Sesquipedalius' E Words Trivia Quiz

Answer: forces in a diagonal line

Captain Robert Crawford wrote "The Army Air Corps Song" in 1939. The words "Army Air Corps" were replaced by the words "U.S. Air Force" concurrently with the change in that branch's name. An echelon formation is an arrangement of forces diagonally, each unit to one side and slightly behind the other.

The formation was used for infantry and cavalry by Hannibal, Alexander the Great, and the Confederate army at the Battle of Gettysburg. Ships and aircraft may be similarly deployed in echelon. The term entered English in the 18th century from the French "eschelon", meaning the rung of a ladder, which probably derived from the Latin "scala", meaning stairs.

Answer: beaming, shining, radiant

The Modern English word "effulgence" derives from a Latin compound of "ex-", meaning out of, and "fulgere", meaning to shine, to burn, or to flash. John Milton used the term in the 1660s to mean the radiance of God. More modern usages include references to sunshine, or the light of the moon at night, or the radiant splendor of a beautiful person.

Answer: charitable, benevolent

The word "eleemosynary" means beneficent, generous, benevolent, given to charity, and/or philanthropic. Blessing used it as the title of her play in the sense that the reconciliation of generations at odds with each other can only occur in a spirit of charitable goodwill.

The term eleemosynary entered English in the late 16th century denoting an almshouse, a place where money, food, and clothing were distributed to the poor. It derived from the Medieval Latin "eleemosynarius", which was derived from the Ancient Greek "eleemosyne", meaning pity or mercy.

Answer: a elegiac poem

An elegy expresses sorrow for something which is no more; it might be appropriate to be read at a funeral or to lament the loss of one's true love. The adjectival form of "elegy" is "elegiac." In classical (Greek and Latin) literature, an elegy is written in a strict formal style of couplets: a line of dactylic hexameter followed by a line of dactylic pentameter.

A dactyl is a metrical foot that consists of a long syllable preceding two short syllables. An example would be DAH-dah-dah/DAH-dah-dah/DAH-dah-dah-/DAH-dah-dah/DAH-dah-dah/DAH. DAH-dah-dah/DAH-dah-dah/DAH/DAH-dah-dah/DAH-dah-dah/DAH.

Answer: heavenly, celestial

"Empyrean" is a term which arises from great antiquity. In cosmologies which imagine successive ascending levels of heaven, it means the highest one. If the visible stars and planets are lights projected upon an imaginary sphere, it is that surface. It relates to the place of the purest light and fire (compare "pyre"). The Medieval Latin "empyreus" was adapted from the Ancient Greek "empyrus", which meant, literally, in or on the fire. Poetically it means awe inspiring.

Answer: one devoted to sensual pleasures

The term "epicure" derives from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 B.C.E.). In contrast to the Stoics, he taught that pleasure is a virtue and life is to be enjoyed. The modern sense of the term is not philosophical at all, but rather denotes one who has a refined taste for food and drink or is a sophisticated consumer of art and music. Similar terms are gourmet, gastronome, and foodie.

Answer: edible, comestible

The Modern English adjective "esculent" derives from the Latin "esculentus." The Latin term meant fit to eat, nourishing, good tasting. The Latin was formed from "esca", meaning a dish to be served at the dining table, but which also meant bait used for fishing. It is most commonly used with reference to fruits and vegetables.

Answer: animal inactivity in summertime

Animals which sleep or slow down significantly during the winter are well known to hibernate. Animals who enter torpor in the summertime are said to estivate. An alternative spelling is "aestivate." The term comes from the Latin "aestivate", which originally meant to spend the summer or to reside during the summer.

It arose from the practice of leaving the cities during the heat of summer and retiring to a countryside summer place.

Answer: to gradually disappear

In chemistry, evanesce means to transition from a solid state to a gaseous state without ever becoming a liquid. In common English, evanesce means to fade away, to dissipate, to pass away, or to disappear. The term entered English from the Latin "evanescere", meaning to vanish or disappear.

Answer: to express great joy

In I Chronicles 16:32 (RSV) it says, "Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, let the field exult, and everything in it!" Fancy synonyms for exult include exuberate, jubilate, and rejoice. More common synonyms include jump for joy, walk on air, and be on cloud nine. Exultation is the expression of great joy.

The Modern English derives from the Latin "exsultare", which itself derives from the Latin "salire", meaning to leap, jump or dance ... which is not so far from "jump for joy."