# decrepusculate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 17, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827 "2008-07-17T14:21:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/1 "2008-07-17T14:21:27Z")
I can’t find a definition for this word in print or pixel. It shows up in cecil’s response to the article about [Tit-men](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_154a.html) Context would tell me it means to explain, but I want to verify. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/2 "2008-07-17T14:36:11Z")
I suspect it is related to the word **[crepuscular](http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=crepuscular)**: crepuscular Main Entry: cre·pus·cu·lar Pronunciation: \kri-ˈpəs-kyə-lər\ Function: \*adjective \* Date: 1668 1 : of, relating to, or resembling twilight : dim \<\*crepuscular \* light\> 2 : occurring or active during twilight \<\*crepuscular \* insects\> \<\*crepuscular \* activity\> As Cecil’s usage is the only occurence on the entire internet, I suspect he has created a verb out of this adjective, meaning to bring out of twilight, or enlighten. Show off. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/3 "2008-07-17T18:46:32Z")
[From Cecil’s article about Thoreau](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_154a.html) I assume it means to clarify or debunk, but when I google the word “decrepusculate”, all I get it his thread. Anyone have a dictionary that contains this word? I’m curious as to its actual definition. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/4 "2008-07-17T19:11:32Z")
It’s not in my unabridged OED. This looks to me like a word Cecil created. Since “crepuscular” means “of or pertaining to twilight,” I speculate that “to decrepusculate” is a fancy way of saying “to enlighten.” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/5 "2008-07-17T19:28:26Z")
The OED doesn’t have it, either. But most online dictionaries will tell you that “crepuscular” means “of, relating to, or resembling twilight”. So “decrepusculate” in a figurative sense means make clear or distinct or easily seen or something like that. ETA: Oops, I see pinkfreud got in ahead of me. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/6 "2008-07-17T20:17:40Z")
“Croot” is also obscure. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/7 "2008-07-17T20:50:53Z")
Mods, thanks for moving this for me. I have no idea why I put it in the wrong forum. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/8 "2008-07-17T21:09:56Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] I have no idea why I put it in the wrong forum. [/QUOTE] It’s a crepuscular conundrum. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/9 "2008-07-17T22:31:13Z")
There were two threads on this subject, which I have merged. bibliophage moderator CCC ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decrepusculate/456827/10 "2008-07-18T03:08:44Z")
If Cecil says it’s a word, then by gum, it’s a word! 😉