GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

prothalamium

Pronunciation: /ˌprəʊθəˈleɪmɪəm/
noun (plural prothalamia /ˌprəʊθəˈleɪmɪə/)
literary
A song or poem celebrating a forthcoming wedding.

Origin
Late 16th century: from Prothalamion, the title of a poem by Spenser, on the pattern of epithalamium (a poem about a wedding but not specifically done ahead).



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Just let me say, "Hip, hip, hooray!"
You'll marry real soon, just not today.
I congratulate now, early.
Poems take time to rhyme, surely.

My wife sits and cringes. How sad.
Sounds like awful disease, Grandad.
She thinks and looks at me in pain.
"Prothalamium of the brain!"

In these strange times, it probably is wise to write prothalamium poems. Waiting until too long afterwards, and writing the standard epithalamium might actually happen after the couple separated!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

prothalamium

I think some ribald ditty or limerick would be more fun than a protracted prothalamium.

Easier to remember too.

[Algot Runeman]

recital

Pronunciation: /rɪˈsʌɪt(ə)l/
noun
1 A performance of a programme of music by a soloist or small group: I gave my first recital at the Royal College
2 An enumeration or listing of connected names, facts, or events: they launched into a recital of their misadventures
3 (usually recitals) Law The part of a legal document that explains its purpose and gives other factual information: Council Directive 92/56 contains detailed extracts from the Social Charter in its recitals


jmtimages

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After playing nightly for three years in crowded bars, Claire sat for her first recital in a concert hall. Naturally, she killed it. The crowd was surprised when she popped a can of beer when she finished.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

recital

I was hoping you would treat us to a ribald limerick recital ...

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.

I hope your level of stress in under control in spite of the terrorist action in your captial city.
Here's a remix from today's recital image to offer you and your countrymen support.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Thank you.

[Algot Runeman]

formicarium

Pronunciation: /ˌfɔːmɪˈkɛːrɪəm/
noun (plural formicaria)
An ant’s nest, especially one in an artificial container for purposes of study.

Origin
Early 19th century: from medieval Latin, from Latin formica 'ant'.



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Frank's formicarium flourished famously. Tom's terrarium thrived thoroughly. Al's aquarium atrophied awfully.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

formicarium

Do ants formicate to have offspring?

Ant the morning after:

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

scalable

Pronunciation: /ˈskeɪləb(ə)l/
(also scaleable)
adjective
1 Able to be scaled or climbed.
2 Able to be changed in size or scale: scalable fonts
2.1 (Of a computing process) able to be used or produced in a range of capabilities: it is scalable across a range of systems
3 technical Able to be measured or graded according to a scale.



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The results of the 1:10 teacher/student ratio were not scalable into the standard 1:30+ classrooms. Realities of financial scale derail most initiatives which promote smaller class sizes.

[Algot Runeman]

kenspeckle

Pronunciation: /ˈkenˌspek(ə)l/
adjective
Scottish
Easily recognizable; conspicuous.

Origin
Mid 16th century: of Scandinavian origin, probably based on Old Norse kenna 'know, perceive' and spak-, spek- 'wise or wisdom'.


tonynetone

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At one time, the American comedian Jimmy Durante was a kenspeckle celebrity. Today, he has been replaced. Such is the fickle nature of fame.

[voralfred]

Sorry for having been away so long.

A few delayed reactions.

floatel

Pronunciation: /fləʊˈtɛl/
(also flotel)
noun
1 A floating hotel, especially a boat used as a hotel.
1.1 An accommodation vessel for workers on an offshore oil rig.

Origin
1950s: blend of float and hotel; compare with boatel.

(...)

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Frank liked the life of a floatel captain. He enjoyed "parking" in different cities as his clients went from job to job, doing their construction or maintenance work. He didn't need to provide any entertainment, and the workers typically ate on shore so the galley was not overworked either. He also liked the trips between ports.

I think I now understand why hotels owned by brothers are called the way they are...

formicidae

\fȯrˈmisəˌdē\
noun
[mass noun]
Latin name for the ant family in the animal kingdom.

(...)

Somehow, formicide sounds like someone (or something) that kills ants, as in

Even if you take formicide on a picnic, you won't keep the (expurgated) pests out of your food.

[Algot Runeman]

pluripotent

Pronunciation: /ˌplʊərɪˈpəʊt(ə)nt/
adjective
Biology
(Of an immature cell or stem cell) capable of giving rise to several different cell types: many types of cells originate from pluripotent bone marrow stem cells

Origin
1940s: from pluri- 'several' + Latin potent- 'being able' (see potent1).



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Pluripotent cells can surprise you by developing characteristics beyond the normal scope.

[Algot Runeman]

retiarius

Pronunciation: /ˌrɛtɪˈɑːrɪəs/
/ˌrɛtɪˈɛːrɪəs/
noun (plural retiarii /ˌrɛtɪˈɑːrɪʌɪ/ /ˌrɛtɪˈɛrɪʌɪ/ /ˌrɛtɪˈɑːrɪiː/ /ˌrɛtɪˈɛrɪiː/)
An ancient Roman gladiator who used a net to trap his opponent.

Origin
Latin, from rete 'net'.



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Iopatus advanced in the ranks. He survived while others died. His skills as a retiarius were only part of the story. The rest of his success was his speed of both body and thought. The net result was fame and a shot at old age.

[Algot Runeman]

costate

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒsteɪt/
adjective
Botany & Zoology
Ribbed; possessing a costa.

Origin
Early 19th century: from Latin costatus, from costa 'rib'.



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The veins on the leaves were both pinnate and costate. They made the leaves look like feathers and the veins stood proud on the bottoms of the leaves like the ribs of a snake's skeleton.

[Algot Runeman]

humerus

Pronunciation: /ˈhjuːm(ə)rəs/
noun (plural humeri /ˈhjuːm(ə)rʌɪ/)
1 Anatomy: The bone of the upper arm or forelimb, forming joints at the shoulder and the elbow.
1.1 Entomology: The structure forming the front basal corner of an insect’s wing or wing case.

Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin, 'shoulder'.


HA! Designs

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Sometimes more is just more. You choose.

"Hank warmed up his arm to pitch."
or
"Hank limbered up the musculature attached to his humerus, preparing to throw pitch after pitch against the opposition. His radius and ulna's voluntary muscles got a little attention, as did the tendons leading to his metacarpals and phalanges."

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

humerus

Yay! Grandma again!

Whenever she heard or read about the "upper arm" she sat or stood up straighter and visibly brightened.
And then she never failed to pinch grandpa's biceps and quite enthusiastically recount the humorous anecdote about his humerus. She even composed a limerick about it.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

shadoof

Pronunciation: /ʃəˈduːf/
noun
A pole with a bucket and counterpoise used especially in Egypt for raising water.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from Egyptian Arabic šādūf.



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Salim stood at the shadoof, drawing water from the oasis. The desert breeze seemed dry enough to evaporate the bucketful of water before he carried it to the tent.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

shadoof

Though the purposes of the contraptions are totally different, this shadoof is very similar to the trebuchets used in the Lost City in Lara Croft's Rise of the Tomb Raider.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

passacaglia

Pronunciation: /ˌpasəˈkɑːlɪə/
noun
Music
A composition similar to a chaconne, typically in slow triple time with variations over a ground bass.

Origin
Italian, from Spanish pasacalle, from pasar 'to pass' + calle 'street' (because originally it was a dance often played in the streets).


MP3 Bach Passacaglia by James Kibbe on organ

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The band "marched" through the town, and played, mostly passacaglias. Colorfully dressed dancers followed them. Pity the poor musician carrying the pipe organ.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

passacaglia

I'm sure the band, after playing a number of passacaglias, took a libation pause at some shadoof.
Or preferably an inn for something more vigorously stimulating than just plain water.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

gyrate

Pronunciation: /dʒʌɪˈrəɪt/
verb
1 Move or cause to move rapidly in a circle or spiral: [with object]: the dog yelped frenetically, wildly gyrating her tail
1.1 Dance in a wild or suggestive manner: strippers gyrated to rock music on a low stage

Origin
Early 19th century: earlier (early 17th century) as gyration, from Latin gyrat- 'revolved', from the verb gyrare, from Greek guros 'a ring'.



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It takes some skill to gyrate at just the right pace to keep a Hula Hoop spinning around, much less two!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

gyrate

Just today I saw a pretty young woman very expertly gyrating with, over, under and through a Hula Hoop.

Does that make her a Hula Hoopster?

Anyway it's worth your time to watch her performance.

After unspoiling, click on the short repeating clip to see her in action on YouTube. She's amazing:
(Do watch her in HD and full screen, but shut down the irritating music)

Spoiler: show

And as they say in NOLA: "Allez Hoop!"

P.S. I saw this on http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... video.html

[Algot Runeman]

enchaînement

Pronunciation: /ɒ̃ˈʃɛnmɒ̃/
noun (plural pronounced same)
Ballet
A linked sequence of steps or movements constituting a phrase.

Origin
Mid 19th century: French, 'chaining together'.



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Jorge's enchaînement was marred by the trip and fall right in the middle. The rest of the troupe carried on and he recovered, completing his performance well. The critics praised his work, thinking the way he "performed" the stumble had introduced some new style of choreography.

[voralfred]

gyrate

Just today I saw a pretty young woman very expertly gyrating with, over, under and through a Hula Hoop.

Does that make her a Hula Hoopster?

Anyway it's worth your time to watch her performance.

After unspoiling, click on the short repeating clip to see her in action on YouTube. She's amazing:
(Do watch her in HD and full screen, but shut down the irritating music)

Spoiler: show

And as they say in NOLA: "Allez Hoop!"

P.S. I saw this on http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... video.html

As we say in french
Hou la la ...hop !
This is quite an amazing enchaînement !

[Algot Runeman]

parclose

Pronunciation: /ˈpɑːkləʊz/
noun
A screen or railing in a church enclosing a tomb or altar or separating off a side chapel.

Origin
Middle English: from Old French parclos(e) 'enclosed', past participle of parclore (from Latin per- 'thoroughly' + claudere 'to close').



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Matthew guarded the parclose. Nobody was allowed at the altar but the minister.