Word Journal

aposiopesis

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:12:36 +0000

noun • /ˌæpəsaɪəˈpi:sɪs/ • an abrupt breaking-off in speech (rhetoric device)

From Latin aposiopesis, from Ancient Greek ἀποσιώπησις (aposiopesis), from αποσιωπαν (aposiopan, “be silent”).

badinage

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:05:21 +0000

noun • /bad-NAHZH, BAD-nahzh/ • banter

floke mowthede

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:29:00 +0000

adjective • Having a mouth like a flounder

felsh

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:30:05 +0100

verb • to renovate a hat.

vagile

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:25:37 +0100

adjective • /ˈvædʒɪl/ • wandering; vagrant; free to move about.

iulan

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:03:44 +0100

adjective • of the first growth of a beard

adelphophagy

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:09:49 +0100

noun • the consumption of one embryo by another in utero; particularly as it relates to certain amphibians, sharks and fishes.

From Ancient Greek adelphos (brother) + phagia (to eat of).

(Thanks, Infocult.)

taciturn

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:49:19 +0100

adjective • /ˈtæsɪtɜːn/ or /ˈtæsətɝːn/ • silent; temperamentally untalkative; disinclined to speak

From Latin taciturnus, from tacitus (“secret, tacit”)

anagnorisis

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:32:31 +0100

noun • the moment in the plot of a drama in which the hero makes a discovery that explains previously unexplained events or situations

f-hole

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:26:35 +0100

noun • either of a pair of sound holes, resembling an ∫ and a reversed ∫ in shape, cut in the front of some stringed instruments, such as the violin and the mandolin

sophomania

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:29:48 +0100

noun • unrealistic belief in one’s own intelligence; delusion of superintelligence

Ucalegon

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:14:00 +0100

noun • a neighbor whose house is on fire or has burned down.

Ucalegon, one of the Elders of Troy, had his house set on fire by the Achaeans when they sacked Troy.

perendinate

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:17:20 +0100

verb • /puh-REN-di-nayt/ • to put off something until the day after tomorrow

facinorous

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:19:09 +0100

adjective • /fa-SIN-uhr-uhs/ • atrociously wicked

From Latin facinorous, from facinus (bad deed), from facere (to do or make).

sparsile

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:55:54 +0100

adjective • of or pertaining to a star not included in any constellation.

foist

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:30:40 +0100

verb • to break wind silently

from Middle High German visten which means “to break wind”.

mephitic

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:52:00 +0100

adjective • [muh-fit-ik] • terribly stinky

nostomania

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:01:21 +0100

noun • /nos-tuh-MAY-nee-uh, -mayn-yuh/ • (obsolete, rare) overwhelming homesickness, or desire to return to familiar places.

From Greek νόστος (nostos, “a return home”) + mania.

humdudgeon

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:09:19 +0100

noun • /ˌhʌmˈdʌdʒən/ • an imaginary pain or illness.

elelendish

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:27:48 +0100

adjective • of another land, foreign.

From Old English eilland, foreign land