Wednesday, April 24, 2013

A to Z Challenge 2013: U - Undulation

Undulation

un·du·la·tion [ʌndjuˈleɪʃn] n. 1. A regular rising and falling or movement to alternating sides; movement in waves. 2. A wavelike form, outline, or appearance.

Synonyms: wave

Etymology: 1640s, from Medieval Latin *undulatio, from Late Latin undulatus "wavy, undulated," from undula "wavelet," diminutive of Latin unda "wave" (see water).

I really wanted to do undulate, because verbs are just cooler than nouns, but the etymology for undulate was: see undulation. Boring.

22 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Like a pendulum.

Dani said...

I love the sound of undulation/undulate. It sounds just like it's meaning.

Sally said...

I quite like the word undulating.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I've seen this word but wasn't sure what it meant. Now I know. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

A great word.

Yvonne

Donna K. Weaver said...

You made me smile with the boring. Thanks, Matt.

mshatch said...

Undulate always makes me think of the sea.

Old Kitty said...

I'm feeling sea-sick..! LOL!! Take care
x

farawayeyes said...

OK, first I have to remind you that I'm weird. That said; this is a sexy sounding word. Crazy? Maybe, but think about it for a few minutes. Ha!

Crystal Collier said...

LOL. I love this word. I may have even used it in my last novel, but maybe not. Probably just considered it while looking for synonyms.

Now I'm kicking myself for not having gotten to your blog until nearly the end of the A to Z. I LOVE etymology.

Jay Noel said...

"Undulatio" sounds kinda dirty.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Can two bodies undulate against one another?

Andrew Leon said...

I'm not actually very fond of this word. It's awkward.

SC Author said...

I love this word. Sounds so...awesome.

Unknown said...

sounds very relaxing.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely hate it when I look up a word and the definition uses a variation of the same word I'm looking up. I can just see my past English teachers, with that awful scowl on their faces, promising to fail anyone in the class who tries to do such a thing.

Cathrina Constantine said...

Like the word undulation. Have used it in every manuscript.

Unknown said...

very calming word. :)

Steve MC said...

Where it says, "diminutive of Latin unda 'wave,'" I thought it said, "diminutive of Latin unda wear." :p

Michelle Wallace said...

The sound of the word matches the image it conjures...

Writer In Transit

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Matthew .. this is a great word and reminds me of a blogging friend, who doesn't do the Challenge, as she is writing a novel based on Undulations of the body kind - I don't think undulation could ever lead me anywhere else, til I'd adjusted my thought processes!

Cheers Hilary

Rick Daley said...

Great word. I like the cadence, and I've used in in one of my books.