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May 12, 2011
This week's themeThere is a word for it This week's words anomia poetaster subitize philtrum mysophobia 
Philtrum pierced
Photo: Ruben Glew
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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Gargphiltrum
PRONUNCIATION:
(FIL-truhm)
MEANING:
noun:
The vertical groove below the nose and above the upper lip.
NOTES:
The line of the upper lip is known as Cupid's bow for its resemblance
to the shape of a bow. While the ancients thought the groove above the upper
lip had something to do with love, modern doctors have found that a smooth
philtrum is one of the signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin philtrum (love potion, groove under the nose), from Greek
philtron (love potion, groove under the nose). Earliest documented use: 1609.
USAGE:
"John Ryan Fitzpatrick flexed his index finger under his nose and across
his philtrum."Jeff Hicks; Troubles at The Glen; Waterloo Region Record (Canada); Aug 7, 2010. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
What a pitiable thing it is that our civilization can do no better for us than to make us slaves to indoor life, so that we have to go and take artificial exercise in order to preserve our health. -George Wharton James, journalist, author, and speaker (1858-1923)
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