brings disgrace 2a: public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious b: contempt, reproach Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Opprobrium is quite formal and has few close relations in English. It comes from the Latin
In the 1930s, university students were at the vanguard of the Nazi Reich. The National Socialist German Student League soon became notorious as one of the most antisemitic groups in the Reich. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, “Paramilitary student groups often interrupted lectures, provoked skirmishes, and physically intimidated Jewish students”
Its Kiwi-made products are famous, as are its radio jingle and marketing campaigns. Now the Wet & Forget firm has been sold in a massive, multimillion-dollar commercial deal with a New Zealand private equity firm. Not bad for a company owner who grew up in a state house and left
The word for today is… lampoon (noun,verb): noun : a harsh satire usually directed against an individual verb : to make the subject of a lampoon : ridicule Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Lampoon can be a noun or a verb. The noun lampoon (meaning “satire” or, specifically, “a harsh satire usually directed
At 89-years-old, Ravi Mosese is the oldest gardener. He tends to a large crop of taro plants – a staple in his home country Fiji – and works another plot which has its harvest donated to a local food bank. His daughter and son-in-law also rent a plot, around the corner from
The word for today is… troglodyte (noun): 1: a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves 2: a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Peer into the etymological cave of
The word for today is… buttress (noun, verb): noun 1 architecture : a projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or giving stability to a wall or building 2: something that resembles a buttress: such as a: a projecting part of a mountain or hill b biology : a horny protuberance
Kimberly Ells mercatornet.com Kimberly Ells is the author of The Invincible Family. Follow her at Invincible Family Substack. I just got back from the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. The theme of the Commission this year was ending poverty. I spent a week listening
The word for today is… prestigious (adjective): 1: having prestige : honoured 2 archaic : of, relating to, or marked by illusion, conjuring, or trickery Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : You might expect, based on how adjectives are often formed in English, that today’s word is an extension of the noun prestige.
