I'm collecting words, coined or otherwise, that have to do with the excitement of learning, thinking, realizing, and so on.

Intellizest comes to mind.

What are some others?

Best regards,
Wordwind

philomath and polymath have been mentioned here before.

()

howsabout "verbiphage"?

stales

Dear WW "zest" is an interesting word. I still remember my first encounter with it, in Boswell's life of Johnson, when he offered a piece of "zest" to a dinner guest. It was a piece of orange peel, and my dictionary still gives that as the first meaning.

"howsabout "verbiphage"?" Dear Stales: I have been compelled to retract words, but never actually compelled to chew and swallow any of my rejected writings.
Maybe a verbiphage is a guy who eats a Chinese fortune cookie whole.

How about "Eureka!" Of course, it has to have the exclamation mark to give it zest.

dxb.

inquisitive.

k

Thirst for knowledge...or hunger for the same...

Is "Promethean" a close one.

It's not exactly according to the dictionary, but in the few instances where I've seen the word used, it seemed meant to convey originality as a result of some internal mental quest.

Or maybe I'm just imagining things.

k

Dear Bill,

About the zest... After having seen several recipes calling for either orange or lemon zest, I started to nibble away at it and found it good to eat. Always, since a curious little girl, I've nibbled away at the inside of the peel, which I think is called something like bagasse--but the taste for zest came in my later years. Read an articles, also years later, stating the nutritional benefits of eating the insides of peels, the bagasse, if I'm correct in this word. Will have to go LIU.

Bagasse regards,
WW

PS: Bagasse is close but wrong. Bagasse is the residue left over from processing fruits--sugar cane, beets, etc. Don't know what the word is for the white skin just inside the organge peel--but it does have a name!

but it does have a name!

My dear WW, this has been a Word of the Day: I believe it's albedo. This also has an oceanographic/earth science meaning - which might be a YART - let me know if you wanna hear it anyway.

And if you eat a lot of molasses cookies, you'll get a bagasse.

r a cassoulet. The sharp refreshing orange flesh , the aromatic zest and the ... of
two of the oranges, avoiding any pith, then peel them with a sharp knife ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/foodinfocus/pf_recipes_oranges.shtml
More Results From: www.bbc.co.uk

I used to own a pith helmet, but I never pithed in it.

Dear Bean,

I just looked up albedo on OneLook--thanks for that word! Curiously, Bartleby listed a definition for the citrus fruit inner skin, but MW did not. Go figure. Wonder whether that skin inside a bean shell has a name--bet it does. You know: When you shell a peanut, the peanut has that brown paperlike skin. But I'm talking about the metallic inner lining of the shell it. You being Bean, you might know! (Really...just kidding. Chances of anyone knowing what that lining inside a peanut shell are next to nil.)

Bean regards,
Wordwonderer

And the other definition--the one to which you refer--is pretty meaningless to me. Anything you'd like to provide here: terrific!

I have a challenge for all of you; Find a single word that describes Chaucer's scholar:

or centuries, educators have cited Chaucer’s description of his scholar as the ultimate
motto of our profession: “Gladly would he learn and gladly teach.” Unfortunately, the
emphasis has been selective, underscoring, for the most part, “gladly teach” as indicative
of what educators most value.

An easy way to think of albedo is that it's something like "how reflective the earth (or what's covering it) is". So the polar ice caps have high albedo, as could be seen in the "nighttime view of earth" pic a while back. So do clouds. Something like a coniferous forest would probably have low albedo.

Taking this one step further, you can actually define it as a number between 0 and 1, which describes how much light is reflected back. Here's another good defnintion from one of my clearer books: "Not all the energy impinging on the earth is absorbed. A fraction is reflected or scattered...the number is called the albedo of the earth and has a value of approximately 0.3." (That is, 30% of energy from the sun is reflected away from Earth on average.) (There are maps in this book, too, showing how it varies over different parts of earth.)

zetetic?


k

You explained albedo very well, Bean. I've got it. The inside of that peanut shell, which is kind of a metallic white, has a higher albedo than the inside of a green bean shell, which is dark green at maturity. Right? I've got it, right?

Bean regards,
WW

And if you eat a lot of molasses cookies, you'll get a bagasse.

I used to own a pith helmet, but I never pithed in it


Hey Bill, who writes your material? One-liners like these could carry me and you all the way to $>Vegas<$. I'll be your manager. We'll change your name to...uh... William Dangerfield. We'll get rich!


PS: Say Bill, please help me along with this one. What is the word for when a Senior is having a moment when he is sharp-as-a-tack?

Bean, the same word albedo applies to any astronomical body that shines by reflected light (rather than by light of its own generation, as a star).

As I recall, for many years after the planet Pluto was discovered it was thought to be substantially larger than our current estimates. The prior estimate was based on noting its apparent brightness in the sky, and calculating how big it would have to be to shine that amount of light to us at such a distance. However, it was later found that Pluto shines with that brightness because, although much smaller, it has an unusually high albedo.

I bet faldage, Mav and-- an other photographers know more about albedo then they might think..
(and Steve Pinker, in How the mind works covers this.)

albedo is reflectivity of light, and as bean said, measured..
but think of driving down a highway, on a sunny, sunny day.. the black top (macadam, tar, what ever) can reflect so much light, its hard to see the white lines painted on the road..

Now think of driving in a norther city in the middle of winter.. there might be lots of snow, but most of it is soot and dirt covered (not a fresh snow, but 2 day to 2 week old snow) it hardly reflects any light at all.

Still, we all know, white reflects light and black absorbs it! Our moon, is about the same color black as a tar road. our beautiful silver moon is black! but it has a high albedo-- (no atmosphere, direct sun light) and reflects back a high percent of light!

that is why photographers use light meters.. they don't trust their eyes!

In the persistent effort to find out what the metallic white stuff is called that lines a peanut shell, first I offer what it is not:

b : the persistent calyx or involucre that subtends some fruits

And it's not the albedo either. And it's definitely not the bagasse. And I'm not talking Spanish peanuts either, though they might have that same white metallic inside-shell finish that field peanuts do here in the US. (Are Spanish peanuts really Spanish?)

Best research,
WW

Two more for your list, dubdub:

omnilegent reading or having read everything; having encyclopaediac curiosity and knowledge (hi, helen!)

epistemophiliac: one with abnormal preoccupation with knowledge

Oh, i like it.. omnilegent reading or having read everything; having encyclopaediac curiosity and knowledge

its so much better than generalist! (or dilitant . )
and it has just enough awkwardness.. (just how do you say it? om neligent? -- to fit a clutz like me perfect!
[kiss][kiss]

Caradea:

These bear repeating (repasting):

omnilegent reading or having read everything; having encyclopaediac curiosity and knowledge (hi, helen!)

epistemophiliac: one with abnormal preoccupation with knowledge...

...and they shurr do apply to Of troy! But she don' bloviate pecayunishly, do she??!!

Beaming regards, I izz so happy with these two new words
WooedWind

So, how is it that inner orange skin is called by a word that, if I understand correctly, means capacity to reflect?

I'm having a bit of difficulty following the thread of this thread (!), but have to say that I favor the word zetetic: there is a certain zetete whom I love dearly (hi, N!).

I don't know the name for the inner membrane of legumes, but i bet you're right WW, there must be a name for it.

it is a thin membrane, like the membrane between onion rings.. and yes, it is shiny, much shiner, and brighter, than the outer shell (especially a peanut that has a dull shell)

peanut growers do have a web site.. (i forgot to write it down, but they have a big blitz of ads now in the subway)
they might know..

and as for spanish peanuts, peanuts are a native american food, but they were quickly adopted by both the spanish and the portugues. they grow well in hot dry climates. their seeds are stored underground, and protected from many preditors. they have a long shelf life, and are a good source of protein and fat.. they are flavorful, so they made a good food for ships, and for planting near ports in in other countries -- so they quickly spread round the world. spanish peanuts are just a variety that were popular with spanish saliors/plantation holders.

when the spanish first came to americas, peanuts, (unlike corn and beans) where only found in aztec/mayan cultures.
the spanish introduced them to caribian, and amerian south..as a cheap easy to grow food for slaves.
(work for peanuts) they were also introduced to africa for the same reason (to have a cheap, stable food to feed ship board slaves.) no sharp objects needed to open, good quality food, easy to grow..
they moved into china and less successfully, japan, from spanish and portugues trader too.

So, how is it that inner orange skin is called by a word...

Hey, are we still talking about the word zest here? Zest is the outer, most [orangest]orange[/orangest] part of the outer skin without any of the white [whitest]pith[/whitest] that is between the zest and the flesh of the orange. Or the same with a lime or lemon.

The zest is wonderfully edible in such things as "Orange Beef" or candied and used in recipes for "Chocolate Mousse". But the pith is very bitter and changes the flavor of the zest.

So, don't confuse the ZEST with the PITH!

don't confuse

so you're saying "take the zest, but never take the pith!" ;)

So if you lust for the inner fiber of an orange peel or for celestial light,
you have an albedo libido! paging Mr. TEd Remington, paging Mr. TEd Remington, is there a TEd Remington in the house?

The Only WO'N!

The most wonderful thing about Tiggers,
is Tiggers are wonderful things.
Their tops are made out of rubber,
their bottoms are made out of springs.
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy,
Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is,
I'm the only one.
Oh, III'm the only one! (The only WO'N)

I'm the only one.
Oh, III'm the only one! (The only WO'N)

Well said, Dr. Bill!


The Only WO'N!

Oh! Albumen...egg white; albedo...the white inner peel...and, reflecting light; albino--white pigmentation.
Okay, you etymologists--IS there a connection here? Does alb mean white, in some language? (Hmm, memory's telling me this has been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to LIU.)

Dear Jackie, perhaps an albino from perfidious Albion could tell you what a bishop's alb is.

I think, Bill, anyone can say what an alb is: a word much beloved by crossword puzzle constructors.

albus (a.) - white

Stales - what about "verbiphile"?

Mind you - we often hear phrases such as "Well I guess I'll just have to eat my words", so verbiphagia lives!

alb:

NOUN: Ecclesiastical A long white linen robe with tapered sleeves worn by a priest at Mass.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English albe, from Old English, from Medieval Latin alba, from (vestis) alba, white (garment), feminine of Latin albus, white. See albho- in Appendix I.


American Heritage Dictionary

Book regards,
WW

Another "alb" word: in Italian: alba = dawn, and albeggiare = to dawn (verb). Again, you can see the theme of light, or white.

OK, since no one else has done this, I went to AWAD and looked it up:

Date: Mon May 21 00:21:12 EDT 2001
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--albedo
X-Bonus: Talking is like playing the harp; there is as much in laying the hand on the strings to stop their vibrations as in twanging them to bring out their music. -Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., poet, novelist, essayist, and physician (1809-1894)

albedo (al-BEE-doh) noun

1. The fraction of light reflected from a body or surface.
For example, earth's albedo is around 0.39.

2. The white, spongy inner lining of a citrus fruit rind.

[From Late Latin albedo, whiteness, from Latin albus, white.]

"The more powerful magnetic fields generated by the Sun during maximum
activity are known to block many of the particles, which would
theoretically lead to less cloud cover and less reflection, or a lower
albedo."
James Glanz, Scientists Find Way to Gauge Earth's Glow,
The New York Times, Apr 21, 2001.

"We don't need to tell you that oranges are full of vitamin C. But did you
know that the white membrane under the skin, called the albedo, contains
almost as much C as the flesh of the fruit itself?
Myra Kornfeld, Giving Thanks, Vegetarian Times (Stamford, CT), Nov 2000.



I have a friend who loves to eat the albedo of oranges so she was just thrilled there was a word for it!

Sounds like something on a French restaurant menu, doesn't it? And then the waiter brings in, on a silver tray, a crystal plate with little curled strips of albino delicately arranged for artistic presentation, perhaps with a dripped swirl of orange marmelade...

Bean, tell your friend she's dines among gourmets!

Funny, the first thing that popped into my mind was Garcia Lorca's play La Casa de Bernarda Alba - if I recall correctly, a big deal was made over the paleness of her skin, although alba translates from Spanish to dawn / daybreak.

Maybe I'm confusing FGL with Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende on the pale skin business... Clara in La Casa de los Espiritus was exceedingly porcelain, I remember that for sure!

Vangelis has a 'song' called Albedo 0.39 (that's the albedo of a certain planet).

k

Does alb mean white, in some language?

As in the poetic name Albion, meaning England.
I believe this name traces from the War of the Roses (whites and reds); can anyone confirm?
Shakespeare:
From worthy Edward, King of Albion (King Henry VI, Part iii Act 3, Scene 3)
In that nook-shotten isle of Albion, (King Henry V Act 3, Scene 5)
Then shall the realm of Albion / Come to great confusion (King Lear, Act 3, Scene 2)

Speaking of Vitamin C content of orange peel albedo, wow told me that the reason officers in English navy didn't get scurvy when the men did was because they had marmalade and the crew did not. A fleet exploring the Pacific in mid seveteen hundreds had something like a thousand deaths from scurvy. The commander thought the problem was poor hygiene!

I'd read something somewhere about some famous person and saurkraut, with the same gist - the sailors ate saurkraut and didn't get scurvy. (But it sure must've smelled some awful on that ship!)

So, the question is: To eat the fruit of the orange or its zest? Vitamin C-wise, that is...

And, as far as sauerkraut goes, wow!, another reason to eat it! Yum!

PS: To think this began as a thread on counterclockwise movement...and it has permutated into a food thread! (Speaking of, how many people stir their pudding counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere? And how many stir it clockwise in the southern? Oops! Wrong thread! this one began on intelligence and has permutated into a food thread!)

permutated into a food thread!)

Careful there, WW. Let's make sure to call it a food word thread!

also, Limes are lower in vit. C than oranages.. they also gave rise to english sailors (and all english men) being called limies

i don't know which sailors ate kraut, but yes, cabbage is an other vit. C power house.. a steady diet of potatoes and cabbage and some milk will provide you with a complete (all required vit. and amino acids) diet.
This is why the irish survived.

I was just reading about that in Sobel's Longitude last week.


k

Abd the saddest thing of all is that the cure for scurvy was learned by Jacques Cartier in 1554 (I think) from a young Indian whom he had taken to France and back. But having been recorded in French, the British lost thousands of lives needlessly. (the Indian cure was a tea made from spruce tips.)

(the Indian cure was a tea made from spruce tips.)
...

Better be careful not to get them confused with hemlock tips--or was it the fruit of the hemlock that did Socrates in?

Edit: Just in from Google:

Socrates' execution requires that he drink a cup of hemlock. Found in Europe and parts of Asia, hemlock is a poisonous herb that looks a great deal like parsley. You would not, however, want this "fool's-parsley" dressing the side of your dinner plate!

http://socrates.clarke.edu/aplg0503.htm

...never mind.