http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinny Here’s a fascinating article about hinnies, which are essentially mirror image mules. The animal is new to me, and the genetics involved are pretty mind-blowing. (Real-life chimerae?!) Just be warned that extended reading will start to sound like a Newsradio sketch. * Mule mares pass along 100% of their maternal genes to their offspring, […]
Tag Archives: word-ofthe-moment
Glimpse | Define Glimpse at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=glimpse Glimpse, n. 1. a very brief, passing look, sight, or view. 2. a momentary or slight appearance. 3. a vague idea; inkling. 4. Archaic. a gleam, as of light. [Origin: 1350-1400; ME glimsen (v.); c. MHG glimsen to glow; akin to glimmer] One of the less pleasant words in the English language to pronounce, […]
Fantastic | Define Fantastic at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=fantastic Fantastic, adj. 1. conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination; 2. fanciful or capricious, as persons or their ideas or actions; 3. imaginary or groundless in not being based on reality; 4. extravagantly fanciful; 5. incredibly great or extreme; exorbitant; 6. highly unrealistic or impractical; outlandish; 7. Informal. extraordinarily good. [Origin: […]
Twists, Slugs and Roscoes: A Glossary of Hardboiled Slang
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/856052/posts An English to Gangster dictionary. Perfect for those of us who wish to become fluent in Gangsterese. (Slang rocks!)
Shakespeare – By Category
http://shakespeare.about.com/od/studentresources/a/longest.htm Stolen from Aluis, here’s a Word of the Moment I can’t see myself ever using, if only because it’s one heck of a mouthful to say: The word “honorificabilitudinitatibus” is not a nonsense word at all, but rather it is the dative singular conjugation of a real medieval Latin word. Dante actually used it […]
Jeremiad | Define Jeremiad at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=jeremiad Jeremiad, n. A literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom. French j
Deliquescent | Define Deliquescent at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=deliquescent Deliquesce, intr.v. 1. To melt away. 2. To disappear as if by melting. Latin deliquescere : d-, de- liquescere, to melt, inchoative of liquere, to be liquid.
Pilcrow – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilcrow Carrington‘s mention of “pilcrow” in our conversation the other day brought out the word nerd in me. Punctuation marks are so pervasive and auxiliary to a words that it’s hard to remember that they had to be invented at some point. I have a feeling a good part of my morning is going to […]
Terrorist | Define Terrorist at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=terrorist Terrorist, n A radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities.
Ineffable | Define Ineffable at Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ineffable Ineffable, adj. 1. Incapable of being expressed; indescribable or unutterable. 2. Not to be uttered; taboo: the ineffable name of God. Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ineffabilis : in-, not; effabilis, utterable