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A.Word.A.Day--unciary

Pronunciation Sound Clip RealAudio

This week's theme: words related to number 12, to mark the 12th anniversary of the founding of Wordsmith.org.

unciary (un-SEE-uh-ree) adjective

Equal to a twelfth part.

[From Latin unciarius, from uncia (a twelfth part) which is also the source of the words ounce and inch. An inch is one twelfth of a foot but what about the ounce? The original pound was the troy pound having 12 ounces.]

-Anu Garg (garg AT wordsmith.org)

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The writing of a poem is like a child throwing stones into a mineshaft. You compose first, then you listen for the reverberation. -James Fenton, poet and professor (1949- )

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