Lexical Tinder Dates Trivia Quiz

Answer: Horseback riding in the park

The word equestrian is derived from 'equus,' the Latin word for horse.

If horseback riding isn't your cup of tea, perhaps Taylor might also enjoy a trip to the racetrack, watching a steeplechase or riding the carousel.

Answer: A wine-tasting tour

A sommelier is the staff member in a high-end restaurant who is in charge of wine, both decanting bottles and suggesting pairings to go with guests' meals. A Master Sommelier can identify a wine's grape, region and vintage based solely on its taste and aromatic attributes.

It's a long journey to qualify as a sommelier. If Devin is tired of wine, a tour of local craft breweries might be better fare for your date!

Answer: An orchestra performance

A flautist is a person who plays the flute; the word is derived from the Italian word 'flautista.' As a woodwind instrument, the flutes (and the flautists playing them) would typically be seated behind the violins and violas and next to the clarinets and oboes.

And here's a joke you might like to try:
Q: Where does a tornado go to exercise?
A: Spinning class!

Answer: A trip to the water park

This word comes from the Latin verb 'natare,' which means 'to swim.' A water park might not have a lot to offer Reese in the form of competitive swimming, but you can have lots of fun on the water slides and in the wave pool. Maybe the two of you can compete to see who has the guts to go down the steepest slide! (I would chicken out, myself.)

Answer: An evening at the circus

A funambulist is a tightrope walker. The word comes to English from the Latin word 'funambulus,' which means 'ropedancer.' What a quaint description of this death-defying feat!

While you share some popcorn with Pat at the circus and watch the tightrope walkers, hopefully the only 'falling' will be for each other!

Answer: A drive in the countryside

Cereology is the study of crop circles; the word is derived from Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. Crop circles are formed by the flattening of crops, so a drive through the countryside would be a good way to go looking for them. Although crop circle phenomena have been appearing since the 1930s there has been little scientific study of them.

Many people believe them to be hoaxes; others believe them to be the work of extraterrestrial visitors.

Answer: Charter a fishing boat

Another word of Latin derivation, piscatorial comes from 'piscatorius,' which means 'relating to fishing.' If you look further back in the etymology, the Latin root word 'piscis' means 'fish.'

The Maritime provinces in Canada offer some wonderful opportunities for fishing. My family chartered a boat on several occasions while visiting Prince Edward Island. And you get to keep what you catch, so why not end your date with a romantic dinner on the beach?

Answer: Explore seaside caves

A spelunker is someone who enjoys exploring caves as a hobby. The Latin word 'spelunca,' meaning 'cave,' is the root of this word. Maybe you could finish your date with a late-night movie and cocoa. If you like action and adventure, the 2011 movie "Sanctum" about cave diving in Oceania might be your style.

Answer: Go shopping for clothes

In American English a haberdasher's is a store that sells menswear in particular; however, in UK English such a store would sell varied sewing items such as ribbons, buttons and the like. Haberdashery, then, would be the items sold in a haberdasher's. You could spend the afternoon visiting local antique dealers and flea markets if you wanted eighteenth-century items in particular.

Answer: Dinner at a fancy restaurant

A deipnosophist is a person who is proficient in discourse at the dinner table. The word comes from an ancient Greek work by Athenaeus of Naucratis called "Deipnosophistae", which translates approximately to "Ones knowledgeable in the art of dinner." This is most assuredly a skill that I lack, introvert that I am; I never know what to say to my dinner companions. Your date, however, has the "gift of gab" and your dinner out together promises conversation both refined and interesting.