A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Sat Oct 1 00:03:08 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--anomie X-Bonus: My computer NEVER cras an.o.mie or an.o.my \'an-*-me-\ n [F anomie, fr. Gk anomia lawlessness, fr. anomos lawless, fr.] a- + nomos law, fr. nemein to distribute - more at NIMBLE : a state of society in which normative standards of conduct and belief are weak or lacking; also : a similar condition in an individual commonly characterized by disorientation, anxiety, and isolation -------- Date: Sun Oct 2 00:04:22 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pother X-Bonus: Most of us hate to see a poor loser. Rich winners, though, are worse. Cross references: 1. stir 1. poth.er \'pa:th-*r\ n [origin unknown] 1a: a noisy disturbance 1b: FUSS 2: a choking cloud of dust or smoke 3: mental turmoil 2. pother \-(*-)rin\ vt or poth.er.ing : to put into a pother to be in a pother -------- Date: Mon Oct 3 00:04:16 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--whigmaleerie X-Bonus: Grasshoppotamus: A creature that can leap to tremendous heights... once. whig.ma.lee.rie \.hwig-m*-'li(*)r-e-, .wig-\ n [origin unknown] 1: WHIM 2: an odd or fanciful contrivance : GIMCRACK -------- Date: Tue Oct 4 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--lethe X-Bonus: One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared'. -US VP Dan Quayle le.the \'le--the-\ \'le--the--*n, li-'the--\ n [L, fr. Gk Le-the-, fr. le-the- forgetfulness; akin to]Gk lanthanein to escape notice, lanthanesthai to forget - more at LATENT cap 1: a river of Hades whose water according to Greek mythology causes forgerfulness of the past in those who drink it 2: OBLIVION, FORGETFULNESS often cap - le.the.an aj -------- Date: Wed Oct 5 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--vilipend X-Bonus: After silence, music comes closest to expressing the inexpressible. vil.i.pend \'vil-*-.pend\ vt [ME vilipenden, fr. MF vilipender, fr. ML vilipendere, fr. L]vilis of small worth + pendere to weigh, estimate - more at PENDANT 1: to hold or treat as of small worth or account : CONTEMN 2: to express a low opinion of : DISPARAGE -------- Date: Tue, 4 Oct 1994 23:12:45 -0400 Subject: Peanut butter phobia Greetings! Ever heard of the word for fear of peanut butter getting stuck to the roof of one's mouth? Linguaphile Al Ustinov of ibm.com is hunting for this word and he has made me curious as well. "Being an immigrant to the US, I was fascinated by this uniquely American malady and could recall this word at whim," he wrote, "Age and an excess of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have since taken their toll on my memory, and I was wondering if you had ever heard of this phobia?" I am sure we can count of the 4,000+ linguaphiles to get him "unstuck." If you know the word (or what you think the word should be), please send it in. Pondering near Lake Erie... Anu -------- Date: Thu Oct 6 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--antitussive X-Bonus: What we say is important... for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. - Jim Beggs an.ti.tus.sive \-'t*s-iv\ aj : tending or having the power to control or prevent cough -------- Date: Fri Oct 7 00:03:33 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--heliolatry X-Bonus: Youth has a body in search of a wisdom, and with age the wisdom gained is in search of a body. -Peter Ron Prinzivalli he.li.ol.a.try \.he--le--'a:l-*-tre-\ n : sun worship -------- Date: Fri, 7 Oct 1994 11:15:17 -0400 Subject: Re: Peanut butter phobia Call for the search of a word for "fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth" went out a couple of days back. Here are some smooth and crunchy selections from the resulting outpour: Kurt Greene of ge.com came up with the word "dorsobuccalarachihypogaea- phobia." Of course, he has supplied the etymology too: "Arachis hypogaea is the species/genus/whatever-it's-called for the peanut." Erik G. Urdang from uswest.com suggested "Arachidnophobia." Some related words he sent may come handy next time you decide to order a peanut butter sandwich in some elegant French restaurant: "The French word for peanuts is `arachides,' peanut butter is, of course `beurre d'arachides.'" Forrest Richey of ucarb.com, a veteran linguaphile, concocted "hypogaeuvullasphyxiophobia." This word came with the proper usage guidelines: "Please note, I expect this word to be enunciated by one in the grip of the feared condition." Many folks enlisted the help of their friends in search for the word. Colleen Dawes of bwc.org sent in this little tale: I asked a friend of mine (Carol Sprague) who is quite a linguaphile and her response is below: `Yes, I believe it's legumopalatophobia. We used to try to induce this in our dogs by giving them bread with peanut-butter on it (p/n butter side UP of course) and watch them trying to lick it off the roof of their mouths (while rolling on the floor as we thought this was hilarious - okay, so we were like a little weird). They never seemed to learn though, because as soon as it was gone, they were back for more.' A large number did find the right word. Sooo... without further ado, the word we were looking for is "arachibutyrophobia." The plaque of discoverers-of-the-word includes: Michael Salmons (missouri.edu), Craig Engler (ieee.org), Uday Shankar (morgan.com), John Kratten (georgetown.edu), Clay Shirky (panix.com), Michelle Campbell (otago.ac.nz), James Dignan (otago.ac.nz), T. M. Murali (duke.edu), Clay Breshears (utk.edu), Tom B. Valesky (gmu.edu), Andria L. Fiegel (pipeline.com), Anand Natrajan (virginia.edu), Chiquito Crasto (ohio-state.edu), Doc Greene (utexas.edu), G. Buster Kaminaga (oracle.com) and Lonnie M. Turbee of syr.edu. Some other honorable mentions were "cleftosmuckaphobia" which came from a friend of David Ross of oh.us. Michael Salmons of missouri.edu too consulted his pal and wrote back, "... he also passed on another phobic fave of his: `ergophobia' (fear of work). I can relate." Now that we have slipped onto other phobias, here is an interesting report from Hillel Bromberg, an avid phobophile at babson.edu: First of all, it's interesting that there is a name for the fear of young girls (parthenophobia) ... Someone with a horrifying band teacher came up with aulophobia (flutes), and a worse physics teacher gave someone barophobia (gravity). It doesn't take a chemist to produce one of my very favorites, blennophobia or myxophobia (fear of slime). Winston Churchill taught us that we should all suffer from phobophobia (fear), though I'm sure he himself never knew a pang of katagelophobia (ridicule). I don't know where it fits in, but I have to mention the infamous triskaidekaphobia (unreasonable fear of the number 13). Some of these hit rather close to home. Or don't, as the case may be. We Jews hardly suffer from ecclesiophobia (church) or papaphobia (the Pope), and our theology doesn't really leave room for ouranophobia (heaven) or stygiophobia (hell). Among others, his list included "ddiippllooppiiaapphhoobbiiaa" - fear of double vision. He added, "I do hope that, while living where you are, you never know limnophobia (fear of lakes)." Perhaps all this phobia talk induced a new strain of phobia in Rick Armstrong of aberdeen.k12.ms.us. He confided, "I must confess that I have a fear of standing on one foot in a parking lot, singing `Ole McDonald' while pterodactiles fly overhear having a dogfight with naked men flying biplanes... What is that called?" Finally, here is my favorite: aibohphobia - the fear of palindromes. Many thank to all of you who responded - and to your friends! I have a feeling we might have heard from a few other folks, if it were not for graphophobia (fear of writing) (-: . In any case, there is one phobia, I am sure, none of us on this list is afflicted with: logophobia (fear of words). From the autumnal shore of Lake Erie... Anu -------- Date: Sat Oct 8 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--thetic X-Bonus: These are only my opinions. You should see my convictions. thet.ic \'thet-ik, 'the-t-\ \-i-k(*-)le-\ aj [Gk thetikos of a proposition, fr. tithenai to lay down] : constituting or beginning with a poetic thesis - thet.i.cal.ly av -------- Date: Sun Oct 9 00:03:16 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--concinnity X-Bonus: A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor. con.cin.ni.ty \k*n-'sin-*t-e-\ n [L concinnitas, fr. concinnus skillfully put together] : harmony and often elegance of design esp. of literary style in adaptation of parts to a whole or to each other -------- Date: Mon Oct 10 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--habiliment X-Bonus: Cats took many thousands of years to domesticate humans. ha.bil.i.ment \h*-'bil-*-m*nt\ n [MF habillement, fr. habiller to dress a log, dress, fr. billeX log - more at BILLET pl 1: TRAPPINGS, EQUIPMENT 2a: the dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion - usu. used in pl. 2b: CLOTHES - usu. used in pl. -------- Date: Tue Oct 11 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--flocculate X-Bonus: HELP! MY TYPEWRITER IS BROKEN! -- E. E. CUMMINGS 1. floc.cu.late \'fla:k-y*-l*t, -.la-t\ aj : bearing small tufts of hairs 2. floc.cu.late \-.la-t\ \.fla:k-y*-'la--sh*n\ \'fla:k-y*-.la-t-*r\ vt : to cause to aggregate into a flocculent mass {~ clay} to become flocculated - floc.cu.la.tion n 3. floc.cu.late \-l*t, -.la-t\ n : something that has flocculated -------- Date: Wed Oct 12 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cassandra X-Bonus: If you give a person a fish, they'll fish for a day. But if you train a person to fish, they'll fish for a lifetime. - Dan Quayle Cas.san.dra \k*-'san-dr*\ n [L, fr. Gk Kassandra] 1: a daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed 2: one who prophesies misfortune or disaster -------- Date: Thu Oct 13 00:03:05 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--saturnine X-Bonus: If your ship hasn't come in, swim out to it. Cross references: 1. sullen sat.ur.nine \'sat-*r-.ni-n\ aj archaic 1a: born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn : SLOW, SLUGGISH 1b: having a sardonic aspect : WRY 2: of, relating to, or produced by the absorption of lead into the system {~ poisoning} - sat.ur.nine.ly av -------- Date: Fri Oct 14 00:03:35 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--numinous X-Bonus: Businesses may come and go, but religion will last forever, for in no other endeavor does the consumer blame himself for product failure. nu.mi.nous \'n(y)u:-m*-n*s\ aj [L numin-, numen] 1: SUPERNATURAL, MYSTERIOUS 2: filled with a sense of the presence of divinity : HOLY 3: appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense : SPIRITUAL -------- Date: Sat Oct 15 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tourbillion X-Bonus: A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world. -John le Carre tour.bil.lion or tour.bil.lon \tu.r-'bil-y*n\ \tu:r-be--(y)o-n\ n [MF tourbillon, fr. L turbin-, turbo - more at TURBINEM 1: WHIRLWIND 2: a vortex esp. of a whirlwind or whirlpool 3: a firework having a spiral flight -------- Date: Sun Oct 16 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--multiparous X-Bonus: Best diet: Eat as much as you want, but don't swallow it. mul.tip.a.rous \.m*l-'tip-*-r*s\ aj [NL multiparus, fr. multi- + L -parus -parous] 1: producing many or more than one at a birth 2: having experienced one or more previous parturitions 3: producing several lateral axes {a ~ cyme} -------- Date: Mon Oct 17 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nidification X-Bonus: In the end, the poem is not a thing we see; it is, rather, a light by which we may see--and what we see is life. -Robert Penn Warren ni.di.fi.ca.tion \.nid-*-f*-'ka--sh*n, .ni-d-\ n [ML nidification-, nidificatio, fr. L nidificatus, pp. of ]nidificare to build a nest, fr. nidus nest : the act, process, or technique of building a nest -------- Date: Tue Oct 18 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nutation X-Bonus: If a man write a better book, or make a better mouse-trap ... the world will make a beaten path to his door. -Ralph Waldo Emerson nu.ta.tion \n(y)u:-'ta--sh*n\ \-shn*l, -sh*n-*l\ n [L nutation-, nutatio, fr. nutatus, pp. of nutare to no]d, rock, freq. of nuere to nod - more at NUMEN 1: the act of nodding the head 2: a libratory motion of the earth's axis like the nodding of a top 3: a spontaneous usu. spiral movement of a growing plant part - nu.ta.tion.al aj -------- Date: Wed Oct 19 00:03:32 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--metempsychosis X-Bonus: I doubt, therefore I might be. me.tem.psy.cho.sis \m*-tem(p)-si-'ko--s*s, .met-*m-.si--\ n [LL, fr. Gk metempsycho-sis, fr. metempsychousthai to undergo me]tempsychosis, fr. meta- + empsychos animate, fr. en- + psyche- soul - more at PSYCHE : the passing of the soul at death into another body either human or animal -------- Date: Thu Oct 20 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--irredenta X-Bonus: ELECELLERATION: Pressing an elevator button a lot to speed it up. ir.re.den.ta \.ir-i-'dent-*\ n [It Italia irredenta Italian-speaking territory not incorporated in Italy], lit., unredeemed Italy : a territory historically or ethnically related to one political unit but presently subject to another -------- Date: Fri Oct 21 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sublate X-Bonus: Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. sub.late \.s*b-'la-t\ \-'la--sh*n\ vt [L sublatus (pp. of tollere to take away, lift up), fr. sub-]up + latus, pp. of ferre to carry - more at SUB-, TOLERATE, BEAR 1a: NEGATE, DENY 1b: CANCEL, ELIMINATE 2: to cancel but also preserve and elevate (an element in a dialectic process) as a partial element in a synthesis - sub.la.tion n -------- Date: Sat Oct 22 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--agon X-Bonus: Worry kills more people than work because more people worry than work. agon \'a:g-.a:n, a:-'go-n\ \a:-'go--.nes, *-'go--(.)ne-z\ n or agons also ago.nes [Gk ago-n] pl : CONTEST, CONFLICT; specif : the dramatic conflict between the chief characters in a literary work -------- Date: Sun Oct 23 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--apercu X-Bonus: Lots of people know a good thing the minute the other fellow sees it first. -Job E. Hedges Cross references: 1. compendium aper.cu \a.-per-su-e-, .ap-*r-'su:\ \-su-e-(z), -'su:z\ n or apercus [F] pl 1: an immediate impression; esp : INSIGHT 2 2: a brief survey or sketch : OUTLINE -------- Date: Mon Oct 24 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pandemic X-Bonus: Where there is a will, there is an Inheritance Tax. 1. pan.dem.ic \pan-'dem-ik\ aj [LL pandemus, fr. Gk pande-mos of all the people, fr. pan-] + de-mos people - more at DEMAGOGUE : occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population {~ malaria} 2. pandemic n : a pandemic outbreak of a disease -------- Date: Tue Oct 25 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--comate X-Bonus: The universe is surrounded by whatever it is that surrounds universes. 1. co.mate \(')ko--'ma-t, 'ko--.\ n : COMPANION 2. co.mate \'ko--.ma-t\ aj : covered with hair or filaments : SHAGGY -------- Date: Wed Oct 26 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--proem X-Bonus: Forbidden fruit is responsible for many a bad jam. pro.em \'pro--.*m\ \pro--'e--me--*l, -'em-e--\ n [ME proheme, fr. MF, fr. L prooemium, fr. Gk prooimion, fr. (Xpro- + oime- song 1: preliminary comment : PREFACE 2: PRELUDE - pro.emi.al aj -------- Date: Thu Oct 27 00:03:03 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--oneiromancy X-Bonus: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. onei.ro.man.cy \o--'ni--r*-.man(t)-se-\ n [Gk oneiros + E -mancy] : divination by means of dreams -------- Date: Fri Oct 28 00:03:02 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--escritoire X-Bonus: When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers. -Oscar Wilde, writer (1854-1900) es.cri.toire \'es-kr*-.twa:r\ n [obs. F, writing desk, scriptorium, fr. ML scriptorium] : a writing table or desk; specif : SECRETARY -------- Date: Sat Oct 29 00:03:12 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--fabulist X-Bonus: The Schizophrenic: An Unauthorized Autobiography. fab.u.list \'fab-y*-l*st\ n 1: a creator or writer of fables 2: LIAR -------- Date: Sun Oct 30 00:03:04 EDT 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--zoolatry X-Bonus: Miracles are great, but they are so damned unpredictable. zo.ol.a.try \zo--'a:l-*-tre-, z*-'wa:l-\ n [NL zoolatria, fr. zo- + LL -latria -latry] : animal worship -------- Date: Mon Oct 31 00:03:02 EST 1994 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--commensalism X-Bonus: Fossil flowers come from the Petrified Florist. com.men.sal.ism \-s*-.liz-*m\ n : a relation between two kinds of organisms in which one obtains food or other benefits from the other without damaging or benefiting it.