Thing Not To Be All Day Today: naissant.

Naissant, like the more familiar rampant, is a term used to describe the pictures painted on shields and coats of arms.

Here's a shield with a lion naissant on it:


That's the Coat of Arms of the municipality of Ramillies. Illustration by Evil berry

Here's another example, a stag naissant, this time:


Illustration of the Coat of Arms of Macorquodaill of that Ilk by Czar Brodie.

As you can see, naissant means appearing to be cut-off at the waist.

These days, the thing that makes people appear to be cut-off at the waist is all too often a desk...

...which makes the word naissant's derivation just deeply, deeply ironic.

Thing Not To Be All Day Today: naissant. This word comes from the Old French, where it means being born.

Having said all this, it occurs to me that sitting at a table to eat a meal is one of life's greatest pleasures, and also makes you look naissant. So I wouldn't want to volunteer for an entirely naissant-free day.