Monday, February 01, 2010

January '10 List of Today's Word


Great words for the month of January. AMBAGIOUS, GALIMATIOUS, ASPERATE, MEIOSIS, RECRUDESCENCE, WAMBLE, EMPERY and many more. The monthly lists of Today's Word provide an easy way to find a unique word when you need it. Archives of Today's Word are under "Craft and Industry" on the right. One monthly list links to the next.

Join the Today's Word gang on Facebook every day for some fun in using the word of the day in a sentence. Some sentences are just plain fabulous, some are funny. Some start interesting discussions. Today's Word goes out on Twitter/Facebook at 7 a.m. Pacific time.

And no--I don't use these words in my books. Most are far too esoteric. I just think it's fun to learn new words. I choose words that are unusual but have meanings that could easily fit into an everyday conversation.

While you're here, I challenge you to write a sentence using at least six of the words below.


PLUVIAL(PLU-vee-ul) adj.--relating to rain; characterized by abundant rain.

RECRUDESCENCE (re-kru-DES-unts) noun--return of an undesirable condition/illness/bad idea after a time of quiet.

COMSTOCKERY (com-STOK-uh-ree) noun--prudish concern in hunting down immorality in books/pictures.

PLEIAD (PLEE-ud) noun--a group of illustrious or brilliant people or things, usually seven in number.

ADIAPHORISM (AD-ee-AF-or-iz-um) noun-indifference regarding religious or theological matters.

MICROPSIA (my-CROP-see-uh) noun--a vision defect in which things appear smaller than normal.

STENOTOPIC (sten-uh-TOP-ik) adj.--able to adapt to only a small range of changes in the environment.

PATROCLINOUS (PAT-roh-KLIH-nus) adj.--inherited from the father or paternal line.

PICKWICKIAN (pik-WIK-ee-un) adj.--marked by generosity or naivete; not to be taken literally.
REPRISTINATE (re-PRIS-tuh-NATE) trans. verb--to restore to an original state or condition, to revive.

VILLATIC (vil-LAD-ik) adj.--of or relating to a villa or village.

WAMBLE (WAM-bul) verb--to feel nausea; to move unsteadily or with a weaving/rolling motion.

EMPERY (EM-puh-ree) noun--absolute dominion, sovereignty.

SPOLIATE (SPOL-ee-ate) trans. verb--to thoroughly despoil.

OTIOSE (OH-she-os) adj.--at leisure; without profit; lacking use/effect; re: a deity--remote/aloof.

GRANGERIZE (GRANE-juh-RIZE) trans verb--to cut illustrations from a book, esp. to use in another book.

RUBICUND (ROOB-uh-kund) adj.--inclining to redness, ruddy.

POLYSTICHOUS (puh-LIS-ti-kus) adj.--arranged in two or more series or rows.

AMBAGIOUS (am-BAY-jus) adj.--roundabout, circuitous.

ASPERATE (AS-pur-ut) adj.--somewhat rough or harsh to the touch.

HYPAETHRAL (hi-PEE-thrul) adj.--having a roofless central space (in a temple); open to sky, outdoor.

SAXATILE (SAK-suh-TILE) adj.--living or growing among rocks.

DECREPITATE (dee-KREP-uh-tate) trans. verb--to roast something until it crackles or stops crackling.

RIGOLET (RIG-uh-let) noun--drain, irrigation ditch, canal.

DEXTRALITY (dek-STRAL-uh-tee) noun: right-handedness.

GALIMATIAS (GAL-uh-MAY-she-us) noun--confused, meaningless talk.

MEIOSIS (mih-OH-sus) noun--an understatement.

SYNCOPE (SING-kuh-PEE) noun-temporary stop of breath/circulation, with part or full unconsciousness.

COSTATE (KAH-state) adj.--having ribs; having ridges on the surface.

REBOANT (REB-uh-wunt) adj.--to resound; reverberating.

RETORTION (ruh-TOR-shun) noun--act of retorting; a turning, twisting, bending, or throwing back.


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Read February '10

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

With the background noise of the pruvial downpour outside, I sat in the corner and watched the pleiad of relatives who'd swooped down upon my house and settled in the living room. There was Auntie Rosa, who bore the patricloneous nose of Great-Uncle Walter; Uncle Hogan, whose comstockery through my library was hampered by his micropsia; Cousin Jenkins; a rubicund old gentleman with a rather ambagious middle and walked with a wamble; Sweet Laura, my niece, who was rather pickwickian; and then Nana Phipps, who resembled something saxatile; and then all the various little cousins, grand-nieces and nephews, and others, one of whom was currently occupied with grangerizing my precious library!


Well, I hope this makes sense, lol. Thanks Brandilyn!

Kara

Anonymous said...

oops, just realized I spelled some of your words wrong!

Kara

~ Brandilyn Collins said...

Brava, Kara!

Jill Bratcher said...

In the PLUVIAL night with a RIGOLET directing the relentless precipitation away from her small, HYPAETHRAL campsite, that Kari demonstrated her DEXTRALITY while attempting to DECREPITATE the snared rabbit single-handedly (due to her broken right arm) over a smoldering flame was a MEIOSIS.