GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

gerontology

Pronunciation: /ˌjerənˈtäləjē
noun
the scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the particular problems of old people.

Origin
early 20th century: from Greek gerōn, geront- 'old man' + -logy.



_____._____._____._____._____._____._____._____._____._____

Charles chose to specialize in gerontology. He wasn't so much interested in old people as he was in trying to avoid someday being old himself.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

gerontology

My biggest frustration as a young man was the fact that young women could easily outdistance and elude me.

Now that I'm an old man, nothing's changed. When I manage to corner one of the pretty nurses, they're always accompanied by a couple of BIG orderlies.

Gerontology is much overrated.

[Algot Runeman]

albescent

Pronunciation: /alˈbesənt
adjective
chiefly • literary
growing or shading into white: the albescent waves on the horizon
More example sentences

Origin
early 18th century: from Latin albescere 'become white', from albus 'white'.


Photo Credit: Steven Depolo

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My beard has gone mostly gray, unlike Santa, whose beard was albescent.

["Gray" is my regional (US) spelling for the not-white-not-black color, but I'm always inclined to spell it "grey" which apparently is the UK style. I have to check myself from time to time. Today was one of those times.]

[Algot Runeman]

mondegreen

Pronunciation: /ˈmändəgrēn
noun
a misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of the lyrics of a song.

Origin
1950s: from Lady Mondegreen, a misinterpretation of the phrase laid him on the green, from the traditional ballad “The Bonny Earl of Murray.”.

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If I listened carefully to the words of some songs, yuck! I'd intentionally do a mondegreen to them.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

mondegreen

I think I'm going to take up golf.

It is said you're never too old to learn, so I'd love to widen my education with Lady Mondegreen, if I can bag her.

Also, some things I understood my grandpa's Amerind shaman to have said are becoming much clearer now.

[Algot Runeman]

ectomorph

Pronunciation: /ˈektəˌmôrf
noun
Physiology
a person with a lean and delicate body build. Compare with endomorph and mesomorph.
More example sentences

Origin
1940s: ecto- from ectodermal (being the layer of the embryo giving rise to physical characteristics that predominate) + -morph.


Randall Munroe

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I wonder if the cartoon characters of XKCD are all acknowledged ectomorphs.

[Algot Runeman]

euphuism

Pronunciation: /ˈyo͞ofyəˌwizəm
noun
formal
an artificial, highly elaborate way of writing or speaking.

Origin
late 16th century: from Euphues, the name of a character in John Lyly's prose romance of the same name (1578–80), from Greek euphuēs 'well endowed by nature', from eu 'well' + the base of phuē 'growth'.

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Hornblower sometimes expressed his euphemism by deciding to say little more than "Hmm."

[Algot Runeman]

omnifarious

Pronunciation: /ˌämnəˈfe(ə)rēəs
adjective
formal
comprising or relating to all sorts or varieties.

Origin
mid 17th century: from late Latin omnifarius + -ous; compare with multifarious.


Selena N. B. H.

+*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/ +*-/

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." So says the aphorism (adage, maxim, truism...).
When you consider the omnifarious varieties of apples, one wonders if one sort is more effective than others. Do we need to carefully select a Courtland or will a Macintosh do just as well. Gala, Fuji, Empire, Granny Smith, Yellow Delicious, Red Delicious, how's a person to choose?

[Algot Runeman]

mésalliance

Pronunciation: /ˌmāzəˈlīəns, ˌmāˌzalˈyäNs
noun
a marriage with a person thought to be unsuitable or of a lower social position.

Origin
French, from més- 'wrong, misdirected' + alliance (see alliance).

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Will class always be with us? Certainly mésalliance should be of historical interest by now.

[Algot Runeman]

wyvern

Pronunciation: /ˈwīvərn
noun
Heraldry
a winged two-legged dragon with a barbed tail.

Origin
late Middle English (denoting a viper): from Old French wivre, from Latin vipera.


aimee rivers

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"Why, Vern, Isn't that a Wyvern on the top of the cliff?"
"No, Margit, that's a Hudson Hornet. They do look a bit alike, though."
"Idiot, not the car, that hideous creature that is now headed our way. RUN!"

[Algot Runeman]

coolth

Pronunciation: /ko͞olTH
noun
chiefly • humorous
1pleasantly low temperature: the coolth of the evening
2articles, activities, or people perceived as fashionable: the pinnacle of 1960s coolth

Origin
mid 16th century (but rare before the 20th century): from cool + 2) in Oxford Dictionaries (US English)">-th2.



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The temperatures this winter have gone well beyond coolth. The next week is supposed to offer a little respite. We shall see.

[Algot Runeman]

cognoscente

Pronunciation: /ˌkänyəˈSHentē, ˌkägnə-
noun
a connoisseur; a discerning expert: the art historian as professional, expert, cognoscente, and aficionado
More example sentences

Origin
late 18th century: Italian, singular of cognoscenti.

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JOATMON, that's me. No cognoscente here, nosir! I know enough to get into trouble in several fields.

[Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None]

[Algot Runeman]

alley-oop

Pronunciation: /ˌalē ˈo͞op

exclamation
used to encourage or draw attention to the performance of some physical, especially acrobatic, feat.

noun
(also alley-oop pass) Basketball Back to top
a high pass caught by a leaping teammate who tries to dunk the ball before landing.

Origin
early 20th century: perhaps from French allez! 'go on!' (expressing encouragement) + a supposedly French pronunciation of up.


Eden, Janine and Jim


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I remember yelling "Alley-oop!" in the schoolyard during recess. I cannot remember why.

[Algot Runeman]

maven

Pronunciation: /ˈmāvən
noun
[often with modifier] North American • informal
an expert or connoisseur: fashion mavens

Origin
1960s: Yiddish.

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Mavis marvelled that she was mentioned as a munchie maven. It was just that she liked to make sure there were plenty of snacks available during any big game on TV.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

alley-oop

Your illustration of alley-oop is nice.

Much better than my silly recollection of a caveman.

http://youtu.be/JGyHqqAHTN4?t=24s

My grandpa had a variant when he wanted his pigeons to go into their coop. He repeatedly coaxed them with "Allez, hop!", which actually is French vernacular (meaning Come on, hop to it or Upsy-daisy).

[Algot Runeman]

onomatopoeia

Pronunciation: /ˌänəˌmatəˈpēə, -ˌmätə-
noun
1the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle).
1.1the use of onomatopoeia for rhetorical effect.

Origin
late 16th century: via late Latin from Greek onomatopoiia 'word-making', from onoma, onomat- 'name' + -poios 'making' (from poiein 'to make').
The ending of onomatopoeia is spelled -oeia; it comes from Greek onomatopoiia 'word-making'.


Richard Taylor

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Oh, no, my toe, Pear. You stomped on it again. We may need to reconsider these dance lessons unless your clumsiness lessens. I don't like the "squish" sound I'm hearing. Don't you love words like that? You know, onomatopoea, the words which reflect the sound associated with their meaning?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

onomatopoeia

I'm forever confusing Mythopoeic with Onomatopoeic.

Though when I imagine how the members of the Onomatopoeic Society try communicate with each other ...

It also reminds me of the French Pouic-Pouic.

[voralfred]

We also have RRRrrr!!!

[Algot Runeman]

effulgent

Pronunciation: /iˈfo͝oljənt, iˈfəl-
adjective
• literary

1shining brightly; radiant.
1.1(of a person or their expression) emanating joy or goodness.

Origin
mid 18th century: from Latin effulgent- 'shining brightly', from the verb effulgere, from ex- 'out' + fulgere 'to shine'.


Andrew Malone

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Fran's face was radiant. The effulgent glint in her eyes mixed with the sun's rays at the outdoor ceremony, brightening the spirits of the congregation as she and George strode across the lawn on their way to a happy life together.

[Algot Runeman]

nyctophobia

Pronunciation: /ˌniktəˈfōbēə
noun
extreme or irrational fear of the night or of darkness.

Origin
early 20th century: from Greek nux, nukt- 'night' + phobia.


Questions cartoon children ask

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Because of her nyctophobia, the worst thing you could say to Sandy was, "Good night!"

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

nyctophobia

I have no nyctophobia.

On the contrary, when smoke gets into my eyes, I nictitate.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

onerous

Pronunciation: /ˈōnərəs, ˈänərəs
adjective
1(of a task, duty, or responsibility) involving an amount of effort and difficulty that is oppressively burdensome: he found his duties increasingly onerous
1.1 Law involving heavy obligations: an onerous lease

Origin
late Middle English: from Old French onereus, from Latin onerosus, from onus, oner- 'burden'.



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For the two of us it was an onerous task, but we did it. With the pressure on us, None of us wanted to see the project fail.

[Algot Runeman]

sthenic

Pronunciation: /ˈsTHenik
adjective
Medicine , • dated
of or having a high or excessive level of strength and energy.

Origin
late 18th century: from Greek sthenos 'strength', on the pattern of asthenic.


Equilibrium Nutrição

!!===================================> ---> ,,,/ ..._

My sthentic days are long passed. These days it is fatigue for which I have an excessive level.

[Algot Runeman]

hobnob

Pronunciation: /ˈhäbˌnäb
verb (hobnobs, hobnobbing, hobnobbed)
[no object] • informal
mix socially, especially with those of higher social status: a select few who hobnob with the biggest celebrities the country has to offer

Origin
early 19th century (in the sense 'drink together'): from archaic hob or nob, hob and nob, probably meaning 'give and take', used by two people drinking to each other's health, from dialect hab nab 'have or not have'.


National Geographic
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It has been difficult for me to hobnob with the Smiths. They seem uncomfortable when they see me coming. Of course, maybe it has something to do with my inseparable pet wolf, unless it's just the muck on my hobnail boots.

[Algot Runeman]

glissando

Pronunciation: /gliˈsändō

noun (plural glissandi /-dē/ or glissandos)
Music
a continuous slide upward or downward between two notes.

Origin
Italian, from French glissant, present participle of glisser 'to slip, slide'.


Hyacinth

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"Slip, slidin' away,
Slip, slidin' away.
You know the nearer your destination,
The more you're slip, slidin' away."

Oh! Wait. That song is about something else, and it is not a good example of glissando.