Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 48 of 101 1 2 46 47 48 49 50 100 101
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
CACOETHES

PRONUNCIATION: (kak-oh/uh-WEE-theez)

MEANING: noun: An irresistible urge to do something, especially something inadvisable.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek kakoethes (ill-disposed), from kakos (bad) + ethe (disposition). Kakos is ultimately from the Indo-European root kakka-/kaka- (to defecate), which also gave us poppycock, cucking stool, cacology, and cacography. Earliest documented use: 1603.
_______________________

CACAOETHES - irresistibe urge to eat uprocessed chocolate

CACO-ETHER - foul-smelling stuff that pervades the entire universe

CACOETHESE - the language spoken in the pre-Columbian Cacoeth civilization

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
REFOULEMENT

PRONUNCIATION: (ruh-FUL-man) [the last syllable is nasal]

MEANING: noun: The forcing of refugees or asylum seekers to return to a place where they are likely to face persecution.

ETYMOLOGY: From French refoulement (turning back), from refouler (to push back), from re- (again) fouler (to trample). Earliest documented use: 1780.
__________________________

REFOUL EVENT - another example of unpermitted poor sportsmanship

REFOU LAMENT - crazy again, alas

REF: 0-ELEMENT - the umpire says every group has to have one member which after interacting with every other group member leaves it unchanged

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
MEMETIC

PRONUNCIATION: (muh/mee/mi-MET-ik)

MEANING: adjective: Relating to memes.

ETYMOLOGY: From meme, from Greek mimeisthai (to imitate, copy). Earliest documented use: 1977.
____________________________

MIMETIC - imitating Marcel Marceau

HEMETIC - bloody

MAME-TIC - my Auntie's eyelid twitches repetitively

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
BIMARIAN

PRONUNCIATION: (by-MAY-ree-uhn)

MEANING: adjective: Relating to two seas.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin bimaris, from bi- (two) + mare (sea). Earliest documented use: 1731.
____________________________

'BAMARIAN - neat and tide-y

BINARIAN - one who can always see two sides to everything

BIG MARIAN - the librarian is very tall and strong

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
GRAPHOMANIA

PRONUNCIATION: (graf-oh-MAY-nee-uh)

MEANING: noun: An obsessive inclination to write.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek grapho- (writing) + -mania (obsession). Earliest documented use: 1827.
________________________________

GRAPPOMANIA - an obsessive devotion to an Italian brandy distilled from fermented pomace

GIRAPHOMANIA - an obsessive devotion to an African herbivore with a very long neck

GRAPHOMANTA - a species of ray that uses its "stinger" to write. (Surprised? Don't be. Mantas have the largest brains among all cold-blooded fish)

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
APHRODITE

PRONUNCIATION: (af-ruh-DY-tee)

MEANING: noun: A beautiful woman.

ETYMOLOGY: After Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Her Roman equivalent is Venus. Earliest documented use: 1658.
____________________________

ACHRODITE - a colorless person

APHRODILE - a horny reptile

APHRODICE - Johannesburg gambling cubes

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
TITANISM

PRONUNCIATION: (TY-tuh-niz-uhm)

MEANING: noun: A spirit of nonconformity, rebelliousness, or revolt, against authority, convention, etc.

ETYMOLOGY: After Titan, any of a family of giant gods in Greek mythology. Titans, under the leadership of Cronus, one of the Titans, overthrew their father Uranus and ruled themselves. Eventually, Cronus’s son, Zeus, rebelled against his father and defeated the Titans. Earliest documented use: 1628.
___________________________

TIGANISM - a condition resulting from exposure to trimethobenzamide (Tigan), an anti-nauseant know to have Parkinson-like side effects, because of which it's not used very much these days

TRITANISM - the practice of getting an intense sun exposure three times a year

TETANISM - another word for severe muscle spasms

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
BOREAL

PRONUNCIATION: (BOH-ree-uhl)

MEANING: adjective: Northern; relating to the north, north wind, northern regions, etc.

ETYMOLOGY: From Boreas, the god of the north wind in Greek mythology. Earliest documented use: 1470. The opposite is austral.
_______________________

COREAL - describing starfish which eat invertebrate polyp colonies for breakfast in the morning

FOREAL - slang for "No, honestly, it's true!"

BO REGAL - Ms Derick truly has a queenly persona

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
VULCANIZE

PRONUNCIATION: (VUHL-kuh-nyz)

MEANING: verb tr.: To harden or improve, for example, rubber by application of sulfur and heat.
verb intr.: To become hardened.

ETYMOLOGY: After Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, metalworking, etc. Earliest documented use: 1846.
____________________________

VOLCANIZE - to convert to an active erupting mountain after eons of dormancy

SULCANIZE - to show pouting in ones facial expression

HULCANIZE - to metamorphose into an immensely powerful green monster (see Bruce Banner)

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
GORGONIZE

PRONUNCIATION: (GOR-guh-nyz)

MEANING: verb tr.: To paralyze, petrify, or hypnotize.

ETYMOLOGY: After Gorgon, any of the three monstrous sisters in Greek mythology: Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. They had snakes for hair and turned into stone anyone who looked into their eyes (apparently it was OK to objectify people in those days). Earliest documented use: 1609.
_________________________________

GORDONIZE - what the Commissioner of Gotham City Police does to reshape his department

GO AGONIZE - you've decided nothing will help your bad situation

G. ORGANIZE - the seventh and ultimate way to improve working conditions

Page 48 of 101 1 2 46 47 48 49 50 100 101

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 676 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5