Voluble

N'kisi is an African grey parrot

N’kisi has a vocabulary of 950 English words, making him the world’s most voluble parrot. The 100 most common words comprise half of all printed English, so he has a rather versatile repertoire. N’kisi invents words or phrases for unfamiliar concepts, employs different verb tenses, and seems to have a knack for humor.

Voluble (pronounced “VOL-yə-bəl”)

1. *Marked by a ready flow of speech; fluent.
2. Turning easily on an axis; rotating.
3. Botany Twining or twisting: a voluble vine.

Etymology

From French voluble, which comes from Latin volubilis, meaning “that which turns around, rolling, flowing, fluent”. Ultimately from Latin volvere, “to turn around, roll”.

Synonyms

loquacious, garrulous, fluent, articulate

Source

BBC News: Parrot’s oratory stuns scientists |   Photo by: Tambako the Jaguar

Halcyon

A halcyon environment

The most halcyon summer day does not compare to the stillness of Ridge A in Antarctica. Ridge A has been identified as the calmest, driest place on earth, where there is no wind or weather at all. The air is so still that the stars have no twinkle, and the view into space is three times clearer than from any other location on Earth.

Halcyon (HAL-see-ən)

1. *Calm and peaceful; tranquil.
2. Prosperous and golden.

Synonyms

unperturbed, placid, tranquil

Source

NY Times: Welcome to the Calmest… |    Photo Credit

Jounce

One day old giraffe

A particularly cynical quote reads “We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.” But they get worse much more quickly for a baby giraffe, whose mother gives birth standing up. That means it is jounced into existence by a harrowing six foot drop to the ground — and it usually lands on its head.

Jounce (rhymes with bounce)

A jarring impact, or to cause to move with bumps and jolts.

Source

Giraffes up Close |   Photo Credit

Rive

Pavement riven from large flood

The single fastest wind speed ever measured was a 318 mph gust from a tornado in Oklahoma in 1999. Wind that fast can easily rive pavement from a street or blow a train off its tracks. In comparison, the top wind speeds measured from hurricane Katrina and Andrew were 140 and 165 miles per hour, respectively. Fortunately, the tornado died quickly.

Rive

1. *To rend or tear apart.
2. To break into pieces, as by a blow; cleave or split asunder.
3. To break or distress (the spirit, for example).

Synonyms

rip, rupture, sunder

Source

USATODAY



Aeolian

The largest known tornado occurred in 1925.  It was  named the Tri-State because the vortex moved 219 miles through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana before dissipating, inflicting a death toll of 695.  Other aeolian monstrosities include the Daultipur-Salturia, which killed 1,300 in Bangledash, and the U.S.’s Super Outbreak of 1974, which was a spontaneous eruption of 148 tornadoes in only 18 hours.

aeolian (pronounced “ee-OH-lee-ən”)

Of or relating to the wind; produced or carried by the wind.
[from Aeolus, Greek god of the winds]

Source

Wikipedia: Tornado Records