Word of the day is ‘matter’, which began with the Latin ‘mater’, ‘mother’, because it is a substance from which we are made. (Should those of us lucky enough to be writing a Mother’s Day card need an alternative word for ‘mother’, there is always ‘genetrix’.)

Word of the day is ‘depooperit’ (18th-century Scots): exhausted and enfeebled both mentally and physically.

Word of the day is ‘finifugal’, from the 19th century: avoiding the end of something (a box set, an excellent book, sleep, etc.) because you want it to go on forever.

Word of Christmas Day, as always, is ‘confelicity’: joy in the happiness of others. The fellow emotion to ‘compassion’, literally ‘a suffering with’. Wishing you confelicity aplenty this Christmas.

Word of the day is 'dumfungled' (19th century): worn out, used up, and totally spent. See also 'depooperit' and 'forswunk'.

Should you need a smile, I offer a reminder that penguins, in the 18th-century, were known to sailors as ‘arsefeet’.

Word of the day is ‘circumbendibus’ (17th century): anything that deliberately goes round and round without ever getting to the point.

Word of the day is ‘woofits’ (early 20th century): a sense of unease, or a case of the blahs.

Word of the day is 'mafting' (18th century): overpowered by stifling heat and an oppressive lack of air.

A reminder, should you be in need of a smile, that eggs were once called ‘cacklefarts’, penguins were known as ‘arse-feet’, umbrellas as ‘bumbershoots’, and sausages as ‘bags of mystery’ because you never quite know what’s in them.