|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
I have to admit I was skunked until I looked this one up (came across it in the new Smithsonian).
The word is not listed in Cambridge or Merriam-Webster, and there's only 4 hits on OneLook, all pretty generic with no etymolgies. This is the best I could find, from YourDictionary.com:
mustelid n : fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals [syn: musteline mammal, musteline]
Any OED'ers, or anyone, whom I could badger for more background on this word? I'm assuming Latin. But since I left most of my Latin back in 9th grade with a one-year course, "Salve magistra!," I'll have to toss this one over to Faldage.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
Aw, W'ON, this would have been a perfect Hogwash word. Drat!  
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866 |
I'll see what I can ferret out on this one. Should be able to weasel something out of my Chambers.....
stales
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
From Jackie's post about poisonous PMs we know we have a black and white striped mustelid member on the board, a cowardly character assassin, capable of discharging a vile odor caused by a sulfur containing secretion, a horrible mercaptan mephitis. As usual, a URL http://members.aol.com/ctraisi/fundpage/skunk2.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
fissiped
adj., having the toes separated from Lat. fissus p.ppl of findere, to split + ped(em), pes, foot.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
So, when someone says "He smells so musty", they are refering to a musteline, not a basement, smell. Now I get it. D'oh!  Not musky though. No, no, not musky. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
fissiped Vertebrate Zoology. 1. having the toes separated to the base,
as in cloven-hooved animals.having the toes separated to the base, as in
cloven-hooved animals. 2. of or relating to the carnivorous suborder
Fissipeda, which includes cats, dogs, and bears.of or relating to the
carnivorous suborder Fissipeda, which includes cats, dogs, and bears.
Dear Faldage: does this conflict with definition you have?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Dr. Bill
I see, rereading my defintion, that the toes are separated from Latin. Perhaps, rather, they should have been separated from a comma.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
mustelid comes from the Latin name for weasel (mustela) and was adopted as a genus name (Mustelidę) ca. 1758.
-joe wednesday
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,915
Posts229,852
Members9,197
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
1 members (A C Bowden),
287
guests, and
1
robot. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
