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#85152 10/30/02 03:47 PM
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In Word Fugitives:
" Wordier expressions were easy enough to find: 'keep up appearances' or 'hold onto their self-respect,' but these
lacked economy. Also 'cover their asses,' while satisfying in its anatomical relocation, is obviously less dignified along
with its not possessing quite the same connotation. Does this expression so dominate its niche that there exists no
other suitable poecilonym?"

with reply by tsuwm (over three years ago)
"I think Patrick may have been reaching for a synonym for synonym; poecilonymy is the use of several names for one
thing."


#85153 10/30/02 04:00 PM
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I found several sites that gave Just "synonym" as the definiion. For a site about "-nym" words
see:http://www.ryanjoseph.com/~dgale/nym.shtml


#85154 10/30/02 04:16 PM
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"Teknonymy
-The naming of the parent from the child. "


Does this mean the child names the parent, as in a nickname of some kind?

This is from the site you provided, wwh.


#85155 10/30/02 05:38 PM
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>I found several sites that gave Just "synonym" as the definiion.

the Web of a Million Lies (WoaML) strikes again -- the word only popped up as a synonym for synonym when someone asked, "What is the synonym for synonym?"; before that it was never used anywhere.

the word stems from the Gr. root poecilos, many-coloured, variegated, various, a formative element in scientific terms; thus poecilo-

1889 Buck's Handbk. Med. Sc. VIII. 528/2 An unusually complete combination of poecilonymic ambiguities.

Ibid. 517/1 Terminological variety, such as occurs in the passages quoted, may be expressed by the single word, poecilonymy.

---

"What's another word for Thesaurus?"
- Stephen Wright


#85156 10/30/02 07:57 PM
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Dear tsuwm: Very interesting, the root meaning "colorful". Poikilothermal is biological term for
"cold blooded", meaning temperature of environment, actually. "Poikiloc;ytosis" is a term about
cells in blood, which I have now got to go look up.


poikilocytosis n.


the presence of abnormally shaped red cells (poikilocytes) in the blood. Poikilocytosis is particularly
marked in myelofibrosis but can occur to some extent in almost any blood disease.

I don't know, tsuwm. I'm beginning to be skeptical of definition of "poecilonym" = synonym.

#85157 10/31/02 06:47 PM
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poikilocytosis - in a number of medical problems, rapid production of red cells may lead
to inequality of cell size. Typical of hemolytic anemias. One more reason to wonder about
the oritinal word of this thread. Nothing to do with color.


#85158 10/31/02 06:51 PM
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One more reason to wonder about
the original word of this thread.


My Classic Greek dictionary confirms that poikilo- means many colored.


#85159 10/31/02 07:05 PM
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Whom should I believe? my dictionary gives "Gr poikilos, varying" - which fits poikilothemic
and poikilocytosis. Where does color come in?


#85160 10/31/02 07:12 PM
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From bootlegbooks Reference Webster 1913:
Poikilocyte
(Poi"ki*lo*cyte) n. [Gr. poiki`los diversified, changeable + ky`tos hollow vessel.] (Physiol.) An irregular form of corpuscle
found in the blood in cases of profound anĉmia, probably a degenerated red blood corpuscle.

Poikilothermal
(Poi`ki*lo*ther"mal) Poikilothermic
(Poi`ki*lo*ther"mic) a. [Gr. poiki`los changeable + E. thermal, thermic.] (Physiol.) Having a varying body temperature.
See Homoiothermal.


#85161 10/31/02 07:16 PM
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why is it such a reach to follow this.. sequence??

>many-coloured, variegated, various

(maybe don't take the word "coloured" so literally?)


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