Crossword Words Trivia Quiz

Answer: edible

"Esculent" is derived from the Latin word "esca", meaning "food"; the first recorded usage of the word was in 1626 in reference to the edibility of certain herbs. Esculent is one of those lovely onomatopoeic words that really sound like what they mean - say "esculent" aloud and it really sounds like you're talking about something lovely and juicy! (Any dictionary definitions used are all from the Oxford English Dictionary online, www.oed.com)

Answer: ret

The word "ret" seems to have an uncertain origin; possibly deriving from the Middle Dutch "reeten" or "reten" (see www.oed.com if you'd like more information). If you've never heard of the word before (and I certainly hadn't before I started doing crosswords!), don't be surprised, because it applies particularly to the soaking of flax or hemp in water to soften the fibres. Those sneaky crossword compilers are always on the lookout for tricky words like that!

Answer: eclat

Éclat is one of those English words that has been borrowed directly from the French language. In French, "éclat" derives from the verb "éclater", meaning "to burst" or "to burst out", which suggests its present meaning to me in the way you might think of a series of fireworks "bursting out" to make an "éclat". :) The word is not used so much these days (which is why crossword compilers always trick us with it!), but was used frequently in the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century.

Answer: wood

"Ebony" is the common name in use these days for the hard, black wood "ebon". The word "ebon" is now really only used in a poetic sense. Both words look to be derived from "Ebenaceae", the family name of the tree from which the wood comes. The etymology of "ebony" and related words is varied, with the Oxford English Dictionary Online listing Latin, Greek and Hebrew words as possible root words.

Answer: peri

The word "peri" is still used in the Persian language today to mean "a beautiful or graceful being", hence the reason why it is used to refer to fairy-like beings despite the word having no direct link to the word "fairy". Its etymology is slightly more sinister than today's definition suggests, because the word originally meant "evil genius" or "malevolent elf or sprite".

This meaning gradually metamorphosed into today's definition, and "good" peris have even found their way into the works of Byron and Moore.

Answer: adit

"Adit" is derived from the Latin word "aditus", meaning "approach" or "access", making it easy to see how it has come to describe the entrance to a mine. The Oxford English Dictionary Online defines "adit" as being "an approach" in general, but goes on to specify that it is most commonly used to refer to the opening leading to (or even draining) a mine.

Answer: spats

"Spats", popular in the 19th century, are a kind of legging for men to prevent splashes on trousers or stockings, particularly when riding. They cover the instep and rise up to just above the ankle, being secured by a strap under the foot. The singular "spat" (invariably, the plural is used) is actually a shortening of the word "spatterdash".

It's very rare to see spats these days, but if you do, you'll certainly know the correct name to call them!

Answer: otic

"Otic" derives directly from the Greek word meaning "ear" and first appeared in English usage in the mid-17th century, then with greater regularity in the 19th century. It is most often used as a medical term, an example of which is the otic ganglion, which is a small node on a nerve that ends up communicating with a branch of the nerve leading to the eardrum.

Answer: novena

"Novena" is taken directly from Latin, with the word deriving from "novem", Latin for the number nine. The word first appeared in general usage in the 19th century. A novena is a devotional exercise used in the Catholic church, specifically for making special prayers on nine successive days (hence the name).

Answer: needle case

An etui (pronounced "et-wee"; the alternate spelling "etwee" is also listed) is a small, ornamental case used to contain knick-knacks or other small objects such as needles. A previous definition of an etui was that of a case used to contain surgical instruments.

The word appears to derive from an Old French word meaning "to keep, guard, hold in custody". Thanks for playing this quiz - now go forth and impress your friends with sentences like "That peri on the ebon bookcase is making quite an éclat holding that rather esculent-looking sandwich in an etui." ;)