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OBDORMITION

PRONUNCIATION: (ob-dor-MISH-uhn)

MEANING: noun: Numbness in a limb, usually caused by pressure on a nerve. Also known as falling asleep.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin obdormire (to fall asleep), from dormire (to sleep). Earliest documented use: 1634.

NOTES: There is a word even for what comes after obdormition: paresthesia. (also known as pins and needles).
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OCD, OR M.I.T. ION? - anal personality, or charged particle at the Institute?

OB DORM - IT'S ON! - the funding came through for bedrooms for on-call obstetricians !

ODORMITION - (if you choose to accept it): get the smells out of your socks

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QUARTZIFEROUS

PRONUNCIATION: (kwort-SIF-uhr-uhs)

MEANING: adjective: Containing or bearing quartz.

ETYMOLOGY: from German Quartz + Latin -ferous (bearing), from ferre (to bear). Earliest documented use: 1831.

NOTES: Quartz crystals come in various forms: amethyst, agate, onyx, etc., that may or may not be worth a bitcoin, but in a game of Scrabble, the word quartz is worth its weight: it yields 24 points, and that’s before any double or triple squares.
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QUARTZIFERROUS - semiprecious stones that are magnetic because of their iron content

QUARTZIFEROLUS - a small Quartzifer

AQUARTZIFEROUS - a geological stratum containing both geodes and water; alternativey, containing no quartz at all

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HYPERCATHEXIS

PRONUNCIATION: (hy-puhr-kuh-THEK-sis)

MEANING: noun: Excessive concentration of mental energy on something.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek hyper- (over, above) + cathexis, from Greek kathexis (holding), from katekhein (to hold fast), from kata- (intensive prefix) + ekhein (to hold). Ultimately from the Indo-European root segh- (to hold), which is also the source of words such as hectic, scheme, scholar, cathect, and asseverate. Earliest documented use: 1923.
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HYPER-CAT EX IS - I used to be married to the Catwoman

HYPEROATHEXIS - swearing all the time (Tourette's Syndrome)

HYPERCASHEXIS - too much money for yer own damn good

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BAVARDAGE

PRONUNCIATION: (bah-vuhr-DAZH)

MEANING: noun: Chattering; gossip.

ETYMOLOGY: From French bavarder (to chatter), from bavard (talkative), from bave (saliva, drivel). Earliest documented use: 1835.
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HAVARDAGE - 381 years and counting, in Boston

BAVARIAGE - the culture of Munich and other parts of Southeastern Germany

BABARDAGE - Shakespeare's works were actually written by an elephant

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ACINIFORM

PRONUNCIATION: (uh-SIN-uh-form)

MEANING: adjective: Shaped like a cluster of grapes.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin acinus (grape, berry, seed). Earliest documented use: 1798.
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ACNIFORM - papulopustular, nodular, or cystic skin lesions resembling acne

ACINIFORUM - oenologists' convention

ACING FORM - what you fill out to prove you got an A

AC IN A FORM - three-phase current


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Acainiform- one that looks nice and not too expensive

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CRACKJAW

PRONUNCIATION: (KRAK-jaw)

MEANING: adjective: Hard to pronounce.
noun: A word or phrase that’s hard to pronounce.

ETYMOLOGY: From crack, from Old English cracian (to resound) + jaw, from Old French joue (cheek). Earliest documented use: 1827.
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CRACKLAW - how the legal profession deals with the cocaine problem

CLACKJAW - the sound made by poorly-fitting dentures

CRACKAW - a city in Poland

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VOLUNTOURISM

PRONUNCIATION: (vah-luhn-TOOR-i-zuhm)

MEANING: noun: Tourism in which travelers do volunteer work.

ETYMOLOGY: A blend of volunteer + tourism. Earliest documented use: 1991.

NOTES: Many years ago, fresh out of college, I was traveling for a job interview and started chatting with an old man sitting next to me on the train. Somehow the discussion went to volunteer work and when I claimed that sometimes I do selfless work, he said, “Well, son, everything I do is for myself.” Years later, I realized the truth of his words.

While voluntourism may be well-intentioned, it may not always be the best way to help. See here and here, for example. Consider volunteering with specialized organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, Translators without Borders, Engineers Without Borders, etc. or donating to them.
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VOLU-TOURISM - traveling in very large groups to get reduced rates

VIOLUNTOURISM - ...stirring up trouble everywhere they go

EVOLUNTOURISM - visiting the Galapagos to see the development of species

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HOKUM

PRONUNCIATION: (HO-kuhm)

MEANING: noun:
1. Nonsense.
2. Trite material introduced to evoke an emotional response from an audience.

ETYMOLOGY: A blend of hocus-pocus + bunkum. Earliest documented use: 1917.
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HOOKUM - how some rugs are made

HONKUM - how you get through a flock of geese blocking the road

NOKUM - what Godot did

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PRONUNCIATION: (skwuhrl)

MEANING: noun: A flourish or curve, especially in handwriting.

ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps a blend of squiggle + twirl or whirl. Earliest documented use: 1843.
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SQUIRL - an arboreal rodent native to the Ozarks, known for gathering acorns against the coming winter

SKUIRL - the sound of a bagpipes with a wa-wa mute

SQUIRAL - Kighthood's corporate ladder

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