Word of the Day: GARLAND
Festive wreath or festoon
garland (noun) - a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material hung for decoration or celebration; a symbol of victory [gahr-luhnd]
garland as a verb means to form or adorn with a decorative wreath or crown
BREAKDOWN: The word garland was known in both Middle English and Old French as garlande meaning wreath of flowers or crown of precious metal. The word can be traced back through Old Low Franconian to Germanic, from where it stems from the root WIR- meaning to turn or adorn in words like iridescent and wiry.
“I have stretched ropes from bell-tower to bell-tower; garlands from window to window; chains of gold from star to star, and I dance.” —Arthur Rimbaud
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily or obviously derived from classical roots.]