Word of the Day: February 14, 2023

coquetry

play
noun | KOH-kuh-tree

What It Means

Coquetry means “a flirtatious act or attitude.”

// She enjoys using Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for playful gifts and coquetry.



Examples

“The skirt is made of bridal satin, a fabric with a brilliant appearance and a thickness that provides volume. It is typically decorated with ribbons, organza, and pleated lace details. The three-inch heels that the women wear when performing the dance are visible at the bottom of the skirt—a demure bit of coquetry. A game of attraction is central to this dance ...” — Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2022


Did You Know?

The rooster’s cocky attitude has given him a reputation for arrogance and promiscuity. It has also given the English language several terms for people whose behavior is reminiscent of that strutting barnyard fowl. Coquetry comes to us from the French word coquetterie, which means “flirtation.” The related noun coquet also comes from French, where it is a diminutive of coq, the French word for rooster. Originally, in the 1600s, English speakers used coquet to describe men who indulged in trifling flirtations. Today, you likely won’t hear coquet used only to refer to men. Coquet can also be used interchangeably with coquette (“a flirtatious woman”), and coquetry refers to flirtation regardless of a person’s gender identity.


Larger Vocabulary = More $$

Not enough people realize that it is our ability to use our language that will determine our place on the social pyramid–and that will also control, to a great extent, the amount of money we will earn during our lives. Research has shown over and over that a person’s vocabulary level is the best single predictor of occupational success (more info). Ready to reach the top? Subscribe and receive a new word daily via TXT!


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Facts & Statistics

"A person may dress in the latest fashion and present a very attractive appearance. So far, so good. But the minute he opens his mouth and begins to speak, he proclaims to the world his level on our social pyramid...Our use of our language is the one thing we can't hide."

Earl Nightingale (one of the greatest self-improvement authors of all time) conducted of a 20-year study of college graduates. "Without a single exception, those who had scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college, were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group."

Another study by scientist Johnson O'Connor, who gave vocabulary tests to executive and supervisory personnel in 39 large manufacturing companies:

Presidents and VPs

236 out of 272

Managers averaged

168 out of a 272

Superintendents averaged

140 out of 272

Foremen averaged

114 out of 272

Floor bosses averaged

86 out of 272

In virtually every case, vocabulary correlated with executive level and income.

In a "Reader's Digest" article titled "Words Can Work Wonders for You", author Blake Clark told a fascinating story of a salesman in his 50s who scored in the bottom 5% of a standardized vocabulary test. He worked himself into the top 45% and became a vice president of the company.

You can reach the top! We may not all be brilliant enough to be the top in our fields, but we can certainly be in the top 5%–including you.

"Let's face it, from the earliest times, the favored class of people has always been the educated class. They can make themselves recognized instantly, anywhere, by the simple expedient of speaking a few words. Our language, more than anything else, determines the extent of our knowledge.

Step out, and make something more of yourself!