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Nov 25, 2024
This week’s themeWords that sound dirty, but aren’t This week’s words nudifidian titman cocky 
“Nice stamen.”
“Oh, yeah ... I’d pollinate that.” Cartoon: Wayno Previous week’s theme Words that appear to be misspelled 
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargMonogamy is mating with one person, bigamy with two, and polygamy with multiple. So what’s autogamy? Here’s a hint: the Greek root auto- means “self”. Intrigued? Don’t worry -- no judgment here. Whether the number is zero, one, or more, it’s all good as long as everyone’s on board. Need another hint? Autogamy happens in hothouses as well as in wide open spaces. It often generates seed. Fertilization is a possibility too. But before your imagination runs wild, let us clear things up: autogamy is far more mundane than you think. In fact, it’s probably happening in your garden right now. Yes, right now. This week’s words follow a similar pattern -- they may sound scandalous but are thoroughly innocent. So why not liven up your office memos, HOA meeting minutes, or even your research papers with a little linguistic mischief? Who wouldn’t want to slip in a word that raises eyebrows but passes every HR compliance check? autogamy
PRONUNCIATION:
(o-TOG-uh-mee)
MEANING:
noun: Self-fertilization, for example, of a flower by its own pollen.
ETYMOLOGY:
From German Autogamie, coined in 1876 by Austrian botanist Anton
Kerner von Marilaun (1831-1898). Earliest documented use: 1877.
NOTES:
Autogamy, or self-fertilization, is the process by which a plant’s
own pollen fertilizes its own ovules. It’s common in many plant species,
including peas. It’s nature’s way of going solo, ensuring survival without
external assistance, though it can lead to reduced genetic diversity.
The first documented use of the word
in English is in a 1877 letter by Charles Darwin to Belgian botanist
Léo Errera: “I wish that I had used some such terms as autogamy,
xenogamy [cross-pollination], etc.”
USAGE:
“[The Kzizn] could also reproduce ... through endogenous autogamy,
otherwise known as self-fertilization. Thus, they really couldn’t
be insulted by telling them to go procreate with themselves.” Scott Michael Decker; Inoculated; Next Chapter; 2015. See more usage examples of autogamy in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
We haven't yet learned how to stay human when assembled in masses. -Lewis
Thomas, physician and author (25 Nov 1913-1993)
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