#59950
03/06/2002 9:29 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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pear shaped - pyriform
Another thread has focused on "pear-shaped", leading me to wonder what other words are out there to specify particular shapes (apart from obvious words like spherical and cylindrical, and without thesaurus of course)?
P.S. Compliments to ASp, who has started several word-threads in the last few days -- an excellent idea.
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#59951
03/06/2002 10:01 PM
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
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veteran
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Posts: 1,385 |
what other words are out there ... relating to shape
pear-shaped bodies do not appear in Armani ads but almond-shaped eyes are always in Vogue.
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#59952
03/06/2002 10:56 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
enthusiast
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enthusiast
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almond-shaped = amygdaloid
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#59953
03/06/2002 10:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,526
veteran
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veteran
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We used to say "gaussian" (as in a gaussian of revolution) instead of pear-shaped. I think it was an engineering school thing. Campanulate is the technical term.
dolabrate - shaped like an axe
lemniscate - shaped like a figure eight or infinity sign
k
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#59954
03/07/2002 7:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 2,605 |
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#59955
03/07/2002 7:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,526
veteran
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veteran
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Posts: 1,526 |
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#59956
03/07/2002 7:44 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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#59957
03/07/2002 7:48 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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ovate
spatulate
ovoid
palmate
cuneate (wedge)
cuneal (wedge)
lanceolate
cuneiform (wedge)
navicular
cultrate (knife)
cordate (heart--like the redbud tree! great leaf!)
...there are many words like these (loads!) that describe botanical and other biological shapes.
Best regards,
WaneWax
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#59958
03/08/2002 12:09 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 428
addict
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addict
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One of my favorite shape words is torus which is a doughnut-shaped solid. Based on the examples of dolabrate and lemniscate, I'll wager the adjective is toruscate. [Homer]Mmmmm...torus[/Homer]
EDIT: Seems the preferred adjective is toroidal, toroid being an alternate noun for the same shape. Thanks to our Chicagoland correspondent, Mr. K, for that info.
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#59959
03/08/2002 4:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I have to admit to having once compiled a "shape-file", with the thought of doing a week of "shape-words", but many of them are really useless. I mean, come on -- shaped like a boat?? http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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#59960
03/08/2002 4:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
Two more from physics (and probably elsewhere) are prolate and oblate. Used to describe the two ways of squishing/pulling a sphere.
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#59961
03/08/2002 4:13 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
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the local lutherian church in my neighborhood is boat shaped.
it's a new building, (1950's or so) but the original was built by local fishermen, and they shaped the roof like a boat. the new building echoed the same design.
when you are in the church, you feel like you're under a great big ship! As if they took a ship that burned to the water line, drag it ashore and used it as roof for a building!
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#59962
03/08/2002 4:22 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Because Jesus on one occaseion stood in bow of beached fishing boat to address his disciples, the main part of a church is called the nave. and pulpits were often designed to look like the bow of a ship.
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#59963
03/08/2002 4:29 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear tsuwm...
I cannot believe that you don't like navicular!! I think that's the coolest word---and navy comes from it.
Boat-shaped? That's a very useful word. Boat-shaped shoes, and boat-shaped pastry, boat-shaped noses, and boat-shaped bouquets--boat-shaped hotdog holders--boat-shaped trowels and boat-shaped windows...
Now throw in navicular--and you sound sophisticated!
Navicular bouquets thrown out navicular windows onto passersby with navicular noses casting navicular shadows over quickly padding feet in navicular boots...
I mean, the possibilities are endless! And stunning!
Best regards,
Wordwind [raspberry with navicular tongue]
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#59964
03/08/2002 4:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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well, okay! you can now refer to your neighborhood church as naviform (actually rare in usage) or the more common (from Anat. and Bot.) cymbiform (from the L. word for boat). and there may yet be life for my "shape-file". http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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#59965
03/08/2002 4:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Wordwind: Don't forget, you have a navicular in each wrist!
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#59966
03/08/2002 4:52 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear wwh,
I KNEW you were going to mention the navicular bones in the wrists! Just knew it!! I saved that just for you!!
But I sure as heck hoped that you'd mention some other bone shapes!
Bone regards,
WristWind
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#59967
03/08/2002 5:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear tsuwm: diligent search turned up nothing on :" cybiform (from the L. word for boat)." Everybody knows about Norbert Wiener and "cybernetics" I couldn't find out background beyond "helmsman"
Please give more details about "cybiform".
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#59968
03/08/2002 5:26 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 10,542 |
dear bill, try "cymbiform". sorry to send you on a wild-goof chase. http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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#59969
03/08/2002 6:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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One of my favorite shape words is torus, says flatlander.
Join me for some coffee and toroidal pastry?
[Edited. Sorry, folks; made *no sense before]
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#59970
03/08/2002 7:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear tsuwm: dear bill, try "cymbiform". sorry to send you on a wild-goof chase.
So now you can forgive me for sending you on a wild anserine expedition for "excarnation"
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#59971
03/08/2002 7:38 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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So now you can forgive me for sending you on a wild anserine expedition for "excarnation"bill, now you have me at a distinct disadvantage, for (1) I do not recall the incident, and (2) excarnation is a perfectly good word, in fact being an antonym <alert> for incarnation. (I suppose I shall now pay dearly for these admissions.) http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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#59972
03/08/2002 7:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 328
enthusiast
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enthusiast
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#59973
03/08/2002 8:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
addict
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addict
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Helen, one of the churches that I pass on my way to work, looks like a boat too. To be precise, it looks like an ark. Is there a word for ark-shaped?
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#59974
03/08/2002 9:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 3,467 |
My favorite shapely words:
Peggy Remington
TEd
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#59975
03/08/2002 9:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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my memory is refreshed, the rn/m problem. http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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#59976
03/08/2002 9:13 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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My favorite shapely words:
Peggy RemingtonGood on yer, mate! 
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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#59977
03/08/2002 11:13 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Just now stumbled upon obrotund, meaning, as best I can tell, a round shape flattened on both the top and the bottom.
It is not in standard on-line dictionaries; may I ask for an OED check, please?
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#59978
03/08/2002 11:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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List of unusual words beginning with O
... obrotund, round but flattened on top and bottom. obscurantism,
policy of withholding knowledge from the public. ...
http://phrontistery.50megs.com/o.html
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#59979
03/09/2002 10:26 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Is there an orutund? I should go check that, but I'll just let it float around for a while.
Orutund. That should be a word along with excamation!
Gosh, I'd forgotten that whole excarnation discussion. Just checked out Rapunzel's link...and it all came back. Hanging bodies as a means to transport the dead to the next life by transport of vultures. No wonder I'd forgotten it altogether!
Body regards,
WordWorried
PS: orutund is not a word. Just checked on OneLook. What a pity. And I thought of another good definition for cornobbled...Since "cor" is "heart," cornobbled could mean that you'd been hit especially hard in your heart by Cupid's arrow. Not just hit, but practically knocked over. I intend on using cornobbled that way in my personal lexicon. Also hit by a flying cob of corn would work for cornobbled. To list the ever-growing meanings of cornobbled: hit by a fish; hit by a fist; hit in the heart by Cupid's arrow; and hit by a cob of corn. It is good that language is a living, growing entity.
EditOK. I've just received a spelling error alert--and orotund is what I was thinking of, and not a shape word at all, but a sound word--that comes from rotund, which is a shape word. Now what about Oreotund--shaped like a you-know-what!! That could be useful. Or give it a second meaning, playing off of orotund, and you have someone who sounds like he's talking with a mouth full of cookies! Ha!
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#59980
03/10/2002 2:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,074 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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obrotund, round but flattened on top and bottom
...and there's your "oblate spheroid" again, perfectly described!
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#59981
03/10/2002 6:44 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
My favorite shapely words:
Peggy RemingtonTed, you are the SWEETEST thing!!!
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#59982
03/12/2002 10:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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funnel-shaped: infundibuliform
bell-shaped: campanulate
Connie, can your mushroom expertise provide more shape-words?
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