Albedo (noun):
What? The proportion of incident solar light that is diffusely reflected by the surface or surface material of a planet or other celestial object. [Earth's average albedo is roughly 30%].
From where? Found in the Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society in 1860.
Why? After learning this word from my Environmental Studies class, I was surprised to learn its alternative meaning from Madeleine's blog post below.
Macabre (adj.) [məˈkɑb]:
What? Grim, horrific, repulsive; Characterized by or suggestive of the danse macabre.
From where? Of French origin from 1843.
Why? In high school, a very good friend of mine was sharing a word that he had come across in his reading. Very proudly, he introduced the word 'macabre'. Unfortunately, he pronounced it incorrectly and continued to pronounce it incorrectly throughout his presentation even after being correctly. Perhaps it was a classic "you-had-to-be-there" moment, but I laughed so hard that I cried.
Besmirch (verb):
What? To dim the luster of.
From where? Appeared in Shakespeare's Hamlet in 1604.
Why? I found this word in an article in "Mark Twain: America's Original Superstar" by Roy Blount Jr. and noted its phonetic appeal.
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