Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, a meme hosted by Kathy of bermudaonion.net. It’s a great way to learn new words!
Today I’m sharing my last word from Mr. Penumbra. I could guess the meaning, but I wanted to know the etymology.
Cobwebs and dust coated the shelves of the derelict bookstore.
derelict \’der-ə-likt\ adj from Latin de- + relinquere to leave; abandoned, especially by the 
owner or occupant; lacking a sense of duty
Derelict can also be used as a noun: something voluntarily abandoned, or a person no longer able to support himself.
Word Nerd Workout
I’m including a review of last week’s word, erstwhile, since a lot of you were surprised by the meaning of that one! I’m so glad we can learn together.
Complete the analogy:
erstwhile : former :: derelict : _______________
Leave your suggestions in the comments, and go use some awesome words today!
Julia
knew these words…and like Amy mentioned, have normally found derelict used when family responsibilities were shirked..
erstwhile : former :: derelict : discarded
erstwhile : former :: derelict : shirked
Great job!
erstwhile : former :: derelict : deserted
Good job Kathy!
Hey there Julia,
How about ‘irresponsible.’
God bless your day,
Hester, 😉
I’ve heard derelict most often used for men who shirk their fatherhood responsibilities…hmmm…erstwhile:fomer::derelict:worthless lump 🙂
Ha ha! Very good Amy!
Abandoned
Thanks for the review!