Tuesday, September 27, 2005

filemot (FIL-mot) noun, adjective

The color of a dead or faded leaf: dull brown or yellowish brown.

[From the corruption of the French term feuillemorte, from feuille (leaf)
+ morte (dead). Ultimately from Indo-European root bhel- (to thrive or
bloom) that gave us flower, bleed, bless, foliage, blossom, and blade.]

"The walls were panelled; each panel was comparted like a modern office
desk, and each compartment crowded with labelled folios all filemot with
age and use."
Lewis Wallace; Ben-Hur; Harper & Brothers; 1880.

From

Wordsmith's (www.wordsmith.org) Word of the Day - this week's theme is colors.

3 Comments:

At 9:37 PM , Blogger Janelle said...

Whew--now there's a word I have NEVER heard before! Cool!

 
At 7:54 PM , Blogger Mz. Pig said...

Why does French always sound better?

 
At 10:39 AM , Blogger Mimi said...

Can't you imagine a Bazzill color "filemot"? Grin!

 

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