Today's Word: fugacious

[D. Allan]

I had not the slightest idea there is such a word. Seeing that it is related to the musical term "fugue" gives it (to me) more importance.

fugacious \fyoo-GAY-shuhs\, adjective:

Lasting but a short time; fleeting.

The fugacious nature of life and time.

-- Harriet Martineau, Autobiography

Tastes, smells . . . being, in comparison, fugacious.

-- John Stuart Mill, Examination of Sir W. Hamilton's Philosophy

When he proposed the tax in May, Altman thought it would follow the fugacious nature of some flowers: bloom quickly and die just as fast.

-- Will Rodgers, "Parks proposal falls on 3-2 vote", Tampa Tribune, June 27, 2001

Fugacious is derived from Latin fugax, fugac-, "ready to flee, flying; hence, fleeting, transitory," from fugere, "to flee, to take flight." Other words derived from the same root include fugitive, one who flees, especially from the law; refuge, a place to which to flee back (re-, "back"), and hence to safety; and fugue, literally a musical "flight."

let us see some of your own sentences using this flighty word.

[cricket]

The serpent's susurration: a fugacious flight of fancy!

[D. Allan]

nice aliterations, Christiane.

lets see...... Her fugacious frowns pursued by his smiles were soon demolished.

[Amelia]

I wish my depression was fugacious.

[D. Allan]

i had to get pugacious with mine before it became fugacious. my doc. attacked it with a ssri. (selective seritonin reuptake inhibitor)

[Neil D]

[Ahem] I think there's a better way to get rid of depression than sex.....

[D. Allan]

hmmm.... when your performance is fugacious (fyoo-gayshus) i don't suppose it would help much.