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Antediluvian
March 24, 2023
This technically means “before the Great Flood.” “Diluvial” means “related to a flood.” But, over the years, it’s become a synonym for “old” or “ancient,” when used to refer to non-historical things. “Diluvian” means “related to or brought about by a flood” and “ante” is the prefix for “before.”
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Incunabula
June 7, 2023
This refers to printed material from Europe prior to the 1500s. (It’s the plural form; the singular is “incunabule.”) The etymology is from a Latin word meaning “swaddling clothes,” which refers to the “infancy” of printing during this period. (Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 1430s.)...
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Jesuitical
September 18, 2023
Superficially, this means “having to do with the Jesuits ” (for example: “a Jesuitical education”). However, there’s a deeper, more pejorative meaning to it. Dictionary.com includes this definition : practicing casuistry or equivocation; using subtle or oversubtle reasoning; crafty; sly;...
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Jesuit
May 9, 2023
Formally called “The Society of Jesus,” the Jesuits (“JEZ-sue-its”) is a subdivision of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1540 in Spain by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Society of Jesus is only open to men. There is a formal membership process which can last for many years. Once accepted into...
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Reichstag Fire
September 10, 2023
The Reichstag was the building that housed the German parliament in 1933. It was set on fire in 1933. A single Dutch communist who acted alone was likely responsible for it. He was convicted and executed for the crime. The significance of the event is that Adolf Hitler claimed it was an organized...