Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#165410 01/22/07 09:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2
A
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
A
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2
Hi all - newbie here. I know the above word from reading 19th century adventures as a kid - it seemed to mean something like 'having a squat body and bulbous eyes'. I learned it along with such words as steatopygous - words from the pseudoscience of physiognomy, maybe? I'm surprised to find that googling it - with variations of spelling - comes up with almost nothing at all. It's not in the Shorter OED either... I'm beginning to wonder if it's a word at all...

Any thoughts?

Adam Browne

#165411 01/22/07 10:09 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
this seems to be my day for plumping for OneLook

#165412 01/22/07 11:41 PM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Hi Adam
I would hate to pyknik on something that had a squat body and bulgy eyes but maybe that's just personal preference.

#165413 01/23/07 03:05 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2
A
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
A
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2
Ah, pyknic, with a c. Never thought of that. Thanks.

A little embarrassedly,

Adam

#165414 01/23/07 07:31 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
What an unusual word. Is that pronounced the same as "picnic" ?

#165415 01/23/07 08:53 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
I guess so, Hydra. It's listed in a homophone dictionary at the OneLook page tsuwm tsited. Click on one of the dictionaries there to see.

#165416 01/23/07 11:25 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
it's not an outside lunch, in Russia?


formerly known as etaoin...
#165417 01/23/07 05:12 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Quote:

'having a squat body and bulbous eyes'.
Adam Browne




The pyknic type.
There's nothing about the bulbous eyes in the dictio's, which makes the word a little less special.
With no bulbous eyes it's just another fleshy person.

#165418 01/23/07 05:58 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Basically it comes from this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Kretschmer

Kretschmer is also known for developing a classification system that can be seen as one of the earliest exponents of a constitutional (the total plan or philosophy on which something is constructed) approach. His classification system was based on three main body types: asthenic/leptosomic (thin, small, weak), athletic (muscular, large–boned), and pyknic (stocky, fat). (The athletic category was later combined into the category asthenic/leptosomic.) Each of these body types was associated with certain personality traits and, in a more extreme form, psychopathologies. Kretschmer believed that pyknic persons were friendly, interpersonally dependent, and gregarious. In a more extreme version of these traits, this would mean for example that the obese are predisposed toward manic-depressive illness. Thin types were associated with introversion and timidity. This was seen as a milder form of the negative symptoms exhibited by withdrawn schizophrenics. However, the idea of the association of body types with personality traits is no longer influential in personality theory.

In 1926 he became the director of the psychiatric clinic at Marburg University.

#165419 01/24/07 04:06 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
What about endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph?

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5