Words of the Week 11

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don't know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun ... etc.

ALLONYM

noun

Pronounced: AL-o-nihm

Meaning: A name that is assumed by an author but that actually belongs to another person.

Example: For his first novel, Allen considered using John Grisham as anallonym.

* * * * *

BESTIARY

noun

Pronounced: BEE-stee-airy

Meaning: A medieval, often illustrated, work in verse or prose describing with an allegorical moralizing commentary on the appearance and habits of real and fabled animals.

Example: At the Metropolitan Museum, Eli lingered in front of a case containing a Frenchbestiary that told a story about a unicorn and a dragon.

* * * * *

CARICATURED

verb

Pronounced: CARE-ih-ka-tuur-d

Meaning: Represented in exaggeration by means of deliberate simplification and often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics.

Example: Those who inaugurated the movement for women's enfranchisement were initially censured andcaricatured by the press.

* * * * *

DRYAD

noun

Pronounced: DRY-add

Meaning: One of the minor divinities of nature in Greek and Roman mythology that are represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the forests.

Example: Sally likes to sit in her tree house and pretend that she is adryad.

* * * * *

ECHOLOCATION

noun

Pronounced: eck-ko-lo-KA-shun

Meaning: A process of animal orientation and navigation that involves emission of high-frequency sounds that are reflected back from environing surfaces and thus indicate the relative distance and direction of such surfaces.

Example: Contrary to popular fiction, Erin learned that bats never get tangled in people's hair because their system ofecholocation is so accurate.

* * * * *

FASTIDIOUSLY

adverb

Pronouced: fass-TID-di-us-ly

Meaning: In a manner that reflects a meticulous, sensitive or demanding attitude.

Example: Vera's insistence on dressingfastidiously for every occasion precluded her from going anywhere on short notice.

* * * * *

GLENGARRY

noun

Pronouced: glen-GARE-ree

Meaning: A woolen cap of Scottish origin, typically having a crease in the crown from front to back and edges bound with ribbon that ends in the back in two small streamers.

Example: Each bagpiper was wearing aglengarry, a kilt, a sporran and spats.

* * * * *

HYPERBOREAN

adjective

Pronounced: high-per-BORE-ee-in

Meaning: Of, relating to or inhabiting an extreme Northern region; frigid.

Example: Polar bears are among the few animals that can survive inhyperborean regions.

* * * * *

IDIOPATHIC

adjective

Pronounced: id-ee-o-PA-thick

Meaning: Arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.

Example: After carefully examining Leila, the doctor announced that her sudden hearing loss wasidiopathic and might disappear with time.

* * * * *

JOURNALESE

noun

Pronounced: JUR-nal-eeze

Meaning: A style of writing held to be characteristic of newspapers.

Example: The wordtranspired is consideredjournalese because it rarely occurs outside of newspapers.

* * * * *

KARMA

noun

Pronounced: KAR-muh

Meaning: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the sum total of the ethical consequences of a person's good or bad actions comprising thoughts, words and deeds.

Example: In Buddhism, harming another being is believed to contribute to badkarma.

* * * * *

LIBERTARIAN

noun

Pronounced: lih-bur-TARE-ree-in

Meaning: One who upholds the principles of individual freedom of thought and action.

Example: Alibertarian would cut down constitutional authority to the smallest proportions, while an authoritarian leaves but little scope for private judgment.

* * * * *

MASOCHISTIC

adjective

Pronounced: mah-so-KISS-tick

Meaning: Relating to, marked by or given to taking pleasure in physical or mental suffering inflicted on one by oneself or another.

Example: Runners have long endured derisive comments from nonrunners about their apparentlymasochistic tendencies.

* * * * *

NOMOGRAPHER

noun

Pronounced: noe-MOG-gra-fur

Meaning: A writer of laws.

Example: During his term as a state senator, Wilbur became an experiencednomographer.

* * * * *

OPACATE

verb

Pronounced: OH-pah-kate

Meaning: Make impervious to the rays of visible light.

Example: Because even a small amount of daylight awakens Scott, he uses special shades thatopacate his windows.

* * * * *

PICKWICKIAN

adjective

Pronounced: pik-WIK-key-in

Meaning: Marked by simplicity and generosity of character or by an appearance and manner suggesting these qualities.

Example: Matilda wishes that her principal were more like thePickwickian headmaster of Tom's school.

* * * * *

QUATTROCENTO

noun

Pronounced: kwa-troh-CHEN-toe

Meaning: The 15^th century, specifically, the 15^th century period in Italian literature and art.

Example: Lorenzo De Medici was one of the chief supporters of Italian art during the quattrocento.

* * * * *

REVENDICATE

verb

Pronouced: ruh-VIN-dih-kate

Meaning: Recover by a formal demand for restoration.

Example: After German reunification, many who had emigrated to the West during the Cold War attempted torevendicate their former homes.

* * * * *

SALIFEROUS

adjective

Pronounced: sah-LIH-fair-uss

Meaning: Producing, impregnate with or containing salt.

Example: The tour guide recommended that the tourists resist the urge to taste thesaliferous formations in the mine.

* * * * *

TALARIA

noun, plural; singular version TALARIUM

Pronounced: tah-LAIR-ree-uh

Meaning: Winged shoes fastened to the ankles and chiefly used as an attribute of the god Hermes or Mercury of classical mythology.

Example: Thetalaria symbolize the speed with which Hermes acts as the messenger of the gods.

* * * * *

UNCONSCIONABLY

adverb

Pronounced: un-KON-shun-ab-blee

Meaning: In a manner not guided or controlled by conscience.

Example: Nathan behaved sounconscionably in elementary school that his juvenile delinquency surprises no one.

* * * * *

VENATORIAL

adjective

Pronounced: ven-na-TORE-ree-ul

Meaning: Of, relating to or used in hunting.

Example: As the duck hunting season begins, Jake can be counted on to retell accounts of his pastvenatorial successes.

* * * * *

WILES

noun, plural; singular version WILE

Pronounced: WHY-ulls

Meaning: Tricks or stratagems intended or ensnare or deceive.

Example: George Washington believed that nations must ultimately depend on themselves alone and warned against "the insidiouswiles of foreign influence."

* * * * *

XENOPHOBIC

adjective

Pronounced: ZEN-no-fo-bick

Meaning: Of, relating to or characterized by fear and hatred of what is foreign and especially of people of foreign origin.

Example: Roger'sxenophobic personality made him unfit for the Peace Corps.

* * * * *

YIDDISHKEIT

noun

Pronounced: YIDD-dish-kite

Meaning: Jewish way of life.

Example: Rabbi Cohen answered questions from the Hebrew school pupils about the fundamental values ofYiddishkeit.

* * * * *

ZETETIC

adjective

Pronounced: zeh-THE-dick

Meaning: Proceeding by inquiry.

Example: The class government has its ownzetetic justice system.