Noun:  take offence or annoyance; (archaic) shade or shadow, especially as cast by a tree.

Umbrage usually occurs as in the phrase ‘take umbrage.’  Let’s say you’re hurt, or piqued or disgruntled or annoyed, in all these situations you might be taking umbrage for something.  The term is usually paired with the offending act or object.  For example, ‘the politician took umbrage with the editorial’s portrayal of his conduct.’  Use umbrage when you have a complaint, but don’t want to sound base.

Adjective:  of the highest degree or quality; in grammar (of an adjective or an adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of quality.

Noun:  grammar, a superlative adjective or adverb, (the superlative) the highest degree of comparison; (usually superlatives) an exaggerated or hyperbolical expression of praise; something or someone embodying excellence.

Here in Minnesota this was a superlative summer weekend, with warm clear skies and a Saturday evening shower to keep things interesting.  In grammar a superlative refers to a word that shows the greatest degree of something, i.e. ‘he isn’t just funny or funnier, he’s the funniest’ or ‘she isn’t just pretty or prettier, she is the prettiest.’  When not used to describe the function of another word it describes something that is the best example of something.  For example Joe Mauer is a superlative catcher.  Use superlative as an adjective to refer to, or as a noun to identify something that is excellent.

Verb (transitive):  Combine (two or more texts, ideas ect.) into one.

Conflate is another verb for combining things.   Terms like mixing or combining seem more apt for physical things, like ingredients in a recipe, while conflate seems to be mostly applied to ideas or theories.  The use of the term makes sense as conflate comes ultimately from a Latin term meaning “kindled, fused.”  You might use conflate to refer to a story that combines many issues into one theme or to refer to an author who blends multiple ideas into an argument.

Adjective (technical):  of or relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process; occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.  (emphasis mine)

Liminal is  a quintessential esoteric word–few people know it and generally only because of their interest in a specific field of study.  The word is best understood from it’s Latin root, limen or limin-, meaning “threshold.”  Liminal is usually used to describe a place in-between, or on a threshold.  Think of a doorway as a liminal place as it is a spot between two rooms or spaces.  Liminal is used in many fields of study to describe various things that are in-between other things.  For example, anthropologists describe coming of age rituals where young persons are separated from their families and communities for a time to bond with their peers as a liminal experience.  A more familiar example is a subliminal thought, one that happens “below the threshold of … consciousness.”  I discovered the term liminal in grad school and it intrigues me not because its clever, but because it aptly describes many places and situations we encounter in life.

Adjective:  traveling from place to place.

Noun:  a person who travels from place to place.

Itinerant is a good word for anyone or anything that is on the move.  Itinerant is similar to roaming or wandering or vagrant or vagabond, but perhaps without the negative connotations of the last two.  I like it because it can be used both as a noun and as an adjective.  Itinerant comes from the Latin iter, “journey, road.”

Adjective:  (redolent of/with) strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something; (poetic/literary) strongly smelling of something; (archaic, poetic/literary) fragrant or sweet smelling.

Redolent is another term one does not come across every day, yet it captures a simple concept:  of something being suggestive of another.  In colloquial  terms we might say that something “reminds me of…” or that something ” smacks of…” in the place of this term.  I also kind of like the word’s root in the sense of smell.  It makes the term a bit more visceral, especially as smell is one of the strongest triggers for memory.  So the next time you describe how something is evocative of another, perhaps redolent will fit the bill.

Verb:  (intransitive) be enough or adequate; (transitive) meet the needs of.

Sometimes you have enough.  Sometimes you need to say that something is enough.  For these situation the verb suffice exists.  I guess I don’t have much more to say except that I like this word.  I hope this suffices.

Adjective:  in an initial stage, beginning to happen or develop; (of a person) developing into a specified type or role.

Incipient is another word for something in the early stages of development.  Like an incipient player who has just joined the big leagues for their rookie season.  It seems  a  good word at one week into a new year.  Incipient is similar to the previously posted word nascent, though incipient seems to imply something that is already somewhat established where nascent refers to something just coming into being.  Though it is cold here in the northern hemisphere, enjoy the incipient weeks of the year.

Noun:  amusement, especially as expressed with laughter.

The words merry and happy and joy are on peoples lips this time of year.  To this group I offer mirth.  The term conger images of happy revelers sharing a moment, or a young child laughing at her own joke.  Or mirth is the Ghost of Christmas Present in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol sprinkling good cheer on great and small alike.  So, have a Happy Christmas, and may you halls be decked with mirth.

Noun:  a chain or garland of flowers, leaves or ribbons, hung in a curve as a decoration; a curved or molded ornament representing such a garland.

Verb:  (transitive, often be festooned with) adorn a place with chains, garlands or other decorations.

It is the darkest time of year in the northern hemisphere as the winter solstice is just a couple of days away.  Yet in this darkness we festoon the world with decorations as Christians celebrate the coming of the light into the world.  I like the word festoon because it is both a noun and a verb.  As a noun it refers to the things used as decorations, what we in the United States might usually think of as a garland.  As a verb, the usage I am more familiar with, festoon refers to the act of decorating.  I particularly like how we festoon our homes inside and out with what the British call fairy lights.  So, even though it is dark and the nights are long, festoon your homes with festoons of your pleasing and join the celebration.