A Word a Day · A Romp Through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English by Garg, Anu -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Page Epigraph Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Animal Words

crabwise (KRAB-wyz) testudinate (te-STOOD-in-ayt), also testudinal or testudinarian gadfly (GAD-fly) kangaroo court (kang-guh-ROO kort) waspish (WOS-pish)

2. Latin Terms

quid pro quo (KWID pro kwo), plural quid pro quos or quids pro quo rara avis (RAR-uh AY-vis), plural rarae aves (RAR-ee AY-veez) sine die (SY-nee DY-ee, SIN-ay DEE-ay) annus mirabilis (AN-uhs mi-RAB-uh-lis), plural anni mirabiles (AN-i mi-RAB-uh-leez) sub rosa (sub RO-zuh)

3. Words to Describe People I

philosophaster (fi-los-uh-FAS-tuhr, fi-LOS-uh-fas-tuhr) autocrat (O-tuh-krat) adamantine (ad-uh-MAN-teen, -tin) satrap (SAY-trap, SAT-rap) anchorite (ANG-kuh-ryt), also anchoret (ANG-kuhr-it)

4. Lesser-Known Counterparts of Everyday Words

epizootic (ep-uh-zo-OT-ik) anile (AN-yl, AY-nyl) estivate (ES-tuh-vayt), also aestivate thegosis (THEE-go-sis) trilemma (tri-LEM-uh)

5. Words for Odds and Ends

aglet (AG-let) chad (chad) tittle (TIT-t1) grommet (GROM-it), also grummet (GRUM-) pintle (PIN-tl)

6. Reduplicatives

shilly-shally (SHIL-ee-shal-ee) tussie-mussie (TUS-ee-MUS-ee) or tuzzy-muzzy (TUZ-ee-MUZ-ee) herky-jerky (HUR-kee-JUR-kee) wishy-washy (WISH-ee-wosh-ee) knick-knack, also nick-nack (NIK-nak)

7. Discover the Theme I

tessera (TESS-er-a), plural tesserae hypolimnion (hip-o-LIMN-ee-on) decerebrate (de-CER-uh-brayt) homonym (HOM-uh-nim) extravasate (ik-STRAV-uh-sayt)

8. Gender-Specific Nouns

caryatid (kar-ee-AT-id), plural caryatids or caryatides (-i-deez) telamon (TEL-uh-mon), plural telamones (-MOH-neez) gynarchy (JIN-ar-kee, JYE-nar-, GYE-) androcracy (an-DROK-ruh-see) nymphomania (nim-fuh-MAY-nee-uh, -MAYN-yuh) satyriasis (say-tuh-RI-uh-sis, sat-uh-)

9. Verbs

cogitate (KOJ-i-tayt) decoct (di-KOKT) perorate (PER-uh-rayt) shamble (SHAM-buhl) redact (ri-DAKT)

10. Coined Words I

googol (GOO-gol) blurb (blurb) boondoggle (BOON-dog-uhl) heebie-jeebies (HEE-bee-JEE-beez) runcible (RUN-si-buhl)

11. Back-Formations

emote (I-MOAT) admix (ad-MIKS) aesthete (ES-theet, EES-), also esthete adulate (AJ-uh-layt) accrete (uh-KREET)

12. Portmanteaux

cremains (kri-MAYNZ) cinematheque (sin-uh-muh-TEK) carmine (KAHR-min, -MYN) birl (burl)

13. Short Words

vim (vim) fey (fay) gest (jest), also geste dun (dun) maw (maw)

14. Words That Make the Spell-Checker Ineffective

impassible (im-PAS-uh-buhl) wether (WETH-uhr) specie (SPEE-shee, -see) angary (ANG-guh-ree) also angaria (ang-GAR-ee-uh) demur (di-MUR)

15. Names for Things

crossbuck (KROS-buk) hallux (HAL-uhks), plural halluces (HAL-yuh-seez) septum (SEP-tuhm), plural septa (SEP-tuh) ocellus (o-SEL-uhs), plural ocelli (o-SEL-eye) newel (NOO-el, NYOO-)

16. Words Formed by Metathesis

scart (skart) prad (prad) bort (bort) gride (gryd) scrimmage (SKRIM-ayg)

17. Words Not to Put on Your Résumé

manqué (mahng-KAY) distrait (di-STRAY) recreant (REK-ree-uhnt) garrulous (GAR-uh-luhs, GAR-yuh-) truculent (TRUK-yuh-luhnt)

18. A Verbal Zoo

welkin (WEL-kin) endogamy (en-DOG-uh-mee) vamoose (va-MOOS, vuh-) epigone (EP-i-goan), also epigon (EP-i-gon)

19. Words from Medicine

sternutation (stur-nyuh-TAY-shuhn) nosocomial (nos-uh-KO-mee-uhl) antitussive (an-tee-TUS-iv, an-ti-) prophylaxis (pro-fuh-LAK-sis, prof-) aperient (uh-PIR-ee-uhnt)

20. Semordnilap

avid (avid) ogre (O-guhr) debut (day-BYOO, DAY-byoo) nonet (no-NET) rebus (REE-buhs)

21. Words with Color as Metaphor

blue rinse (BLOO rins) greenmail (GREEN-mayl) brown study (broun STUD-ee) purple passage (PUR-puhl PAS-ij), also purple patch, purple prose pink collar (PINGK KOL-uhr)

22. Words That Make One Say, “I Didn’t Know There Was a Word for That!”

dol (dol) murdrum (MUR-drum) thalweg (TAHL-veg, -vek) scurf (skurf) mora (MOR-uh)

23. Wordpix I

verboten (vuhr-BOHT-n) supernumerary (soo-puhr-NOO-muh-rer-ee, -NYOO-) epicene (EP-i-seen) diastema (die-uh-STEE-mah), plural diastemata (die-uh-STEE-muh-tuh) ullage (UL-ij)

24. Wordpix II

chevron (SHEV-ruhn) maverick (MAV-uhr-ik) pecuniary (pi-KYOO-nee-er-ee) pariah (puh-RI-uh)

25. Wordpix III

pendulous (PEN-juh-luhs, PEN-dyuh-, -duh-) acclivity (a-KLIV-i-tee) kowtow (kow-TOW) oology (oh-OL-uh-jee) inebriety (in-i-BRY-i-tee)

26. Words with Offbeat Pluralizations

opus (OH-pus), plural opera (OH-puhr-a, OP-uhr-a) or opuses occiput (OK-suh-put), plural occipita (ok-SIP-i-tah) or occiputs chrysalis (KRIS-uh-lis), plural chrysalises (KRIS-uh-lis-es) or chrysalides (kri-SAL-i-deez) numen (NOO-muhn, NYOO-), plural numina (-muh-nuh) virtuoso (vur-choo-OH-soh, -zos), plural virtuosos or virtuosi (-see)

27. Words about Relations

agnate (AG-nayt) miscegenation (mi-sej-uh-NAY-shuhn, mis-i-juh-) progenitor (pro-JEN-i-tuhr) enate (i-NAYT, EE-nayt), also enatic primogenitor (pry-moe-JEN-i-tuhr)

28. Collective Nouns

sounder (SOUN-duhr) nide (nyde) skein (skayn) skulk (skulk) bevy (BEV-ee)

29. Positive Words

sipid (SIP-id) pervious (PUR-vee-uhs) vincible (VIN-suh-buhl) furl (furl) requite (ri-KWYT)

30. Discover the Theme II

dekko (DEK-oh) ait (ayt), also, eyot bijou (BEE-zhoo, bee-ZHOO), plural bijoux (-zhoo, -zhooz) horst (horst) dotty (DOT-ee)

31. Lesser-Known Synonyms of Everyday Words

athenaeum (ath-uh-NEE-um), also atheneum (ath-uh-NEE-um) tokology (to-KOL-uh-jee), also tocology debark (di-BARK) debark (dee-BARK) sartorial (sar-TOR-ee-uhl) cancrine (KANG-krin)

32. Words from Speeches

manacle (MAN-uh-kul) chasm (KAZ-um) attainder (uh-TAYN-duhr) sentient (SEN-shent) mirabile dictu (mee-RAH-bi-lay DIK-too)

33. Words That Contain the Vowels AEIOU Once and Only Once

armigerous (ahr-MIJ-ehr-us) epuration (ep-yuh-RAY-shun) inquorate (in-KWO-rayt) ossuary (OSH-oo-eh-ree), plural ossuaries, also, ossuarium. uvarovite (oo-VAR-uh-vyt, yoo-)

34. Coined Words II

eustasy (YOO-stuh-see) Pangaea (pan-JEE-uh), also Pangea McJob (mehk-JOB) locust years (LO-kuhst yeers) prehensile (pri-HEN-sil, -syl)

35. English as a Global Language

nous (noos, nous) dyscalculia (dis-kal-KYOO-lee-uh) timorous (TIM-uhr-uhs) soporific (sop-uh-RIF-ik, so-puh-) morose (mo-ROS)

36. Eponyms

Fletcherize (FLECH-uh-ryz) grinch (grinch) John Bull (jon bul) aristarch (AR-uh-stark) Chicken Little (CHIK-en LIT-1)

37. Words about Words I

haplography (hap-LOG-ruh-fee) obiter dictum (OB-i-tuhr DIK-tuhm), plural obiter dicta asyndeton (uh-SIN-di-ton, -tuhn), plural asyndeta verbigeration (vuhr-bij-uh-RAY-shun) brachylogy (bra-KIL-uh-jee)

38. Uncommon Words with Common Suffixes

oniomania (O-nee-uh-MAY-nee-uh, MAYN-yuh) garbology (gar-BOL-uh-jee) onychophagia (on-i-ko-FAY-juh, -jee-uh) philography (fi-LOG-ruh-fee) theophany (thee-OF-uh-nee)

39. Words to Describe People II

pertinacious (pur-tn-AY-shuhs) pixilated (PIK-suh-layt-id), also pixillated oscitant (OS-i-tant) punctilious (pungk-TIL-ee-uhs) pococurante (po-ko-koo-RAN-tee, -kyoo-)

40. Ordinal Words

fifth column (fifth KOL-uhm) fourth estate (forth i-STAYT) third degree (thurd di-GREE) second fiddle (SEK-und FID-1) first water (furst WA-tuhr)

41. Words for Odds and Ends

albedo (al-BEE-doh) dewlap (DOO-lap, DYOO-lap) chaplet (CHAP-lit) gnomon (NO-mon) finial (FIN-ee-ehl, FI-nee-)

42. Red-Herring Words

sextet (seks-TET) potatory (POH-tuh-tor-ee) gyrovague (JYE-ro-vayg) discommode (dis-kuh-MOD) obsequy (OB-se-kwee)

43. Discover the Theme III

mecca (MEK-uh) redd (red) ogee (oh-JEE, OH-jee) vug (vug, voog) plica (PLY-kuh), plural plicae (PLI-see, -kee)

44. Newer Words in the Oxford English Dictionary

full monty (ful MON-tee), also Full Monty, full Monty bad hair day (bad hair day) nutraceutical (noo-truh-SOO-ti-kuhl) retail therapy (REE-tayl THER-uh-pee) webliography (web-lee-OG-ruh-fee)

45. War of Words and Words of War

pyrrhic victory (PIR-ik VIK-tuh-ree) casus belli (KAY-suhs BEL-y, BEL-ee), plural casus belli fetial (FEE-shuhl), also fecial polemology (po-luh-MOL-uh-jee) spoliation (spo-lee-AY-shun)

46. Words for Physical Characteristics Used to Describe People Figuratively

louche (loosh) clochard (KLOH-shahr) myopic (my-OP-ik) dexterous (DEK-struhs, -stuhr-uhs) also dextrous ambisinister (am-bi-SIN-uh-stuhr)

47. Words Evolved from Folk Etymologies

humble pie (HUM-buhl pi) kickshaw (KIK-shaw) wiseacre (WIZ-ay-kuhr) rakehell (RAYK-hel) chaise longue (shayz LONG), plural chaise longues or chaises longues (shays LONG)

48. Words about Words II

Hobson-Jobson (HOB-suhn JOB-suhn) dittography (di-TOG-ruh-fee) eye dialect (eye-DY-uh-lekt) epenthesis (uh-PEN-thu-sis) idiolect (ID-ee-uh-lekt)

49. Words Formed Using Combining Forms

misocainea (mis-oh-KY-nee-uh, mi-soh-) piliform (PIL-i-form) ichnology (ik-NOL-uh-jee) steganography (ste-guh-NOG-ruh-fee) chiromancy (KY-ruh-man-see)

50. Toponyms, or Words Derived from Place Names

ultima Thule (UL-tuh-muh THOO-lee) El Dorado (el doh-RAH-doh) Timbuktu (tim-buk-TOO) stoic (STOH-ik) brigadoon (BRIG-uh-doon)

51. Words for Body Parts That Are Used Metaphorically

visceral (VIS-er-uhl) liverish (LIV-er-ish) adrenalize (a-DREEN-uh-lyz) phlegmatic (fleg-MAT-ik) jugular (JUG-uh-luhr)

52. Red-Herring Words Revisited

debridement (di-BREED-ment, day-) escheat (es-CHEET) antiphony (an-TIF-uh-nee) limpid (LIM-pid) sexcentenary (seks-sen-TEN-uh-ree)

53. Words from Nature’s Oeuvre

fjord (fyord), also fiord estuary (ES-choo-er-ee) peninsula (peh-NIN-su-lah) archipelago (ar-kih-PEL-uh-go) massif (ma-SEEF)

54. Words about People Who Love Books

bibliophage (BIB-lee-uh-fayj) bibliophile (BIB-lee-uh-fyl), also bibliophil (-fil) or bibliophilist (bib-lee-OF-uh-list) bibliotaph (BIB-lee-uh-taf) also bibliotaphe biblioklept (BIB-lee-uh-klept) bibliophobe (BIB-lee-uh-foab)

55. Mondegreens and Other Linguistic Faux Pas

mondegreen (MON-di-green) spoonerism (SPOO-nuh-riz-em) malapropism (MAL-uh-prop-iz-ehm)

Answers to the “Discover the Theme” Chapters Bibliography Index of Words

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