Today’s Word of the Day is “malapert.” It comes to you not because I find it particularly useful, but because I love the quote at the bottom from P. G. Wodehouse, who puts it to saucy good use.
malapert
adjective
Definition:
Malapert debuted in English in the 14th century, was a favorite of Shakespeare, and is still used sporadically today. The prefix mal-, meaning “bad” or “badly” and deriving from the Latin malus, is found in many English words, including “malevolent” and “malefactor.” The second half of “malapert” comes from the Middle English apert, meaning “open” or “frank.” “Apert” further derives from the Latin word”apertus” (“open”), which gave us our noun “aperture” (meaning “an opening”). Putting the two halves together gives us a word that describes someone or something that is open or honest in a bad way, a way that is bold or rude.
Also there’s the related noun, “malism,” which is the doctrine that the world is inherently evil – not something I subscribe to, but there you have it.
OK, here’s the quote, and it’s a keeper:
********
