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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.
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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

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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.
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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

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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.
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MIMETIC - imitating Marcel Marceau

HEMETIC - bloody

MAME-TIC - my Auntie's eyelid twitches repetitively

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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.
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'BAMARIAN - neat and tide-y

BINARIAN - one who can always see two sides to everything

BIG MARIAN - the librarian is very tall and strong

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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.
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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)

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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.
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ACHRODITE - a colorless person

APHRODILE - a horny reptile

APHRODICE - Johannesburg gambling cubes

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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.
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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

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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.
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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

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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.
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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)

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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.
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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

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