The Words of the Week - May 3

‘Contemnor’

Contemnor had a rare moment of popularity, when it was used by the judge overseeing one of Donald Trump’s court cases.

While $1,000 may suffice in most instances to protect the dignity of the judicial system, to compel respect for its mandates and to punish the offender for disobeying a court order, it unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the contemnor can easily afford such a fine.
— Juan M. Merchan, Decision and Order, People’s Motion for Contempt 5M271762-24 and SMZ 71764-24, 30 Aug. 2024

A contemnor is “one that is held to be in contempt of court.” However, the word has an additional meaning, which is “one that rejects someone or something with disdain.” When using the word to refer to judicial matters the usual spelling is contemnor; when referring to one who treats others with disdain the usual spelling is contemner.

‘Marijuana’

Marijuana spiked throughout the week, following reports that the federal government would soon reclassify this drug.

Tuesday brought big marijuana news: The Biden Administration is expected to soon reclassify marijuana for the first time in decades, putting it in a less restrictive drug category that would allow it to be studied and prescribed more easily.
— Joel Shannon and Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 1 May 2024

We define marijuana as “the psychoactive dried resinous flower buds and leaves of the female hemp or cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa or C. indica) that contain high levels of THC and are smoked, vaped, or ingested (as in baked goods) especially for their intoxicating effect.” (Please note that there are also several substances (such as cannabidiol) lacking psychoactive properties that are extracted from the flower buds of marijuana and are used medicinally.)

The word began appearing in English in the late 19th century. It is borrowed from the Spanish mariguana (itself of uncertain origin), although the current spelling, with a J, appears to have been invented in English use.

The soldiers have an herb named marijuana, which they roll into small cigaros and smoke. It produces intoxication which lasts for five days, and for that period they are in paradise.
— Nellie Bly, Six Months in Mexico, 1888

Marijuana is a relative newcomer, especially when compared to its synonym ganja (from the Hindi gā̃jā & Urdu gānjā), in use since at least 1689.

‘Ultimatum’

Ultimatum was found in a number of news stories last week, especially those covering the student protests at Columbia University.

Columbia begins suspending pro-Palestine protesters after ultimatum ignored
— (headline) The Guardian (London), 29 Ar. 2024

An ultimatum is “a final proposition, condition, or demand,” especially when it is one whose rejection will end negotiations and cause a resort to force or other direct action. If you plan on issuing multiple final demands in the near future it may be useful to know that the plural of ultimatum may be either ultimatums or ultimata (because if you are going to make a number of demands you might as well do so with a semi-obscure plural form that will throw the person of whom you make these demands off-guard). And if you need to describe a demand coming slightly before an ultimatum, the word you are looking for is penultimatum.

‘Xenophobic’

Xenophobic had a spike in lookups late in the week, after President Biden used the word in reference to Japan.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday called close US ally Japan “xenophobic” at a Washington, D.C., fundraiser, just weeks after lauding the US-Japan alliance at a state dinner.
— Arlette Saenz and Colin McCullough, CNN, 2 May 2024

Xenophobia is “fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign,” and thus xenophobic is simply the adjective that describes things that relate to this condition. A person who is attracted to foreign things (such as people, styles, or manners) is a xenophile; the adjective form of this word is xenophilous.

Words Worth Knowing: ‘Jackassery’

Our word worth knowing this week is jackassery, defined as “a piece of stupidity or folly : doltishness.” This useful word has been part of the grand English language since the 1830s.

The genius of jackassery is not always to rule us in an avatar of Althorp.
— Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country (London), May 1833