Vicissitude (noun)
vis-is-it-ood
A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.
Early 17th century (in the sense ‘alternation’): from French, or from Latin vicissitudo, from vicissim ‘by turns’, from vic- ‘turn, change’.
Example sentences
“He’s felt the sharp vicissitudes of fortune since the court case.”
Wonky (adj) won-kee Not straight or balanced, off kilter. First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps variant of dialectal wanky, equivalent to wank(le) ( Middle English wankel, Old English wancol. (more…)
