Current Events > CE Word of the day - gauche

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After scanning CE for interesting words for over two years I have been impressed with the level of intelligence of many of the people that post regularly. Sometimes an interesting word stands out, and other times it takes a while to find something that can be considered interesting. Considering the source it is not unusual to have a word that was used as a word of the day previously. At times the word of the day is found in an article that is quoted or other quoted source. If you see an interesting word being used on CE please mention me in the topic.

If you want to post in this topic, try to use the word of the day in a sentence.

Today's word is gauche.
As defined by Merriam-Webster:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gauche

Gauche and Being Left-Handed

Gauche is one of several words that come from old suspicions or negative associations surrounding the left side and use of the left hand. In French, "gauche" literally means "left," and it has the extended meanings "awkward" and "clumsy." Presumably these meanings came about because left-handed people could appear awkward trying to manage in a right-handed world - or perhaps because right-handed people appear awkward when they try to use their left hand. In fact, "awkward" itself comes from the Middle English awke, meaning "turned the wrong way or "left-handed." On the other hand, "adroit" and "dexterity" have their roots in words meaning "right" or "on the right side."

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Well shit, I didn't know thenwordbhad history like that. Etymology is super cool.

I think my favorite etymology rabbit hole would have to be learning about the origins of "milquetoast". It has its roots in an old treat food called milk toast, which was used as a fun and punchy last name of a popular newspaper comic character, Ike Milquetoast. He was portrayed as very nebbish and shy, tending to stay in his lane, and the term "milquetoast" became a popular colloquial term for people who resembled the comic character.

Nowadays we have the word milquetoast to describe that personality type, but no-one remembers the character who popularized it.

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