erstwhile

erstwhile \URST-hwahyl\, adjective, adverb;
Also used as an adverb, meaning formerly.:

former

Before I move, I will tell off my erstwhile friends.

by 1569, from Middle English erest "soonest, earliest" + while.

unwitting

unwitting \uhn-WIT-ing\, adjective:

not knowing; unaware; unintentional

We are unwitting victims of the system.

c 893, Old English unwitende, from un- (1) "not" + witting. Rare after c.1600; revived c.1800.

virtuoso

virtuoso \vur-choo-OH-soh\, noun, adjective;
pl. virtuosos, virtuosi:

1. a person skilled in the techniques of an art, esp. playing a musical instrument; by extension, a person with a cultivated appreciation of artistry
2. showing mastery in artistic skills

They applauded the virtuoso's performance.

Her virtuoso singing landed her a free graduate education at Yale.

c. 1651, from Italian virtuoso, from Late Latin virtuosus. The meaning "person with great skill" (as in music) is first attested 1743.

defalcate

defalcate \di-FAL-keyt\, verb:

to steal or misuse money or property entrusted to one's care

The stockbroker defalcated millions from investment clients.

c 1540, from Latin defalcere, from de- + falx/falcem "sickle, scythe"

chaff

chaff \chaf\, noun, verb:

1. the stiff strawlike part of grains such as wheat, oats, rye
2. to make good-natured fun of someone
3. worthless material; detritus

Chaff is separated from the grain by threshing.

It's hard to separate the chaff from the wheat sometimes.

The kids chaffed the exchange student for her mistakes in grammar.

c 1000, Old English ceaf, from Proto-Germanic *kaf-, *kef-. Chaffinch (Fringilla cælebs) is Old English ceaffinc

victuals

victuals \VIT-uhlz\, noun:

food or provisions, esp. for humans

Before the hurricane hit, we went to the store for victuals.

c 1303, vitaylle (singular), from Anglo-French and Old French vitaille, from Late Latin victualia "provisions," noun use of plural of victualis "of nourishment," from victus "livelihood, food, sustenance," from base of vivere "to live." Spelling altered by 1523 to conform with Latin, but pronunciation remains "vittles."

canine

canine \KEY-nahyn\, adjective:

1. of or like a dog or member of the dog family
2. any animal belonging to a group of meat-eaters including dogs, foxes, and wolves
3. pertaining to a canine tooth
4. one of the four teeth next to the incisors; cuspid

Several police departments with canine squads similar in size to the Prince George's unit reported few -- if any -- cases of dogs biting officers.
-- David S. Fallis and Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post, 2001-12-30

First came Netflix and Zipcar. Now comes a company that plans to rent dogs to Bostonians willing to pay steep fees for a canine friend without worry of commitment.
-- Sarah Schweitzer, Boston Globe, 2007-12-17

by 1398 as "pointed teeth," from Latin caninus "of the dog," from canis "dog," from Proto Indo-European base *kwon- "dog." The adjective is attested from 1613 and the noun meaning "dog" is first recorded 1869.