Word – Callous

Callous – Word of the Day

Meaning:

[adjective]: Being insensitive and emotionally careless about others’ sufferings or feelings.
[noun]: a thickened, hardened area on the skin of the foot or hand.
[noun]: To have cruel and insensitive disregard toward others.

History:

Use of this word first came into the picture during the mid 16th century. This word is derived from a Middle English and Latin word ‘callosus.’ The metamorphical sense of callous came into the world of English almost 300 years after the invention of its literal meaning. Robert Louis Stevenson used the word adequately while writing the Treasure Island. It included the phrase, “But, indeed, from what I saw, all these buccaneers were as callous as the sea they sailed on.” This word is also influenced by the Latin root ‘callum’ to define hard skin.

Usage:

1. Adjective examples – callous:

1. Not helping the wounded on the road is callous behaviour.
2. I was taken aback by her callous words.
3. How can your behaviour be callous while your twin is an empath?

2. Noun examples – callus/Callousness:

1. I have to go for a pedicure as there is a lot of callus on my feet.
2. Accumulation of callus on my sole is making it difficult for me to walk quickly.
3. Taking care of your feet during winters and following nourishing tips will prevent the formation of callus to avoid any troubles.
How do you integrate such callousness into your actions?
5. Make sure your callousness doesn’t hurt the ones you love.