Vest-Pocket Vocabulary E’gotheism, n. deification of self. Word in the Wild: A devout practitioner of egotheism, Danica insisted that not only she, but all of her coworkers, should get her birthday off as a paid holiday. If enough of us got on board with the practice of egotheism, just think of all the paid holidays […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Chow’ter, v. to grumble like a child or frog. Word in the Wild: Amitav chowtered at his roommate after she accidentally put his 2014 tax slips through the shredder. This fun word is obsolete, but let’s not let that stop us from using it anyway. Its etymology is unknown, though chowter is similar […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Ba’bery, n. playthings for a child. Word in the Wild: Receiving nothing but blank looks from her nephews after she asked them to clear the living room of their babery and detritus, Celine tried again: “For pity’s sake, clean up your toys and junk!” You can find a complete listing of the Word […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Apocrust’ic, a. having a repelling power; astringent. Word in the Wild: If you’re planning to make your own dandelion wine, do be sure the blossoms you pick haven’t been sprayed with pesticides, which will result in an unfortunately apocrustic vintage. Oh, and a poisonous one, too. You can find a complete listing of […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Zetic’ula, n. a small private room. Word in the Wild: After sharing a room with her sister for the past 8 years, Annicka needed a place of her own to gather her thoughts and hide her diary. She claimed the front-hall closet for her zeticula and begged her dad to find somewhere else […]
Lexical Vexations This lexical vexation is for Kevin – thanks for all the great Lexical Vexation suggestions, Kevin! principal 1. n . a person responsible for the administration of a school. 2. adj. most important or influential. principle 1. n. a rule or standard to which a person should be held. Words in the Wild: […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Writ’ative, a. inclined to write as an author. Word in the Wild: Vicki used pencils to put up her hair so that she could write at any time whatsoever. She wrote while riding the bus, wrote in her dreams, wrote her own vows, and wrote with the alphabet noodles in her soup. She […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Via’tic, a. relating to travelling. Word in the Wild: She’d always been powerless to resist the lure of the faraway. First it was leaving the neighbourhood on her own, then it was biking to the next town over, and now it was the viatic call of a investigative journalism. She just couldn’t hold […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Ubica’tion, n. relation as to place; whereness Word in the Wild: Ilya often had trouble determining his own ubication, which is why three of his birthday gifts turned out to be compasses. The fourth was a GPS. This word has wandered over to English from the modern Latin ubicātio, meaning in “a determinate […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Threnet’ic, a. complaining; expressing sorrow. Word in the Wild: Tanis left her office to investigate the threnetic keening coming from the kitchenette. She found Priya desolate—it turned out that her trusty 1987 Nissan had died earlier that morning and now, to top it off, the coffeepot was completely empty. If only Nissans and coffee […]