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I was paging through a dictionary one day, and as I am want to do, I stopped to read the definition of a really cool $50 word. The definition was "One who roots for the underdog." I remember that because I am one. The problem is I don't remember the word! Does anyone know this word?
Thanks, Robert Payne
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posted by tsuwm and Jackie last July. But I couldn't find their posts until I had re-coined it and found at above URL
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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One who roots under the dog: a tick and sometimes a flea.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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One who roots under the nit: Faldage ;)
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Pooh-Bah
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In reply to:
The word has three parts. The Latin prefix infra- means "interior to,
below, or beneath." Related words include under, inferior, and
inferno. The middle part, -canino- is from the Latin canus (dog), and
-phile is from the Greek philos (beloved, loving).
How interesting that inferno pertains more to that which lies below than to a conflagration, which is how the word seems to be used nowadays.
There was a film in the 1970's called "The Towering Inferno" about a fire in a high rise building. (Probably not a popular film after the recent unpleasantness.) In light of the word's etymology it seems to be an oxymoron.
Now as to rooting for an underdog, what would one be called who cheers for Kerberos?
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Joined: Jun 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The definition was "One who roots for the underdog." I remember that because I am one. The problem is I don't remember the word! Does anyone know this word?Um, would that be incurable romantic? How about Polly Purebred, then?  Welcome, Robert Payne. I hope you will enjoy this place as much as we do.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I posted about that, Dr. Bill?? Good heavens, I have NO memory of that whatsoever!  I'm impressed that you came up with it, though. And oh, Aunt mav, you are SO bad!!  And yes, welcome, Robert Payne. Glad to have you!
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addict
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addict
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a really cool $50 word
Hi Robert Payne and WELCOME  .. great question. I was thinking altruist but I suspect it's close but no cigar. Your phrase above has intrigued me though. I've heard of a $64,000 Question, but not a $50 word. Does this just mean great or interesting?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Hi Robert, welcome aBoard.
We have a similar expression in French but it is usually used to mean somebody is talking in a hoity-toity fashion.
When a person talks using big words he would not usually use we say he is "taking out his 10-dollar words" (il sort ses mots à dix piastres)
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