For reasons that are hard to identify, certain very useful English words fall into desuetude. Such has been the fate of the word ‘vainglory’, which the Oxford English Dictionary Online defines as follows:
“Glory that is vain, empty, or worthless; inordinate or unwarranted pride in one’s accomplishments or qualities; disposition or tendency to exalt oneself unduly; idle boasting or vaunting.”
In this period just before the Presidential Election in the United States, the candidate who fits the derived adjective ‘vainglorious’ to a T has been heard on all media fulminating and spouting his galimatias to all and sundry audiences. Nomina sunt odiosa.
MICHAEL SHAPIRO
I’d suggest that the word “desuetude” has fallen into desuetude. 🙂
You’re right, friend Gary. But as you may have already divined from previous posts, I adhere to the principle of iconicity between subject and content in my posts.