May 6: this is a old lost word that Steven Poole considers we should resurrect after the terrible, farcical Global Financial Crisis. Instead of loading this industry with respect and deploying the term “financial trader,” Poole believes we should reach back to the term “stockjobber,” which has the meaning, Poole explains, given by Dr Johnson: “A low wretch who gets money by buying and selling shares in the funds.” I know plenty of financial traders. A few of them I’d be happy to describe as stockjobbers.
I came across “petrichor” in a crossword. Petrichor means “a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.” What a wonderful, subtle word. And how intriguing does petrichor sound when rolled around your mouth?
Source: A Word for Every Day of the Year by Steven Poole.