Word of the Day for Wednesday, January 13, 2010

lapidary \LAP-uh-dair-ee\, adjective:

1. Of or pertaining to the art of cutting stones or engraving on them.
2. Engraved in stone.
3. Of or pertaining to the refined or terse style associated with inscriptions on monumental stone.

noun:
1. One who cuts, polishes, and engraves precious stones.
2. A dealer in precious stones.

Lapidary is from Latin lapidarius, “pertaining to stone,” from lapis, lapid-, “stone.”

When Chris Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards this year, he approached Erick Dickerson’s lapidary season in which he set the record for rushing yards (2,105). The 2,000 yard mark has only been realized by four other men in history. Jamal Lewis (2,066), Barry Sanders (2,053), Terrell Davis (2,008), and O.J. Simpson (2,003) have all sprinted past the 2K mark.

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