As the Creative Director at Celtic, Kurt Maloy spends his 9-5 focused on how to build powerful brands through words and images with his all-star creative team.
Kurt is also well known for having a new “word of the day” that he likes to share around the office. So, we asked our wordsmith Creative Director what his five current favorite words are in this second edition of “Words with Kurt”.
Word #1 Defenestration
What does it mean? It is the act of throwing something or someone out of a window.
This is off to an interesting start… I think it’s fantastic that there’s a word for this. At some point in history, so many things were getting thrown out of windows that they had to give it a word. The second thing I like is that it originates from the French word for window, “fenêstre”.
Word #2 Temerity
Please elaborate. I once worked with a woman named Tamara who was very timid which is the opposite of temerity. I just love when people’s names characterize the opposite of who they are, like Kurt… well, maybe that’s not a good example.
Word #3 Acquiesce
The definition? To accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively.
Why acquiesce? It’s another one of those words that so perfectly describes what it defines. I also like it because the sound of it holds out hope that in spite of the reluctance to do so, the action may bring a positive result.
Word #4 Flibbertigibbet
Can you explain? I believe I’ve said too much already.
Word #5 Portmanteau
What does it mean? Portmanteau is a word derived from a blending of two or more distinct forms.
Keep going… Think of the word “smog” which is made from smoke and fog.
Okay, where’d you really learn this word? We can thank our good friend and local wordnik, Jeremy Hogan, for bringing this dual meaning beaut’ into our lexicon.
Thanks for learning a word or two with us in this edition of “Words with Kurt”! You can learn more about Kurt and some of the fun things happening in the creative department in his Employee Spotlight.
