Table of Contents
The word for today is…
pique (verb, noun, noun) -
verb
1a: to excite or arouse especially by a provocation, challenge, or rebuff
b: pride
2: to arouse anger or resentment in : irritate
noun
: a transient feeling of wounded vanity : resentment
noun
1: a durable ribbed clothing fabric of cotton, rayon, or silk
2: decoration of a tortoiseshell or ivory object with inlaid fragments of gold or silver
Source : Merriam-Webster
Etymology : Peek, peak, and pique: they sound the same but mean very different things. Peek has to do with looking, especially furtively or quickly or through a small space, as in "open the box and peek inside." It's both a noun and a verb; when you peek, you take a peek. Peak is the verb you use to talk about reaching a maximum, or coming to a highest point, literally or figuratively, as in "The meteor shower will last for several days but will peak on Sunday." Its noun counterpart, which refers to various pointed or projecting parts, is more common: something that peaks reaches a peak. Pique is the oddball of this trio. It comes from a French word meaning literally "to prick," but its earliest English use was as a noun. The noun is still used: a pique is a transient feeling of wounded vanity—a kind of resentment. As a verb, pique was, and still is, used to mean "to arouse anger or resentment in," as in "Their rudeness piqued me." Now, however, it's most often our interest or curiosity that gets piqued—that is to say, our interest or curiosity is aroused, as in "The large key hanging next on the wall piqued my curiosity." Pique has another meaning too, though it's less common than any of those already mentioned. Pique sometimes is used to mean "to take pride in (oneself)," as in "She piques herself on her editing skills."
If you enjoyed this Good Oil word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
