nebulous (2009-09-27)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['ne-byê-lês]

Definition: Like or relating to a nebula (an interstellar mass of cosmic gas and/or dust); vague, blurred, unclear, as a nebulous promise; cloudy, hazy, as a nebulous view of the canyon.

Usage: You will find today's word useful whenever and wherever fogginess or haziness plays a role: "The world around her became so nebulous that Wendy thought herself going blind—until she realized that her glasses were fogged." Figurative fogginess is included, "Raquel offered a nebulous compliment on Tammy's new hair-do that left her with a puzzled look on her face."

Suggested Usage: The noun for today's word is "nebulosity," though some prefer "nebulousness," which is also acceptable. The adverb is "nebulously" and the verb, "nebulize," which means to convert a liquid to a mist, as an atomizer does. (The plural of the underlying noun, "nebula," is "nebulae.")

Etymology: "Nebulous" was borrowed from Latin "nebulosus," the adjective from nebula "cloud." The same Indo-European root turned up in Sanskrit nabhas "sky, cloud, water" and Greek nephos "cloud, fog." In German it became Nebel "fog, mist" and the Russian word nebo "sky, heavens" comes from the same source.