October '09 List of Today's Word

The quinquagenarian, also quite the deipnosophist, worked up a hidrosis as he sought to gorgonize his two dinner mates, one asthenic and one pyriform.

Your turn.

GORGONIZE (GAR-gun-IZE) verb--to have a paralyzing or mesmerizing effect upon.

HYPOCORISM (hy-POCK-uh-RIZ-um) noun--a pet name or term of endearment.

CREPEHANGER (KRAPE-hang-er) noun--one who takes a pessimistic view of things; a killjoy.

PESTIFEROUS (pes-TIFF-er-us) adj.--dangerous to society; carrying infection; annoying, irritating.

HIDROSIS (hy-DRO-sus) noun--excretion of sweat; perspiration.

DEIPNOSOPHIST (dipe-NAH-suh-fist) noun--a person skilled in table talk.

QUINQUAGENARIAN (KWIN-kwa-juh-NARE-ee-un) noun--a person 50 to 59 years old.

PLATITUDINARIAN (PLA-ti-tu-di-NARE-ee-un) noun--one given to speaking platitudes.

ASTHENIC (us-THEN-ick) adj.--characterized by slender build and slight muscular development.
RARA AVIS (RAH-ruh-AY-vis) noun--a rare person or thing; rarity.

SLUGABED. (SLUG-uh-BED) noun--one who stays in bed too long; sluggard.

TARTUFFE (TAR-tuf) noun--religious hypocrite. From Tartufe, hypocritical hero in Moliere's play Tartufe.

SPHERAL (SFIR-ul) adj.--resembling a sphere, especially in perfection of symmetry or well-rounded excellence.

INSESSORIAL (IN-suh-SOR-ee-ul) adj.--perching, or adapted for perching.

DESCRY (duh-SKRIH) verb--to spy out or perceive the distant, uncertain, or obscure through careful observation.

ANTHROPOPATHIC (AN-thro-PO-puh-thik) adj.--ascribing human feelings to something that is not human.

SHRIVE (SHRIVE) verb-to hear confession and give absolution in the sacrament of penance; to pardon from guilt.

COLPORTEUR (KAL-PORD-ur) noun-a peddler of books, especially of bibles and religious books and tracts.

PYRIFORM (PY-ri-FORM) adj.--pear-shaped.

MARGARITACEOUS (mar-guh-ri-TAY-shus) adj.-having a satiny iridescence like that of a pearl; pearly.

PAVONINE (PAV-uh-NINE) adj.-relating to or resembling the peacock.

ANALYSAND (uh-NAL-uh-sand) noun--one who is undergoing psychoanalysis.

SATYAGRAHA (suh-TYAH-gru-huh) noun-reliance on truth; method of reform through goodwill and nonviolent resistance.

ANALECTA (AN-uh-LECK-tuh) noun-leftovers from a feast; selected written passages; literary gleanings.

TENDENTIOUS (ten-DEN-chus) adj.-motivated to promote a particular cause, biased; having a particular tendency.

AMPHIGORY (AM-fuh-GORE-ee) noun-nonsense verse/composition: writing of apparent meaning that proves meaningless.

TORREFY (TOR-i-FIH) verb--to dry or roast with fire; to scorch.

ANTINOMY (an-TI-nuh-mee) noun--an apparent or real opposition, contradiction, conflict, or contrast; a paradox.

CALLITHUMP (KAL-i-THUMP) noun--a noisy, boisterous parade.

CHARTACEOUS (kar-TAY-shus) adj.--resembling paper; made of paper.

PALINDROME (PAL-in-DROME) noun-word or sentence that reads the same backward & forward (ex.-"wets stew).

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Read November '09