Using the OED to support historical writing Virtual discussion about the challenges of historical writing, and how the Oxford English Dictionary, as well as the Historical Thesaurus of the OED, can be used to navigate them. Judith Flanders oxford.ly/3Z0iCoV

OED #WordOfTheDay: pussivant, v. English regional (south-western). To meddle or fuss; to bustle around in an ineffectual way. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/3X5PwCT

OED #WordOfTheDay: anthomania, n. Excessive or passionate enthusiasm for flowers. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/3M5gIvv

OED #WordOfTheDay: chao tom, n. A Vietnamese appetizer consisting of pieces of minced shrimp held on sticks of sugar cane, and grilled or fried. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/4fKfqnb

OED #WordOfTheDay: taffety tart, n. A sweet tart consisting of thin pastry filled with slices of apple or (less commonly) some other fruit. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/3M8k8xp

OED #WordOfTheDay: upful, adj. Chiefly Jamaican. Inspiring happiness, optimism, or hope; (esp. of music) cheerful, uplifting. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/3WRvGtZ

OED #WordOfTheDay: tradentine, adj. Situated beyond or outside the teeth. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/4cy5jim

OED #WordOfTheDay: mangel-wurzel, n. A variety of beet grown for its large, swollen, yellow-fleshed ‘root’ which is used as cattle feed. View the full entry, here: oxford.ly/3AADloN

OED #WordOfTheDay: appestat, n. The physiological mechanism or region of the brain to which the control of appetite is attributed. View entry: oxford.ly/3ANAtp2

OED #WordOfTheDay: district surgeon, n. In South Africa: a doctor appointed by the government to fulfil specific functions in a particular district; (now) spec. a police surgeon or forensic medical examiner. View entry: oxford.ly/3Z7wqOe

OED #WordOfTheDay: ghost word, n. A word that has come into existence by error rather than established usage, e.g. as a result of a typographical error, the incorrect transcription of a manuscript, an incorrect definition in a dictionary, etc. View entry: oxford.ly/4dG74eO

Calling all word lovers! Which of these word pairs share the same origins, and which sound the same but have completely different roots? Take the quiz to learn some wonderful information about the history and evolution of words: oxford.ly/4cvmh0R

OED #WordOfTheDay: half-moon, v. To form a crescent shape or arc around something. View entry: oxford.ly/3Xu4pPT

OED #WordOfTheDay: pampootie, n. Chiefly Irish English. A kind of sandal or moccasin of untanned cowhide or sealskin sewn together and tied across the instep, traditionally worn by the inhabitants of the Aran Islands. View entry: oxford.ly/4dN8Bjf

OED #WordOfTheDay: petrol bunk, n. Chiefly in Indian English: a petrol station. View the entry: oxford.ly/4cV1XGq

OED #WordoftheDay: pixie-led, adj. Led astray by pixies; lost; bewildered, confused. View the entry: oxford.ly/3MC4Jpo

OED #WordoftheDay: debe, n. In East African English: a square tin container for liquids, holding approximately four gallons (about 20 litres); (also) a measure of capacity equal to the amount it takes to fill a debe. View the entry: oxford.ly/4g7ib1Y

OED #WordoftheDay: tekoteko, n. In Māori art: a carved human figure, esp. one placed on the gable of a meeting house, representing an ancestor. View the entry: oxford.ly/4efBtAK

OED #WordoftheDay: malicorium, n. The rind of the pomegranate, esp. in its former medicinal use as an astringent. View the entry: oxford.ly/3TJbLNd

From kirigami to karate, onigiri to anime, and (of course), Pac-man, learn about the fascinating stories behind and sometimes unexpected meanings of words of Japanese origin in our new quiz: oxford.ly/3Xflgo0