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YARRA-BANKER

PRONUNCIATION: (YAHR-uh-bangk-uhr)

MEANING: noun:
1. A vagrant or a loafer.
2. A soapbox orator or agitator.

ETYMOLOGY: After the Yarra river in Victoria, Australia. Its bank was once a popular hangout for vagrants, soapbox orators, and the like. Earliest documented use: late 19th century.
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YARRA-BANNER - see many of them, along the riverside tourist esplanade in Victoria, Australia

FARRA-BANKER - the Six Million Dollar Woman's second career was in finance

Y'AGRA-BANKER - its headquarters is right next to the Taj Mahal (and it specializes in farm loans)

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KLONDIKE

PRONUNCIATION: (KLAN-dyk)

MEANING: noun: A rich source of something valuable.

ETYMOLOGY: After the Klondike region in the Yukon Territory, Canada, named after the Klondike River. It was the site of a gold rush from 1896 to 1899. Earliest documented use: 1897.
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BLONDIKE - when Eisenhower lightened his hair dramatically

KOLONDIKE - the physical cause of constipation

KLM ON DIKE - Royal Dutch Airways aircraft made an emergency landing on a sea-wall

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RUBICON

PRONUNCIATION: (ROO-bi-kon)

MEANING: noun: A point of no return, one where an action taken commits a person irrevocably.

ETYMOLOGY: Contrary to popular belief, Caesar salad is not named after Julius Caesar. But today’s term does have a connection to him. In 49 BCE, Caesar crossed the Rubicon, a small river that formed the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy. As he crossed the river into Italy, he exclaimed “Iacta alea est” (The die is cast), knowing well that his action signified a declaration of war with Rome. Today when an action marks a situation where there is no going back, we say the Rubicon has been crossed. Earliest documented use: 1613.
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RUBIC WON - Who got the prize for the best toy of the early 1980s?

REBICON - annual gathering of Civil War renacters, partial to the South

RUBI-CORN - maize of a particularly intense deep red

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MEANDER

PRONUNCIATION: (mee-AN-duhr)

MEANING: verb intr.: 1. To follow a winding course.
2. To move aimlessly.
3. To speak or write without a focus.
noun: 1. A curve or bend in a path, stream, etc.
2. A winding path.
3. A circuitous journey; a ramble.

ETYMOLOGY: After Maeander (modern name: Büyük Menderes), a river in Turkey, known for its winding course. Earliest documented use: 1576.
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MEAN TER - Cockney behaving with ill will

MEANTER - teacher, role model, and guide

MEADER - Vaughan the Comedian (and JFK satirist)

MD ANDER - father of a well-known cancer hospital and research center in Texas

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NIAGARA

PRONUNCIATION: (ny-AG-ruh, ny-AG-uhr-uh)

MEANING: noun: An outpouring; a deluge.

ETYMOLOGY: After the Niagara river which forms the Niagara Falls, a group of three massive waterfalls, between the US and Canada. Earliest documented use: 1800.
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"NI!" AGORA - Greek marketplace full of Knights from Monty Python

NiAg BRA - lingerie worn by Metallica on tour

NAG ARA - pester the Notre Dame football coach

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LITHOPHONE

PRONUNCIATION: (LITH-uh-fon)

MEANING: noun: Any of various musical instruments in which sound is produced by striking pieces of stone.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek litho- (stone) + -phone (sound). Earliest documented use: 1889.
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LITHOPRONE - given to forming kidney and gall-bladder stones

LITHOPHONY - rocks made of papier-maché but painted

LITHOPHANE - a thin layer of wrapping material that you can't unfold or tear open or even see through, for wrapping packs of guaranteed-safe cigarettes

LITHOSHONE - very highly polished marble

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AISCHROLATREIA

PRONUNCIATION: (eye-skroh-luh-TREE-uh)

MEANING: noun: Excessive devotion to filth or obscenity.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek aischro- (shameful or ugly) + -latreia (worship). Earliest documented use: 1912.
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AISCHROLATRIA - having ugly upper-chambers of the heart

AISCROLATREIA - worshipping the parchment and ink of the ancient Holy Writ rather than the meaning of its contents

AISCHROLATRESIA - the island fishery did not develop properly

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HENOTHEISM

PRONUNCIATION: (HEN-uh-thee-iz-uhm)

MEANING: noun: Belief in or worship of one god without denying the possibility of others.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek heno- (one) + -theism (belief in god). Earliest documented use: 1860.
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HEROTHEISM - worship of a protagonist

XENOTHEISM - worship of an alien god

ME-NOT-HE-ISM - I'm all right, Jack

SHE-NOT-HE-ISM - I always knew God didn't have a long white beard

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HYPONYM

PRONUNCIATION: (HY-puh-nim)

MEANING: noun: A more specific term in a general class. For example, “purple” is a hyponym of “color”.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek hypo- (under) + -nym (name). Earliest documented use: 1963.
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TYPONYM - TU1/2ONYM

HYPO-GYM - the locker rooms are downstairs, right below us

BY PONY, M - reply to "How do you plan to escape from those desperadoes afterward, Bond?"

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GERATOLOGY

PRONUNCIATION: (jer-uh-TOL-uh-jee))

MEANING: noun:
1. The study of aging and related decline.
2. The study of a species approaching extinction.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek gerat- (old age) + -logy (study). Earliest documented use: 1884.
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GER-OTOLOGY - the study of ear disorders in the elderly

GERMATOLOGY - the study of skin infections

VERATOLOGY - the study of Truthiness

GEARATOLOGY - the study of mechanical interactions

GYRATOLOGY - the study of spinning

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