In other words, schizophrenia in humans may be a side effect of T. gondii's attempt to set cats up with a steady supply of tripping mice
JWZ has a way with words...
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Google turns to the dark side
The difference between
(Thanks to ovlov)
- http://images.google.com/images?q=tiananmen+square and
- http://images.google.cn/images?q=tiananmen+square
(Thanks to ovlov)
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The best blonde joke…
Go see it for yourself.
But hey, I can't resist offering a spoiler. So, stop reading now.
Really.
If you keep reading, the joke will be spoiled.
Seriously.
Well, maybe not.
(via Scobleizer via Greg Hughes via Ben Hammersley via Burningbird via Watermark via Sandhill Trek via La Vache Qui Lit via Ali Thinks via Electric Venom via Better Living Through Blogging via Chapomatic via J-Walk via Google Blogoscoped via Rising Above Mediocrity via Kevinsnet via pupitre via madhair60 via ari_'s blahs via zanzou_chan via House of Peonies via jadeemporer via Tammy via Antigravitas via The Speculist via GeekPress via Cynical-C via J-Walk (again) via...)
But hey, I can't resist offering a spoiler. So, stop reading now.
Really.
If you keep reading, the joke will be spoiled.
Seriously.
Well, maybe not.
(via Scobleizer via Greg Hughes via Ben Hammersley via Burningbird via Watermark via Sandhill Trek via La Vache Qui Lit via Ali Thinks via Electric Venom via Better Living Through Blogging via Chapomatic via J-Walk via Google Blogoscoped via Rising Above Mediocrity via Kevinsnet via pupitre via madhair60 via ari_'s blahs via zanzou_chan via House of Peonies via jadeemporer via Tammy via Antigravitas via The Speculist via GeekPress via Cynical-C via J-Walk (again) via...)
Ben Franklin on fake security
Physics Today has an article on Benjamin Franklin and lightning rods. Of particular interest is a quote from Franklin on the feeling of security which is all but a justification for fake security measures:
Those who calculate chances may perhaps find that not one death (or the destruction of one house) in a hundred thousand happens from that cause, and that therefore it is scarce worth while to be at any expense to guard against it. But in all countries there are particular situations of buildings more exposed than others to such accidents, and there are minds so strongly impressed with the apprehension of them, as to be very unhappy every time a little thunder is within their hearing; it may therefore be well to render this little piece of new knowledge as general and well understood as possible, since to make us safe is not all its advantage, it is some to make us easy. And as the stroke it secures us from might have chanced perhaps but once in our lives, while it may relieve us a hundred times from those painful apprehensions, the latter may possibly on the whole contribute more to the happiness of mankind than the former.In reading this, I couldn't help but think of Jacob Sullum's account of his discussion with an El Al security guy and, in particular:
While American air travel security is just for show, he said, the Israeli version is for real.(Physics Today link via Schneier on Security)
Pix-en-ate, a JavaScript photo editor
Here's a handy tool for performing a handful of pre-publication quick-edits (colour space, cropping for aspect ratio change, rounded corners, rotation, etc.) entirely in JavaScript. As deployed, it allows you to upload a photo, manipulate it, then post it to flickr, although I have the impression that their intention is to license it to other site operators.
Sources for stock photography
Garr Reynolds has put on his Presentation Zen a list of sites he uses as sources of photographic images. This reminded me that I'd meant for a while to post a link to Robin Good's extensive list of places to find free images at his MasterNewMedia.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
More support for the "conveyor" theory
Some scientists have expressed concern that decreasing salinity in the North Atlantic (resulting from an increased melting of the Greenland ice sheet and increased runoff from Siberian rivers) may, eventually, lead to an ocean current known as the conveyor slowing down and/or stopping, which would in turn cause a fall in Western European temperatures.
It now looks as though "the most abrupt and widespread cool spell in the last 10 000 years" may in fact have been caused in almost the same way. Approximately 8 200 years ago, an enormous system of lakes broke through an ice "dam", drained into Hudson Bay and then into the North Atlantic. Geological evidence indicates that, at about the same time, temperatures in Greenland dropped by around 7.4°C and in Europe by about 1°C. Two teams of reasearchers, using different models, have concluded that "such a freshwater flood could shut down ocean circulation in a way that is consistent with temperature data from the time".
(via New Scientist)
It now looks as though "the most abrupt and widespread cool spell in the last 10 000 years" may in fact have been caused in almost the same way. Approximately 8 200 years ago, an enormous system of lakes broke through an ice "dam", drained into Hudson Bay and then into the North Atlantic. Geological evidence indicates that, at about the same time, temperatures in Greenland dropped by around 7.4°C and in Europe by about 1°C. Two teams of reasearchers, using different models, have concluded that "such a freshwater flood could shut down ocean circulation in a way that is consistent with temperature data from the time".
(via New Scientist)
DNS lint tool
I just discovered a fairly thorough tool for checking out DNS domain setups
(Thanks to Anand Kumria for the link)
(Thanks to Anand Kumria for the link)
Bird's Grandiloquent Dictionary
For those who, like myself, have a particular affection for obscure, unusual and interesting words, Bird's Grandiloquent Dictionary provides a trove of oddities just waiting to be let loose.
Lest Bird's site vanish, a back-conversion of the more recent PDF version appears below.
(This of course raises copyright concerns, and apparently Bird has already had a problem with someone failing to acknowledge and so has attached this copyright notice:
Like other such dictionaries that I've encountered before, I suggest that this one's definitions be taken with a grain of salt (e.g. a ceilidh is a little more than "An evening of musical entertainment"; having been to one, in full highland attire, I can tell you that the American Heritage Dictionary's " An Irish or Scottish social gathering with traditional music, dancing, and storytelling" is a little closer to the mark, not that I recall any storytelling that particular evening) and that rather it be used as a source of inspiration for unusual words.
(via del.icio.us)
Lest Bird's site vanish, a back-conversion of the more recent PDF version appears below.
(This of course raises copyright concerns, and apparently Bird has already had a problem with someone failing to acknowledge and so has attached this copyright notice:
)
NOTE: Due to a few inconsiderate people who have copied this dictionary and claimed ownership (including one site owner who has repeatedly denied doing so even though his pages list my e-mail address as well) I have been forced to add this copyright page. Please read it if you intend to use any of this material.1. You may copy and use specific definitions from this dictionary, and link to this site without asking permission.
2. The entire site may be copied for non-profit use, provided that credit is given to the original author and a link to the original site is included in any material published on the internet. (And it would be kind if you let me know about it)
3. If asked about the Grandiloquent dictionary, you will NOT claim to have written yourself.
I am sorry to have to add a page like this. I have met a lot of people who enjoy the dictionary and are quite willing to share information and credit. This page is only directed at those few who for some unknown reason like to claim credit for work they did not do.
Like other such dictionaries that I've encountered before, I suggest that this one's definitions be taken with a grain of salt (e.g. a ceilidh is a little more than "An evening of musical entertainment"; having been to one, in full highland attire, I can tell you that the American Heritage Dictionary's " An Irish or Scottish social gathering with traditional music, dancing, and storytelling" is a little closer to the mark, not that I recall any storytelling that particular evening) and that rather it be used as a source of inspiration for unusual words.
(via del.icio.us)
Grandiloquent Dictionary
Second Edition
C.S. Bird
May 21, 2003
.
c 2003, C.S. Bird and Associates
First published in electronic form in December 1998.
First published in paperback in June 1999.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, including but not
limited to electronic copies and photocopies, without the express written
consent of the authors or any agent chosen by the authors.
A
abacinate - To blind by putting a hot copper basin near someone's eyes
ab cedarian - A person who teaches the alphabet
ab derian - given to incessant or idiotic laughter
ab ecedarian - A person who is learning the alphabet
abligurition - Excessive spending on food and drink
ablutophobia - A fear of bathing
acarophobia - 1.A fear of insects
acarophobia - 2.A fear of mites
acarophobia - 3. A fear of small things, especially bugs
acathasia - The habit of sitting down
accipitrine - having a nose like a hawk's beak
accubation - The practice of eating or drinking while lying down
accubitus - Sharing a bed for sleeping only
acerb ophobia - See acerophobia
acerophobia - The fear of sourness
achluophobia - A fear of darkness or of the night
acouasm - A buzzing or a ringing of the ears
acousticophobia - A fear of noise
acro cephalic - Having a pointy head
acronycal - Occurring at sunset
acronyx - An ingrown fingernail or toenail
adelphep othia - An incestuous desire for one's sister
adelphirexia - An incestuous desire for one's nephew
adelphithymia - An incestuous desire for one's niece
adho cracy - Rulership by committees and task forces
adoxography - Skilled writing about an unimportant sub ject
aelurophobia - See ailurophobia
aeolist - A pompous windy bore who pretends to have inspiration
1
2
aeroacrophobia - See aerophobia
aeromancy - Divination using the air
aerophobia - 1. A fear of air
aerophobia - 2. A fear of flying
aflunters - In a messy or disordered state
aforcing - Adding rice or grains to a dish to serve more people
agap etae - early church women who lived with celibate men
agatho cacological - Composed of both good and evil
agelast - A person who never laughs
agenhina - A guest at an inn, who is considered to be one of the family
agerasia - The state of looking younger than one really is
agiotage - Speculation in the stock market
aglet - The plastic or metal tip on the end of shoelaces
agoraphobia - A fear of open places
agraffe - The wire that holds the cork in a bottle of champagne
agrizo ophobia - A fear of wild animals
agro of - flat on your face
agyiophobia - The fear of streets or crossing the street
ai - A South American three toed sloth
aichmophobia - A fear of pointed or sharp ob jects
aichmorhab dophobia - A fear of being beaten with a pointed stick
aichurophobia - The fear of being touched by a pointed ob ject
ailuromancy - Divination by studying a cat's jump
ailurophobia - A fear of cats
alb ophobia - The fear of white people
albuminuriaphobia - A fear of kidney disease
alectromantia - A process in which a rooster is asked a question, and then
a single grain is placed on each letter of the alphabet and the order of his
eating determined the answer
alectryomancy - Magic using corn
alektorophobia - A fear of chickens
aleuromancy - Divination using flour
algerining - Prowling around with the intent to commit burglary
algology - The study of seaweed or marine algae
algophobia - A fear of pain
alienilo quent - Speaking discursively or straying from one's point
alliaceous - Smelling like garlic or onions
alliumphobia - A fear of garlic
3
allo doxaphobia - A fear of other people's opinions
allotheism - The worship of strange gods
alop eciaphobia - A fear of going bald
alop ecist - A person who claims to prevent baldness
alphamegamia - The marriage between a young woman and an older man
alphitomancy - Divination using barley meal
altero centric - Someone whose life revolves around other people
altilo quent - Speaking pompously or in a high flown manner
altitonant - Thundering from above or on high
altophobia - A fear of heights or high places
alychiphobia - The fear of failure
alytarch - A referee, or person who enforces game rules
amathophobia - A fear of dust
amaut - A fur lined hood on the back of a women's parka, usually used for
carrying an infant.
amaxophobia - A fear of riding in automobiles
amb eer - The spittle produced when chewing tobacco
ambiguphobia - A fear of being misunderstood
ambulomancy - Divination by walking
ambulophobia - The fear of walking
amentia - temporary insanity or a dazed trance
amomaxiaphobia - A fear of making love in an automobile
ampherotokous - Having both male and female offspring
amphigory - A poem that seems profound but is really complete nonsense
amphigory - A seemingly profound poem which is actually nonsense
amrita - A drink which bestows immortality in Hindu mythology
amychophobia - A fear of being scratched
anablep ophobia - A fear of looking at high places
anacardic - Pertaining to a cashew nut
anadipsia - excessive thirst
anasarkas - *A condition in which a person is so swollen that they appear
to have no muscles
andro cracy - A government consisting of men
androlepsia - A kidnapping by a foreign government for political gain
androphobia - A fear of men
anemophobia - The fear of wind
angelo cracy - Rulership by angels
anginophobia - A fear of choking or suffocating
4
anililagnia - An attraction to older women
anklyosis - The stiffness of immobility of a joint
ankylophobia - A fear of joint immobility
ano egenetic - Not producing new work or original knowledge
anonymuncle - A petty anonymous writer
anopisthographic - Having writing only upon one side
anserine - Like a goose
anthomancy - Divination using flowers
anthophobia - A fear of flowers
anthracomancy - Divination using burning coals
anthrophobia - The fear of people
anthrop oglot - Any animal, such as a parrot, which is capable of copying
human speech
anthrop olatry - Worship of a human as thought they were a god
anthrop omancy - Magic or divination using people, or foretelling the
future using the entrails of a sacrificed person
anthrop opathy - Ascribing human feelings or traits to God or to the gods
anthrop ophobia - See anthrophobia
anthrop oscopy - The art of determining personality or character from
physical features
anthrop otheism - The belief that gods began as humans and are human
in nature
antiscian - A person who lives on the other of the world from you
antlophobia - A fear of floods or flooding
anuptaphobia - The fear of staying unmarried
anxiolytic - Serving to reduce tension or stress
apanthropia - A fear of people
ap eirophobia - A fear of infinity
aphephobia - The fear of touching or being touched
apikoros - A Jewish person who does not follow Jewish law
apiophobia - A fear of bees
ap o calo cyntosis - The act of being turned into a pumpkin
ap o catastasis - The belief that all people will be saved by God
ap o dyopsis - The act of mentally undressing someone
ap otheosis - The elevation of a mortal to deity
apricate - To spend time basking in the sunshine
aproneer - A merchant or shopkeeper
aprosexia - The inability to concentrate
5
aptronym - An appropriate name for someone or something
aquaphobia - The fear of water
arachibutyrophagia - The act of eating peanut butter
arachibutyrophillia - The love of peanut butter
arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter
arachnivorous - Eating spiders
arachnophobia - The fear of spiders
arctophilist - A collector of teddy bears
arietate - To strike with a battering ram or to butt like a ram
aristology - The science of dining
aristophren - A person possesing a superior intellect
arithmophobia - A fear of numbers
armomancy - Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals
arrhenophobia - A fear of male offspring
arrhenotokous - Having only male offspring
arsle - To move backwards or to retreat rapidly
ascian - A person who has no shadow
asp ergillum - A device for sprinkling holy water, usually a perforated
sphere
asp ersorium - A basin for holy water
assanka - The number ten to the sixty-third power
astereognosis - The loss of the ability to recognize shapes by touch
asthenic - Being lean and frail
asthenophobia - The fear of weakness
astragalomancy - Divination using dice
astrap ophobia - The fear of thunder and lightning
astrophobia - The fear of stars
ataxiophobia - A fear of disorder
atelophobia - A fear of defects or imperfections
atephobia - A fear of rivers
atychiphobia - A fear of failure
aubade - A love song which is sung at dawn
augury - Divination using bird's flight
aulophobia - A fear of flutes
aureate - Pertaining to the fancy or flowery words used by poets
aurophobia - A fear of gold
austromancy - Divination using the wind
auto deist - One who believes they are a god
6
auto didact - A person who has taught themselves
auto dysomophobia - A fear of one's own body odour
autohagiographer - A person who speaks or writes in a smug way about
their life and accomplishments
autolatry - The worship of one's self
autology - The study of oneself
automysophobia - A fear of being dirty
autotheist - One who worships themselves
autotonsorialist - A person who cuts their own hair
autovoxiphillia - Love of one's own voice
aval - Pertaining to grand parents
avenage - Oats paid to a landlord when the tenant could not pay the rent
avenage - Oats that were paid to landlords in lieu of rent by the poor
avering - When a poor person removes all of their clothing to increase
sympathy while begging
averruncator - A long stick with shears for cutting high branches
aviatophobia - A fear of flying
B
bacillophobia - A fear of germs
baffound - To stun or perplex
bailiwick - The region in which a sheriff has legal powers
baize - The green cloth used on billiard tables and other gaming tables
balatron - A babbling buffoon
baldric - A belt worn over the shoulder and chest used to hold a sword
ballistophobia - A fear of being shot, or of guns and missles
balnearii - People who steal clothing for public baths
balnearil - The people who stole clothing from a public bath in ancient
Rome
barathrum - A person who eats like they were a bottomless pit
barleychild - A baby born less than six months after marriage
barophobia - A fear of gravity
barophobia - Fear of gravity
basiphobia - The fear of walking
basistasiphobia - The fear of standing and walking
basophobia - See basiphobia
basorexia - An overwhelming desire to neck or kiss
bataphobia - A fear of heights or high places
bathophobia - A fear of depth
bathysidero dromophobia - Fear of subways
batophobia - A fear of tall buildings
batrachoid - Like a frog
batrachophagous - One who eats frogs
batrachophobia - A fear of frogs or toads
battology - Tiresome and repetitive talking
b dellophobia - A fear of leeches
b eaze - To dry in the sun
7
8
b egrumpled - To be very unhappy or displeased
b eldam - A foul old woman
b elomancy - Fortunetelling through the use of arrows
b elonephobia - A fear of pins and needles
bibliomancy - Divination using books or Bible passages
bibliophobia - A fear of books
bibliop olist - One who deals in rare books
bibliothecary - A person who collects and maintains books
bicorne - The hat with two points worn by Napolean
biometeorology - The study of how the weather affects people
bitheism - Believing in two gods
blandilo quent - Speaking in a flattering or ingratiating way
blatherskite - An obnoxious braggart
blattero on - A person who will not stop talking
blattoid - Like a cockroach
blellum - an idle boring chatterer
blennophobia - A fear of slime
blepharon - A person with huge eyebrows
blepharospasm - A form of constant winking
bletcherous - Pertaining to something poorly designed or disgusting in
design
blo dder - To flow with a gurgling sound from a small aperture
blowsab ella - A red faced wench
b oanthropy - The delusion that one is an ox
b ogyphobia - A fear of goblins
b ombilate - To loudly hum or buzz continuously
b onnyclabb er - Milk which has become thick due to being sour
b orb orygmus - The rumbling sound of gas passing through the intestine
b otanomancy - Divination using plants
b otanophobia - A fear of plants
b oucan - A naturally occuring bed of burning coals
b ourdon - The bass drone of a bagpipe or of the low pitched notes on a
pipe organ
b oustrophedon - A form of writing which alternates left to right / right
to left, also used to describe some forms of typesetting.
b owdlerize - To purge literature of all possibly offensive or morally impure
material
brachiation - The act of swinging through the trees, such as performed by
9
monkeys
brachistichrone - The path between two points along which a particle
travels for the shortest time
brachycephalic - Having a head that is broad
breem - Pertaining to a female pig who wants to mate
breve - The small curve above a vowel which symbolizes a short sound
brevilo quent - Speaking briefly about a sub ject
brevirostrate - Having a short nose
brimb orion - Something which is useless or nonsensical
bromatology - A discourse on food
bromidrosiphobia - A fear of body odour or sweat
bronteum - A device used in theater or movies to create thunder
brontide - The low rumbling of distant thunder
brontomancy - Divination by or magic involving thunder
brontophobia - The fear of thunder
brump - To collect branches which have fallen off of trees
bruxomania - The compulsive grinding of one's teeth
bubulcitate - To heard cattle or to wail like a cow
buccula - A double chin
buffarilla - An extremely ugly young woman
bufoniform - Like a toad
burghb ote - Donations made to repair a castle, or to build a castle
burladero - The wooden barrier in a bullring used for protection
butyraceous - Resembling butter
byrthynsak - 1. The theft of a calf or a sheep
byrthynsak - 2. Stealing as much as one can carry
10
C
cacestogenous - Caused by a poor home life
cacestogenous - Caused by an unfavourable home life
cachinnation - Loud or hysterical laughter
caco daemonomania - Posessed by the devil
caco ethes - A bad habit or insatiable urge
cacogen - An antisocial person
cacohydrophobia - The fear of sewer water
cacophonophilist - One who loves harsh sounds
cacosp ectamania - The obsession of staring at something which is repul-
sive
cagamosis - An unhappy marriage
cagophilist - A collector of keys
cainophobia - A fear of anything new
cainotophobia - See cainophobia
caitiff - A despicable or cowardly person
calamistration - The act of curling hair
callet - A drab untidy woman
calligyniaphobia - The fear of beautiful women
callipygian - Having a beautiful rear end
callipygous - Having a beautiful rear end
callithumpian - The sounds of a big parade, usually accompanied by horns
and noise makers
calypso - A fashion in which women tie a knot in their shirt and exposes
her waist
camelopard - A mythical beast with a camel father and a leopard as a
mother.
cameralistics - The science of managing public finances
campanology - The study of bells or of bell ringing
11
12
cancatervate - To heap up into a pile
cantabank - A second rate singer
cap ernoited - Slightly intoxicated or tipsy
capnomancy - Divination by smoke
carapace - The shell of an animal such as a turtle or armadillo
carcinomatophobia - See carcinophobia
carcinomorphic - Resembling a crab
carcinophobia - A fear of cancer
carfumish - To dissipate a foul smell
carker - A mischievieous child or brat
carnophobia - A fear of meat
carphologia - See floccillation
cartomancy - Magic using cards or prophecy using cards
cartomaniac - A collector of maps
caryatid - A female sculpture which is used as a pillar
casuist - A sophist who insists on debating the smallest details
catagelophobia - A fear of ridicule
cataglottism - The act of sticking out one's tongue while kissing
catap edamania - The obsession with jumping from high places
catap edaphobia - A fear of jumping from a high (or low) place
cathartic - Something which is used to clean one's bowels
cathisophobia - A fear of sitting
catholicon - A remedy for all ailments, or a miracle cure-all
catholicum - A medicine which can cure everything
catoptomancy - Divination using a mirror or several mirrors
catoptromancy - Divination based on how a face appears when viewed in
a mirror underwater
catoptrophobia - A fear of mirrors
causeuse - A sofa built for two people
ceilidh - 1. A private conversation or visit
ceilidh - 2. An evening of musical entertainment
celation - The act of hiding a pregnancy
celibataire - A bachelor
cenacle - The large room in which the last supper took place
cenatory - Pertaining to dinner or supper
ceneromancy - Divination using ashes
cenogamy - Communal marriage
cephalalgic - Any form of headache remedy
13
cephaleonomancy - Telling the future by examining the boiled head of an
ass
cephalomancy - Divination by boiling a head, usually that of a donkey
ceraunomancy - Divination by or magic using thunderbolts
cercopithecan - Pertaining to monkeys
cerebropathophobia - A fear of going insane because of a disease
chaetophobia - A fear of hair
chafferer - A vendor who enjoys talking while making a sale
chalcenterous - Having bowels of brass
chankings - Pieces of food which are rejected from what is chewed. (spat
out)
charette - an intensive effort to complete something before the deadline
Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg - A Native
American lake name meaning "you fish on your side, I fish on my side an no
one fishes in the middle"
charientism - An artfully veiled insult
chavish - The sound of many birds chirping together, or many people chat-
ting at once
cheilopro clitic - Being attracted to a person's lips
cheimaphobia - A fear of coldness or being cold
cheimatophobia - See cheimaphobia
chelonian - Like a turtle
cherophobia - A fear of merriment
chiliad - A period of one thousand years
chiliasm - The doctrine that Christ will return and reign for a thousand
years
chilihedron - A solid with 1000 equal sides
chionophobia - A fear of snow
chiro cracy - The state of being ruled by force (literally by a strong hand)
chirognomy - See chiromancy
chirogymnast - A device used to exercise only the fingers, especially for
pianists
chiromancy - Foretelling the future by studying a person's hand
chirotonsor - An alternate title for a barber
chirotony - A vote which is taken by a show of hands
cholangio cholecysto choledo chectomy - The surgical removal of the hep-
atic duct, common duct, and gall bladder
choregus - The financial backer in ancient Greece, usually of a play
14
chorophobia - A fear of dancing
chorophobia - Fear of dancing
chrematistic - Pertaining to business or the pursuit of wealth
chrematophobia - A fear of money
chrematophobia - The fear of wealth
chrestomathic - Devoted to academic pursuits or to learning in general
chrisom - A child who dies before being baptised
chromatophobia - See chromophobia
chromophobia - A fear of colours
chromoto cracy - A government dominated by one race
chronomancy - Divining the best time for certain events
chronophobia - The fear of time
chryselephantine - Made of or decorated with gold and ivory
chryso cracy - Rulership by the wealthy (literally a government by gold)
chrysology - The study of production and value of precious metals
chrysophobia - A fear of gold
cib ophobia - A fear of food
cingulomania - A desire to hold someone in your arms
circumlo cution - An overly complicated means of expression
clapp erclaw - To berate or scold, or the person doing the scolding
clapp erdudgeon - A beggar whose parents were beggars
clawscrunt - An old tree used as a scratching post, usually by cattle
cleidomancy - Divination using a key
cleisiophobia - A fear of enclosed spaces
clepsammia - An "hourglass" which measures a period of time other than
an hour
cleptobiosis - The act of plundering food
cleptophobia - The fear of thieves or of becoming a thief
cleromancy - Divination involving dice
climacophobia - The fear of falling downstairs
clinomania - An excessive desire to remain in bed
clinophobia - A fear of going to bed
clithrophobia - A fear of enclosed spaces
cloffin - To sit idly by a fire
cnidophobia - A fear of insect stings
cnidosiphobia - A fear of itching
co ckalorum - A person who thinks they are bigger than they are
co enesthesis - An awareness of one's body and overall health
15
coimetrophobia - See koimetrophobia
collieshangie - An uproar or a quarrel
colp orteur - A book peddler, particularly religious books
colp osinquanonia - Estimating a woman's beauty based on her chest
comestion - A devouring by fire
comiconomenclaturist - One who collects funny names
comprachico - A person who buys and sells children after deforming them
comprivigni - The relation of a child to its step-siblings
conchologist - A collector of shells
conchomancy - Divination using shells
concilliabule - A secret meeting of people who are hatching a plot
concionative - Pertaining to public speaking
conskite - To cause a foul smell, particularly when afraid
conventicle - A secret or unlawful religious assembly
coprophagan - A beetle that lives in dung
coprophagous - One who eats excrement
coprophobia - A fear of excrement
coprostasiphobia - A fear of constipation
coriaceous - Leatherlike, particularly pertaining to skin
coriaceous - To be tough and leathery, (such as over tanned skin)
corsned - A medieval trial in which the accused had to swallow consecrated
bread
cosherer - Someone who eats at the expense of others, especially relatives
cosmolatry - The worship of nature
cosmop oietic - An adjective referring to world creating
costermonger - A seller of fruits, vegetables, and other food, especially
from a street cart
cotquean - A man who does what is traditionally women's work
couther - To comfort by giving refreshments and warmth
crambazzle - A worn out old man
crantara - A burnt piece of wood dipped in blood and taken from clan to
clan as a signal
crapulent - Illness caused by overeating
cremnophobia - A fear of cliffs or precipices
cremnophobia - A fear of precipices
creophagous - Pertaining to something or someone which eats meat
crepitation - The crackling and popping sound accompanying a wood fire
crepuscle - The fading light at the end of the day, also known as twilight
16
cretaceous - Chalky or grayish white
cribble - To push something through a sieve
crithomancy - Divination by spreading flour or dough over a sacrificed
animal
criticasters - Third rate mean spirited critics
cromnyomancy - Magic or divination using an onion
cro o dle - Too coo like a dove
cro osle - A low whimper, such as produced by infants
crose - To whine empathetically with someone who is in pain
crosier - The ceremonial staff of bishops or abbots
crotaline - Resembling a rattlesnake
cruciverbalist - Someone who loves doing crossword puzzles
crurophilous - Pertaining to one who likes legs
cryophobia - A fear of ice or frost
cryptarchy - A government which is run secretly
cucurbitaceous - resembling a cucumber or a squash
culacino - The mark left on the table by a moist glass
culch - Rubbage and refuse of every form
culliage - The right of a lord to spend the first night with his sub jects new
bride
cullion - A rude, mean-spirited person
cultrivorous - Pertaining to actual or illusory knife swallowing
cummo ck - A staff with a crooked end on it
cunctip otent - Being all powerfull, or omnipotent
curglaff - The shock felt when entering cold water
curpin - A bird's back end
cyesolagnia - Being attracted to pregnant women
cymophobia - The fear of waves
cynanthropy - The delusion that one is a dog
cyno cephalous - Having the face or head of a dog
cynophobia - A fear of dogs
cyprianophobia - The fear of prostitutes
cypridophobia - The fear of prostitutes
cypripareuniaphile - A person who loves prostitutes
cytology - The study of cells or the interaction of cells
czarevna - The proper title for the daughter of a czar
D
dactyliology - The study of finger rings
dactylion - The tip of the middle finger
dactylonomy - Counting using one's fingers
daedalian - Ingenious and cunningly designed
davering - Walking or moving in a dazed manner
deasil - To move in a clockwise direction
decidophobia - A fear of making decisions
decollate - To remove someone's head, or to decapitate someone
decubitis - One's position or posture while sleeping
defalcation - Misappropriation of funds by the person or group entrusted
with them
defecalgesiophobia - A fear of defecation
defenestrate - To throw out of a window
deiparous - Giving birth to a god or a goddess
deipnophobia - A fear of dinner conversation
deipnosophy - Learned conversation conducted while dining
deisidaimonia - The fear of supernatural powers
deltiologist - A collector of picture postcards
dementophobia - A fear of insanity or going insane
demitoilet - A style of elaborate but not formal dress
demiurge - The creator of a world, whether real or mythical
demono cracy - Rulership by demons
demonomancy - Divination by demons
demonophobia - A fear of demons
demophobia - A fear of crowds or people
dendranthrop ology - A discipline which studies the theory that man came
from trees
dendro chronology - The study of growth rings in logs to determine cli-
17
18
mates
dendrology - The study of trees
dendrophillia - The love of trees
dendrophobia - The fear of trees
dentilo quent - Pertaining to someone who talks through their teeth
deoppilate - To remove an obstruction
deorsumversion - A turning down
deosculation - The act of kissing
dephlegmate - To distill something, such as alcohol
dephlogisticate - To make something fireproof
dermatoglyphics - The study of skin patterns, such as finger prints
dermatopathophobia - A fear of skin diseases
dermatophobia - A fear of skin
deuterogamist - A widow who chooses to remarry
dextrophobia - A fear of the right or things to the right
dextrosinistral - A left handed person who is trained to use their right
hand
dghaisa - A small boat used in Malta, similar to a gondola
dharna - A method of collecting a debt in which the person who is owed
money sits on the debtors doorstep until payment is made, or the debtor
starves to death
diab olarchy - Rulership by the devil
diacritics - The marks used in dictionaries to symbolize pronounciation
diamerismapygian - one with flattened buttocks
diamerismapygianitis - inflamation from flattening of the buttocks usu-
ally caused by long periods of sitting
didaskaleinophobia - A fear of school
didine - Resembling a dodo bird
dikephobia - A fear of justice
dinmont - A castrated ram between one and two years old
dinophobia - A fear of dizziness
diophysitic - Having two separate personalities
diplasiasmus - The incorrect doubling of a letter when spelling a word
dipp oldism - The act of beating or whipping school children
dipsomanophobia - A fear of drinking alcohol
dipsophobia - A fear of drinking alcohol
discophoran - Like a jellyfish
dishabillophobia - The fear of undressing or undressing in front of some-
19
one
dithyramb - A hymn or poem to honor Bacchus
ditokous - Producing twins
diurnation - To sleep during the day
divigate - To stray, as in the opposite of navigate
divitiphobia - The fear of wealth
do ctilo quent - Talking about a sub ject which you have studied and know
a lot about
dolabriform - Shaped like the head of an ax
doles - The two short grips on the handle of a scythe
dolicho cephalic - Having a head that is longer than it is wide
dolichprosopic - Having an unusually long face
dolorifuge - Something that cures grief
domatologist - A professional housekeeper
domatophobia - A fear of houses or being stuck in a house
dommerer - A beggar who fakes being deaf and mute
dompteuse - A woman who trains animals
doraphobia - A fear of fur or animal skins
dorso dynia - A pain in the back
dowfart - A stupid dull person
doytin - To walk about stupidly
drap etomania - An overwhelming urge to run away from home
dratchell - A slovenly, lazy woman
dringle - Somebody who likes to waste time
drintling - The clucking noise made by turkeys
dririmancy - Divination by dripping blood
drizzen - A mounful wail, usualy by a lazy person forced to work
dromophobia - The fear of streets or crossing the street
droud - An oafish woman
dudman - A scarecrow made of old cloths
duffifie - The practice of laying a bottle on its side for a long time to get
out the last drops
dulocracy - A government formed of privileged slaves
dunnage - 1. The loose stuffing used to keep cargo from getting wet or
from moving
dunnage - 2. The material placed in boxes to protect the contents from
damage
dunnage - 3. Any form of luggage or baggage
20
dwaible - being unstable
dwale - To wander about deliriously
dwizzen - To shrivel up like old fruit, especially applied to old people
dysania - The state of having a rough time waking up in the morning
dysepulotic - Not healing quickly or easily
dysesthesia - An impairment of the senses, especially the sense of touch
dysmorphophobia - A fear of being deformed
dysnomy - The creation of flawed laws which cause more problems
dysphoria - An unwell feeling
dysteleogist - One who believes in the purposeless of nature
dystopia - A society in which the conditions or horrid and people miserable.
Also the opposite of utopia
dystychiphobia - A fear of accidents
dyvors - People or businesses who have gone bankrupt or are disreputable
E
earrent - The damage or removal of an ear in lieu of payment on a debt or
rent
eccedentesiast - A person who fakes a smile, such as on television
ecclesiarchy - Rulership by the church
ecclesio clastic - Disruptive or destructive to the church
ecclesiolatry - Excessive devotion to one's church
ecclesiophobia - A fear of churches
ecdysiophile - A person who likes to visit strip joints or watch people strip
echinoproctous - Having a spiny or prickly rump (like a pocupine)
ecophobia - A fear of one's home
ectomorphic - Being slender and thin
edacious - voracious and devouring
efter - A thief who robs theater patrons during a show
eidolism - The belief in ghosts and spirits
eisegesis - A faulty interpretation of a text caused by reading in one's own
ideas
eisoptrophobia - A fear of mirrors
electrophobia - A fear of electricity
eleutherophillist - Someone who advocates free love
eleutherophobia - A fear of freedom
elurophobia - A fear of cats
emacity - An urge to buy or to spend money
emetophobia - The fear of vomiting
empleomania - An insatiable urge to hold public office
emunction - The act of removing obstructions from or cleaning bodily
passages (such as picking ones nose)
encephalasthenia - A form of mental distress caused by emotional stress
endomorphic - Being short but powerful
21
22
enetophobia - A fear of pins and needles
engastration - The act of stuffing one bird into another
enigmatology - The study and construction of puzzles
enissophobia - See enosiophobia
enneagon - A figure which has nine angles
eno chlophobia - A fear of crowds
enoptromancy - Divination using a mirror
enoptrophobia - A fear of mirrors
enosiophobia - The fear that one has commited an unpardonable sin
entheate - Divinely inspired or possessed by a god
entomophobia - A fear of insects
entredentolignumologist - One who collects toothpick boxes
eosophobia - A fear of the dawn
ephemeromorph - Any form of life too low to be classified as animal or
vegetable
epincion - A victory song or anthem
episcopicide - The act of killing a bishop
epistaxiophobia - A fear of nose bleeds
ep onym - A name that has become a word
equinophobia - A fear of horses
eremikophobia - A fear of sand or deserts
eremology - The study of deserts
eremophobia - A fear of being alone
eremophobia - The fear of stillness
ereuthrophobia - See Erythrophobia
ergasophobia - The fear of work
ergophobia - The fear of work
eroteme - The symbol used in writing known as a question mark
erotographophobia - The fear of writing love letters
erythrophobia - A fear of blushing
escutcheon - A decorative metal plates around doorknobs or locks
estafette - A courier who rides on a horse
estiferous - Pertaining to something which produces heat
estivation - To go away somewhere for the summer
estrapade - A horse's attempt to remove their rider
ethno cracy - Rulership by a specific race
ethnometho dology - The study of social customs and rules
ethnomusicology - The study of folk music
23
eudemonics - The study or the science of happiness
eunomy - The enactment of good laws that help people
euonym - A good name
euphobia - A fear of good news
eupsychics - Good education or teaching
eutectic - Easily melted or fused, especially at low temperatures
exclaustration - The act of leaving or being expelled from a religious
retreat
exennium - A gift given at New Years
eximious - Choice, select or excellent
exophagy - The tradition among cannibals that they may not eat one from
their own tribe
explaterate - To talk continuosly without stop
exsibilation - The collective hisses of a disapproving audience
exsufflicate - Something which is silly or triffling
extisp ex - A person who predicts the future using entrails
extispicy - Divination using entrails
24
F
famulus - An assistant to a scholar or magician
farctate - The state of being stuffed with food (overeating)
fashimite - Someone who is a slave to fashion
favillous - Resembling ashes
feaque - A dirty, lazy man
feazings - The frayed and unraveled ends of a rope
febriphobia - A fear of fever
felinophobia - A fear of cats
felly - The outer wooden rim of a wheel
feriae - Days in the ancient roman culture in which all people, including
slaves, got a holiday
feriation - Taking time off of one's work to relax or to travel
ferrule - 1.The metal tip on an umbrella
ferrule - 2. The threaded knob that holds a lampshade in place
ferrule - 3. A protective metal cap on the end of a cane or a tool handle
festinate - To walk fast or to move rapidly
fettler - A person skilled at repairing tools or machinery
fewterer - A keeper of dogs or manager of a kennel
fibriophobia - See febriphobia
fideism - Reliance upon one's religion instead or reason for beliefs and
truths
fidimplicitary - A person who has implicit faith
filiopietistic - The practice of worshipping one's ancestors
filip endulous - Being suspended by a single thread
filip endulous - Suspended by a single thread
fimicoloud - Living in a dung heap
fissilingual - Having a forked tongue
fittie-lan - The near horse of the hindmost pair pulling a plough
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26
flavescent - Yellowish or turning yellow
fletcherize - To chew each piece of food at least thirty times
flexilo quent - Pertaining to someone who speaks ambiguously
flo ccillation - The delirious picking at bedclothes by a sick person
flo ccinaucinihilipilification - The categorizing of something that is useless
or trivial
fluctisonant - Having the sound of rolling waves
flyndrig - An impudent or deceiving woman
fomentation - The application of warm substances to diseased parts
fo of - To howl and whine like a wounded dog
formication - The sensation of bugs crawling over one's body
fossick - To search for gold in abandoned claims or to rummage around for
anything valuable
franion - A pleasure seeker or hedonist
fremescence - The grumbling sound of an unhappy mob of people
friendorphobia - A fear of forgetting a password
frisson - A shudder of excitement that courses through the body
fritinancy - The chirping or croaking sound of insects
frustling - The shaking and showing of feathers by birds, or the strutting
around of someone with fancy clothing
frustraneous - unprofitable and completely useless
fruzz - To rub hair the wrong way, as when petting a dog from tail to head
fucoid - Resembling sea weed
fudgeon - A fussy person
fulmination - A loud and violent explosion, either literally or figuratively
fumifugist - Something or someone which expels smoke
funambulist - A tight rope walker
fungy - A type of deep dish blueberry pie
funkify - To run away in fear
furfuraceous - Covered with scales or dandruff flakes
furr-ahin - The hindmost horse on the right pulling a plough
fuscoferuginous - Having a dark rusty colour
fustilug - A fat, clumsy, lazy, filthy slob
fyerk - To flick away using one's finger and thumb
fysigunkus - A person who lacks curiosity
G
gab erlunzie - A wandering beggar or a harmless hobo
galea - A headache which covers the entire head
galeanthropy - The delusion that one is a cat
galeophobia - A fear of cats
galeophobia - A fear of sharks
galligantus - A tall and awkward person
gambrinous - Being full of beer
gametophobia - See gamophobia
gamomania - An urge to make extravagant wedding proposals
gamophobia - A fear of marriage
gargalesthesia - The sensation caused by tickling
gastromancy - Divination using a crystal ball
gatophobia - See galeophobia
gaum - To stare vacantly or handle in a clumsy manner
geck - An expression of scorn or contempt
gelophobia - A fear of laughter
geloscopy - Divination involving laughter
genethliacon - A poem which is written for someone's birthday
genethliacon - A poem written for someone's birthday
geniophobia - A fear of chins
genuphobia - A fear of knees
geophagy - The act of eating dirt or clay
gephyrophobia - the fear of crossing bridges.
gerasophobia - A fear of old age or of growing old
geronto comium - An institution designed to take care of the elderly
geronto cracry - A government of old people (often the old boys network)
gerontophillia - The love of the elderly
gerontophobia - A fear of old age or of growing old
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28
geumaphobia - The fear of taste
geumatophobia - See geumaphobia
gigantomachize - To be at war with one's superiors
gigantomachy - A war between giants
gigmania - The smug obsession with attaining middle class respectability
girouettism - Altering one's opinions to match public trends
gliriform - Resembling a rodent
glossophobia - The fear of speaking, especially in public
gork - A patient with unknown ailment. (Short for God only really knows)
gormandizer - One who eats to excess
graminivorous - Eating grass
grammaticaster - A person who is pedantic regarding proper grammar
grandgousier - One who will eat as much as possible of anything
grapholagnia - The urge to stare at obscene pictures
graphophobia - The fear of writing or of the written word
graptomancy - Divination using hand writing
gressible - Able to walk
griffonage - Illegible or sloppy hand writing
grimthorp e - To badly remodel a building ignoring its character or history
grinagog - a person with a big stupid grin
groak - To stare at someone who is eating in hopes of getting food
gub ernator - A powerful man in government
gub ernatrix - A powerful woman in government
gudgeons - The slots on a hinge which hold the pin in place
guidfather - Another name for one's father in law
guttersnip e - A member of the lowest class in society or a street person
gymnogynomania - The urge to spy on people when they are undressing
gymnophobia - A fear of nudity
gymnophoria - The sensation that someone is mentally undressing you
gynarchy - Rulership by women
gyneco cracy - A government consisting of women
gynephobia - The fear of women
gyno cracy - See gynecocracry
gynonudomania - The urge to rip off a woman's clothing
gynophobia - See gynephobia
gynotikolob omassophilia - A proclivity for nibbling on women's earlobes
gyromancy - Divination involving walking in a circle until you fall down
gyrovague - A monk who begs and sponges off of other monks
H
hadeharia - The practice of constantly using the word "Hell" in speaking
hagiarchy - A government of saints
hagio cracy - Rulership by saints
hagiolatry - The worship of saints
haingle - To amble along in a feeble and listless manner
ha jj - A pilgrimage to Mecca
halidom - Anything considered holy or sacred
haliography - A description of the sea
halomancy - Divination or magic using salt
hamartiologist - An expert on the sub ject of sin
hamartithia - Being likely to make a mistake
hamartophobia - A fear of sin or of sinning
hamiform - Shaped like a hook
hamirostrate - Having a hooked beak
haphephobia - See aphephobia
haptephobia - See aphephobia
hapto dysphoria - A unpleasent feeling caused by handling any fuzzy sur-
face
harengiform - Shaped like a herring
harpactophage - A predator which feeds on insects
harpaxophobia - The fear of thieves or of becoming a thief
harridan - A disreputable and violent woman
harusp ex - A person who predicts the future using entrails
haruspication - Divination using entrails
haruspicy - See haruspication
hasenpfeffer - A well seasoned rabbit stew
havelo ck - The cloth that hangs from the back of a hat to protect the
wearer's neck
29
30
hawsehole - The hole on a ship through which the anchor is lowered
heautontimorumenos - A form of masochism
heautontimorumenos - A masochist
heb ephobia - The fear of young people
heb esphalmology - The study of juvenile deliquency
hecatomb - A religious sacrifice of 100 animals, or any mass slaughter
hecatomp edon - Any building which is either 100 feet long or wide
hederaceous - Pertaining to ivy
hederate - To decorate with ivy
hednon - A present given to someone at their wedding
hedonophobia - A fear of pleasure
heliolater - A sun worshipper
heliophobia - The fear of the Sun
heliotropism - The tendency of plants to turn towards the sun
Hellenologophobia - A fear of Greek terms or complex terminology
hellenomania - The obsession with using either foreign or obscure wording
helminthophobia - The fear of becoming infested with worms
helminthous - Infested with intestinal worms
hemaphobia - See Hematophobia
hematomancy - Divination using blood
hematophagous - One who drinks blood
hematophobia - A fear of blood or the sight of blood
hemeralopia - Only being able to see at night
hemeraphonia - Able to speak only at night
hemophobia - See Hematophobia
heresyphobia - A fear of heresy
hermeneutics - Interpretations of the Bible
herp etiform - Resembling a reptile
herp etophobia - A fear of reptiles
heteropraxy - Pertaining to people who do not follow the teachings of their
religion
hib ernicism - An Irish trait or custom
hiero cracy - Rulership by the church or by church officials
hierofastidia - A dislike of all holy ob jects
hieromachy - A war between members of the clergy
hieromancy - Divination using entrails
hierophobia - A fear of the clergy or of holy people
hieroscopy - Divination using entrails
31
higgler - A salesperson who insists on a certain price
hippanthropy - The delusion that one is a horse
hipp ob osca - A blood sucking fly
hipp omancy - Divination by horses, or by the neighing of horses
hipp ophobia - A fear of horses
hipp op otomonstrosesquip edalian - Pertaining to extremely long words
hirci - Armpit hair
hircine - Resembling or smelling like a goat
hirrient - A heavy trilling sound, such as a cat purring
hirsutophilia - An attraction to hairy men
hirsutophilia - Being attracted to hairy men
hirudinoid - Like a leech
hisbid - Having stubbly or being unshaven
ho dophobia - The fear of travelling
homichlophobia - A fear of fog
homilophobia - A fear of sermons
hominist - One who advocates equal rights for men
honorificabilitudinitatibus - With honorableness (a nonsense word from
medieval literature)
hordarian - The treasurer of a monastery or someone who controls a lot of
money
hormephobia - A fear of shock
horology - The science of measuring time or making time pieces
horripilate - To get goose bumps
howdah - The riding seat on the back of an elephant
hoxter - The inside pocket on a suit or coat
humicubate - To lie still, as in some forms of prayer
humuhumunukunukuapuaa - A small Hawaiian fish
hyalophobia - A fear of glass
hydragyophobia - A fear of mercurial medicines
hydromancy - Divination by water of magic involving water
hydrophobia - The fear of water
hydrophob ophobia - A fear of rabies
hydrophob ophobia - The fear of hydrophobia
hyetophobia - A fear of rain
hygrophobia - A fear of dampness
hygrophobia - A fear of liquids
hylephobia - A fear of epilepsy
32
hylephobia - A fear of materialism
hylophobia - A fear of forests
hylotheism - The belief that god and the universe are the same thing
hylozoism - The belief that matter has life and that life is a property of
matter
hyp egiaphobia - See hypengyophobia
hyp engyophobia - A fear of responsibility
hyp erhedonia - Excessive pleasure caused by boring tasks
hyp ermnesia - Having an exceptional memmory
hyp erprosexia - Excessive attention to something
hyp erthemalgesia - An increased sensitivity to heat
hypnomancy - Divination by hypnosis
hypnophobia - A fear of sleeping
hypnop ompic - the fuzzy state between being awake and asleep
hyp obulia - Trouble making up one's mind
hyp ophobia - A fear of not being afraid
hyp osmia - A disorder in which one has no sense of smell
hypselotimophobia - A fear of high prices
hypsiphobia - A fear of heights or high places
I
iatrapistia - A lack of faith in the medical system
iatrogenic - Pertaining to medical problems caused by a doctor's treatment
iatrophobia - A fear of going to the doctor
ichnography - A map or floor plan which is drawn to scale
ichnology - The study of fossilized footprints
ichnomancy - Divination using footprints
ichor - The blood of a god
ichthyomancy - Divination or magic involving fish
icker - A single ear of corn
iconomancy - Divination using icons
icthyophobia - A fear of fish
idolomancy - Divination using idols
ignip otent - Having control of or power over fire
illeism - The practice of referring to oneself as "he" or "she", or by one's
name
illyngophobia - The fear of vertigo
imbriferous - rain carrying, such as clouds
imp ecunious - Having little or no money
imp ecunious - Having no cash or money
inanilo quent - Speaking foolishly or saying silly things
incicurable - Being untamable
incunabula - A book which was printed before 1500 AD, in the dawn of
publishing
infracaninophile - One who supports or defends the underdog
inlapidate - To petrify an ob ject
interamnian - Being between rivers
interfenestration - 1. The space between two windows
interfenestration - 2. The art of placing windows
33
34
intrapreneur - A company employee who is not bound by rules or policies
and who is free to refine products
iophobia - A fear of poison or being poisoned
iophobia - A fear of rust
ipsedixitism - The practice of dogmatic assertion
irenology - The study of peace
iso cracy - A government in which everyone has equal power
isopterophobia - The fear of termites
itaiitai - A diseases caused by cadmium entering the body
izles - Any sparks or embers which rise from a chimney
J
jactancy - The act of boasting or bragging
jactitate - To toss and turn or to toss back and forth
jaculiferous - Having a spine resembling a row of darts
jarble - To smear with grime and mud
jauk - To dally or to trifle, or to be slow in performing tasks
jecoral - Pertaining to the liver
jeeter - A rude, uncouth slob
jejunator - A person who fasts
jentacular - Pertaining to breakfast
jeofail - A costly mistake made by a lawyer , usually in court
jerque - To search for smuggled items
jo okerie - Trickery or the act of swindling
jo ola - A suspension bridge built out of ropes
jowfair - An event which does not occur after much planning, such as a
wedding with no groom
jowter - A person who sells fish
jubate - Fringed with a mane of long hair
jumentous - Smelling like horse urine
junta - All the people who are involved in some form of political intrique
35
36
K
kaffiyeh - The cloth head gear worn by many palestinians
kainophobia - See cainophobia
kainotophobia - See cainophobia
kakidrosiphobia - A fear of body odour or sweat
kakistocracy - Rulership by the worst leader
kakorrhaphiophobia - A fear of failure
kalling - Fortunetelling based on what variety of cabbage a blindfolded per-
son picks
kalogram - A monogram which uses the persons full name
kalology - The study of beauty
kalopsia - The delusion that things are more beautiful than they really are
kamalayka - A shirt made of seal guts
kantele - A five stringed harp from Finland
karao - The marriage of a widow to her brother-in-law
katagelophobia - See catagelophobia
kathenotheism - The belief that there are multiple gods with a single
leader
kathisophobia - See cathisophobia
keb - An ewe which has aborted its lamb
kebbie - A Scottish walking stick or cudgel
keedug - A raincoat made out of an old sack
keelivine - A pencil which uses lead
kenophobia - The fear of open spaces
kepi - The hat worn by members of the french foreign legion
keraunophobia - The fear of thunderbolts (lightning or thunder and light-
ning)
keraunoscopia - Divination using thunder
kerdomeletia - An excessive desire for material wealth
37
38
kerf - The initial cut made in a piece of wood that is used to guide the saw
blade
kevel - To paw the ground and toss one's head like a bull
kinesipathy - The practice of treating illness with exercise
kinesophobia - A fear of motion or movement
kirkbuzzer - One who robs churches
kiyo o dle - A mangy, worthless dog
kleb enleib en - A pathological reluctance to stop talking about a given
sub ject
kleb enleib en - The reluctance to stop talking about a certain sub ject
knissomancy - Divination using burning incense
koimetrophobia - A fear of cemeteries
koinoniphobia - A fear of a room full of people
koniophobia - A fear of dust
kop ophobia - A fear of being mentally or physically exhausted
korophilia - Being attracted to young men or boys
kosmokrator - The ruler of the world
krobylos - A tuft of hair on top of one's head
krukolibidinous - The act of staring at someone's crotch
kurveyor - A travelling merchant who sells dry goods from a cart
kymatology - The study of waves
kymophobia - See cymophobia
kynophobia - See cynophobia
kyphophobia - The fear of stooping
kyphorrhinos - Having a nose with a bump in it
kyphotic - Hump-backed
L
lab eorphilist - A collector of beer bottles
labrose - Having large or thick lips
lachanophobia - The fear of vegetables
lachanophobia - The fear of vegetables
laliophobia - See lalophobia
lalo chezia - The use of foul or abusive language to relieve stress or ease
pain
lalophobia - The fear of speaking
lanigerous - Wool bearing or covered with fine hair
Lao dicean - Being lax in one's religious beliefs or indifferent to religion
lapidate - To stone a person to death
lapidicolous - Living under rocks
larging - The wasteful spending of money received through an inheritance,
loan, or gift
latitudinarian - A person who tolerates all religions or beliefs
latrate - To bark like a dog
latrinalia - Using words that are fit for a restroom wall
latrinology - The study of writings on restroom walls
latro cination - Highway robbery or overcharging people
lavacultophilia - A desire to stare at someone in a bathing suit
leister - A three pronged, barbed spear used for catching fish
lepidophobia - A fear of butterflies
leptorrhinian - having a long narrow nose
lestobiosis - The act of pilfering food
lethologica - The inability to recall a precise word for something
leukophobia - The fear of the color white
levirate - The marriage of a woman to her husbands brother
levophobia - A fear of the left side or things to the left
39
40
lexiconophilist - A collector of dictionaries and word books
lexiphanicism - Showing off by using words
ligyrophobia - A fear of loud noises
lilapsophobia - A fear or hurricanes, cyclones, or tornadoes
limacine - Like a slug
limicolous - Living in mud or slime
limnology - The study of fresh water, such as lakes or ponds
limnophobia - A fear of lakes
linonophobia - The fear of string
lirp - To snap one's fingers
lithomancy - Divination by stones
litigaphobia - A fear of being sued or of lawsuits
loganamnosis - The obsession with recalling a certain word
logastellus - A person whose love of words is greater than their knowledge
of words
logo cracy - Rulership by words
logo daedaly - Verbal trickery or legerdemain
logogogue - A person who leads others in the use of words or by the use
of words
logographer - A person who writes speeches or chronicles historical events
logomachist - A person who engages in a war of words
logomachize - To engage in a war of words
logomachy - A war of words or a battle about words
logomancy - Divination by words or by speech
logomaniac - A person obsessed with words
logomaniac - A person who is crazy about words
logophile - A person who loves words
logophobia - The fear of words
logorrhea - Excessive talking (or verbal diarrhea)
loho ck - Medicine which is administered by licking it
longanimity - The ability to suffer patiently
longiloquent - Extremely long-winded
lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsano drimhyp otrimmatosilphioparaomelitokat
- A goulash composed of all the leftovers from the meals of the leftovers from
the meals of the last two weeks
lorgnette - A pair of glasses mounted on a handle
loup e - The small magnifying glass used by jewellers
lubb erland - A mythical paradise reserved for those who are lazy
41
lucubrator - A person who studies during the night
lustration - Ceremonial purefication performed before entering a holy place
lychnobite - A person who works at night and sleeps during the day
lygerastia - The condition of one who is only amorous when the lights are
out
lygophobia - A fear of darkness or of the night
lyp othymia - Profound melancholy
lysistrataphobia - The fear that women will subvert men and take over
the world
lyssophobia - 1.A fear of going insane
lyssophobia - 2. A fear of rabies
42
M
machiaphobia - The fear of war
mackabroin - A hideous old woman
macrobian - Describes any organism which has a long life
macrologist - A boring conversationalist, usually met at parties
macromancy - Divination by studying the largest ob ject in the area
macron - The horizontal line above a vowel to symbolize a long sound
maculate - To stain or make impure
maculomancy - Divination by spots
magnilo quent - Speaking pompously or in a high flown manner
maieusiophobia - See maieuticophobia
maieuticophobia - A fear of childbirth
malacissation - The process of making something soft and pliable
malaco dermous - Soft skinned
malaxophobia - A fear of love play, especially in women
maledicent - One who is addicted to abusive speech
maledictaphobia - Fear of bad words
malophile - One who loves apples
malversation - corruption and misconduct among public officials
mammothrept - A child who is raised and spoiled by their grandmother
manducable - Edible or soft enough to chew
margaritomancy - Divination using pearls
mariticide - The murder of a husband by his wife
marito desp otism - Tyrranical rulership of a woman by her husband
maritorious - Excessively devoted to one's husband
martext - A blundering preacher who stumbles through a sermon
mastigophobia - The fear of whipping or being whipped
mataeotechny - An unprofitable art or science
mathemancy - Divination using mathematics
43
44
matronolagnia - An attraction to older women, especially women who
have children
matutolyp ea - Getting up on the wrong side of the bed
meaco ck - A meak man who dotes on his wife, or is henpecked
mechanophobia - A fear of machinery
meconomancy - Divination by sleep or magic using sleep
megalophobia - A fear of large things
megamalophile - 1. One who really loves apples
megamalophile - 2. One who love the Big Apple
melissophobia - A fear of bees
melittology - The study of bees
mellilo quent - Pertaining to a smooth talker or a con artist (literally honey-
tongued)
mellisugent - Honey-sucking
melolagnia - Amorous feeling inspired by music
melophobia - A fear of music
mendacilo quent - Able to tell artful or skilled lies
mentimutation - The act of changing one's mind
merdivorous - One who eats excrement
merdurinous - Composed of urine and dung
merinthophobia - A fear of being tied and bound
merito cracy - Rulership by the most skilled leader
meso cracy - Government formed from the middle class
mesomorphic - Being big-boned and muscular
metallophobia - A fear of metals
metapneustic - Having one's respiratory organs in one's butt
meteoromancy - Divination using meteors
meteorophobia - A fear of meteors
metop omancy - Divination using a person's forehead
metro cracry - A government formed of mothers
metrophobia - A fear of poetry
metrophobia - A hatred or fear of poetry
metutials - A small, irritating chore which must be performed before other
work can commence
microlip et - Someone who gets upset about trivial things
micromancy - Divination by studying the smallest ob ject in the area
microphobia - A fear of small things
mimp - To speak in a prissy manner, usually with pursed lips
45
minimifidian - Having virtually no faith, almost faithless
misandronist - A person who believes men are the source of all problems
misap o dysis - The fear of being undressed or seen undressed
misarchist - One who hates any form of authority
miso capnist - One who hates the smell of tobacco smoke
miso do ctakleidist - Someone who hates practicing the piano
misogamist - One who hates marriage
misologist - A hater of knowledge and enlightenment
misomaniac - A person who hates everything
misomath - A hater of math or science
misoneist - A hater of things which are new
misop edist - One who detests children
misop olemiac - A hater of war and strife
misoscopist - A person who hates to look
misosophist - One who hates all wisdom or learning
misotramontanist - One who hates "whatever is beyond the mountain"
(the unknown)
misotyrannist - One who hates tyranny
misoxene - One who hates strangers
misoxeny - The dislike of strangers
miter - The tall pointed hat worn by bishops and abbots
mnemophobia - A fear of memories
molendinaceous - Like a windmill
molendinaceous - Resembling a windmill
molysomophobia - A fear of contamination
momiology - The study of mummies
monandry - The practice of having a single husband at a time
monogenism - The belief that all humans are descended from two people
monomath - Someone who knows all about a single sub ject and nothing
else
monopathophobia - A fear of a specific disease
monophobia - The fear of a single thing
morologist - A boring fools who speaks nonsense
moromancy - A foolish divination
mucopurulent - Composed entirely of mucus and pus
muleta - The red cape used by matadors
multilo quent - Always talking or simply talking too much
multisonous - Composed of many different sounds
46
multivious - Having multiple possible paths
muriphobia - A fear of mice or rats
museology - The science of museum curatorship, including the collection
and care of antiques
musophobia - A fear of mice or rats
mutchkin - An English pint
muzhik - A Russian peasant
myctophobia - A fear of darkness or of the night
myomancy - Foretelling the future using the movement of mice
myriadigamous - Pertaining to someone who is willing to marry all kinds
of people
myrmecology - The study of ants
myrmecophobia - A fear of ants
myrmidon - A devoted servant or disciple who follows commands without
question
mysophobia - 1. A fear of contamination
mysophobia - 2. The fear of uncleanliness
mystacial - Resembling a mustache
mytacism - The incorrect or excessive use of the letter M
mythomane - Someone who is prone to lie or believe in lies
myxophobia - A fear of slime
N
nanophilia - An attraction to short people
naology - The study of holy buildings such as churches
napiform - Turnip shaped
naprapathy - The process of massaging ligaments to cure illness
narcoklepto cracy - Rulership by drug dealers with ties to politicians and
the military
narcomancy - Divination by sleep or magic using sleep
nasicornous - Having a horn on one's nose, such as a rhinoceros
nassology - The science of stuffing animals for display, also called taxidermy
natalitious - Pertaining to someone's birthday
natatorium - An indoor swimming pool
naufragous - Causing shipwrecks
naupathia - Sea sickness
navicular - Resembling a boat, or boat shaped
neanilagnia - An attraction to teenagers
neanimorphism - Looking younger than one actually is
nearomatria - Being a young mother
nebulaphobia - A fear of clouds or of fog
nebulo chaotic - A state of being hazy and confused
necrologist - A person who writes obituaries or eulogies
necromancy - Divination using black magic or the dead
necromimesis - Feigning death or the delusion that one is dead
necrophobia - A fear of corpses
necrop oliphobia - A fear of cemeteries
necrop onent - The person who temporarily runs a household following a
death in the family
necyomancy - Divination involving summoning the devil
nelip ot - Someone who is walking without shoes
47
48
nelophobia - A fear of glass
neo cracy - Rulership by inexperienced people
neopharmaphobia - A fear of new medicines or drugs
neophillia - The love of novelty
neophobia - A fear of anything that is new
neossology - The study of young birds
neoteinia - A state of prolonged immaturity
neoteinic - Pertaining to a prolonged adolescence
nep enthe - A potion which causes one to forget their troubles
nepheligenous - Producing clouds of smoke from tobacco
nephelophobia - See nephophobia
nephophobia - A fear of clouds
nepiomania - The desire of a woman to have a child
nep otal - Pertaining to a nephew
nesiote - Living upon an island
neuromancer - One who tells the future by reading a person's neurons
nexum - A form of loan (in ancient Rome) in which the creditor could
enslave and flog the debtor if he failed to make a payment
nicitate - To close and open the eyelids rapidly, as in a blink
nidificate - To build a nest
nidor - The aroma of cooked food, particularly meat
nidorosity - Belching with the taste of undigested meat
nikhedonia - The pleasure caused by anticipating good fortune or success
nippitatum - Exceptionaly strong beer
no ctiphobia - See nyctophobia
no ctivagant - To roam about at night or to wander around while asleep
no ctivagant - To rove or wander at night
no ematachograph - A device used for measuring reaction times
nomancy - See onomancy
nomatophobia - A fear of names
nomiatrist - A lawyer whose specialty is medical law
nomographer - A person who writes laws
no ology - The study of intuition and comprehension
nosism - The practive of referring to oneself as "we"
noso comephrenia - A depression caused by any extended stay in the
hospital
noso comology - The study of hospital management
nosomaniaphobia - A fear of suffering from an imaginary disease
49
nosophobia - A fear of becoming ill
nostology - The study of senility
nostomania - Overwhelming homesickness
nostophobia - A fear of returning home
novercal - Pertaining to a stepmother
novercaphobia - The fear of one's stepmother
noyade - A mass drowning
nucamentaceous - Pertaining to a nut
nuciverous - Nut eating
nucleomitophobia - A fear of atomic energy or nuclear weapons
nudiustertian - Pertaining to the day before yesterday
nullibiety - The state of being nowhere
nullipara - A woman with no children
numerophobia - A fear of numbers
numismatist - A coin collector
nummamorous - Pertaining to someone who spends all of their time trying
to make money
nundinal - Pertaining to a marketplace or a fair
nutation - The involuntary nodding of one's head
nychthemeron - A period of 24-hours
nyctalopia - night blindness or the inability to see in low light
nycterent - A hunter who hunts at night
nyctophobia - A fear of darkness or night
50
O
obambulate - To walk around or casually wander
ob dormition - The feeling one gets when a limb "falls asleep"
ob esophobia - The fear of gaining weight
obliviscence - Forgetfulness
obmutescent - Preferring to have silence or to avoid noise
obnubilate - 1.To cloud or to obscure
obnubilate - 2.To be clouded and obscure
obsolagnium - The lack of sexual desire that accompanies old age
obstipation - Extreme form of constipation
o chlo chracy - A government formed by the mob
o chlophobia - A fear of crowds
o chophobia - A fear of riding in automobiles
o ctan - Something which happens every eight days
o culoplania - Letting one's eyes wander while assessing someone's charm
o dontalgia - A tooth ache
o dontomancy - Divination using teeth
o dontophobia - The fear of teeth
o dynophobia - A fear of pain
o enomancy - Divination by wine
o enophlygia - The state of being drunk
o enophobia - The fear of wine
oikology - The science of house keeping
oikomania - mental disorder caused by an abusive home
oikonisus - The desire to start a family
oikophobia - A fear of one's home
oinomancy - See oenomancy
oinophobia - The fear of wine
olecranon - The bony tip of the elbow
51
52
olfactphobia - A fear of odors
oligarchy - A government controlled by a few people
oligophagous - One who eats only a few kinds of food
oligophrenic - being mentally deficient or having a small brain
oligotokous - Referring to a creature that lays four or less eggs
ombibulus - Someone who drinks everything
ombrometer - A device used for measuring rainfall
ombrophilous - Capable of withstanding long periods of rain
ombrophobia - A fear of rain
ombrosalgia - Aches and pains felt when it rains
ommatophobia - A fear of eyes
omniana - Bits and pieces of various information
omnierudite - One who is educated in all sub jects, or who possesses uni-
versal knowledge
omnilo quent - One who can talk about any and all sub jects
omophagist - A person who eats raw flesh
omoplatoscopy - Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been
charred or cracked from a fire
omphacine - Pertaining to fruit which is not ripe
omphalomancy - Foretelling the future by counting the knots in a baby's
umbilical cord
omphalophobia - Fear of belly buttons
omphalopsychite - One who contemplates their naval
onamatophobia - A fear of names
oneiro critic - One who interprets dreams
oneiromancy - Divination by dreams, or interpreting dreams
oneirophobia - A fear of dreams
onimancy - Divination using fingernails
oniomania - An uncontrollable urge to buy something
onomancy - Divination using a name or the letters in a name
ontology - The study of the nature of being
onychomancy - Divination using fingernails
onychophagy - The habit of biting one's fingernails
o ologist - A collector of bird's eggs
o omancy - Divination or magic using eggs
ophidiophobia - A fear of snakes
ophiomancy - Divination by snakes or serpents
ophiophagous - One who eats snakes
53
ophiophagy - The eating of snakes
ophiophobia - See ophidiophobia
ophthalmophobia - The fear that one is being stared at
opsablepsia - The inability to look someone in the eye while speaking
opsimath - One who acquires knowledge late in life
opsimathiphobia - A fear of learning something too late
opsimatria - The bearing of children late in a woman's life
opsipatria - The fathering of a child by an elderly man
opsiproligery - The ability to still have children late in life
opsomaniac - One who loves a certain kind of food, bordering on madness
opsophagy - The eating of delicacies
optophobia - A fear of opening one's eyes
orant - A religious figure of a praying woman
orcheotomy - See Ochidectomy
orchidectomy - Another word for castration
ornithomancy - Divination using birds' flight and cries
ornithophobia - A fear of birds
ornithoscelidaphilia - A love of dinosaurs
ornithoscelidaphobia - A fear of dinosaurs
orology - The study of mountains
orthophobia - A fear of correctness
orthopter - A flying machine which uses flapping wings
orthp olitiphobia - A fear of political correctness
orthpraxy - Pertaining to people who strictly follow the teachings of their
religion
oryctomancy - Divination by studying excavated ob jects
oryzivorous - Pertaining to eating rice
osculant - Pertaining to a close embrace or long kiss
osculaphobia - A fear of kissing
osmidrosiphobia - A fear of body odour or sweat
osmology - The study of odors
osmophilia - The love of various smells
osmophobia - A fear of odors
osphresiophobia - A fear of odors
ossomancy - Divination using bones
osteomancy - Divination using bones
ostraconophobia - A fear of shellfish
ostreophobia - A fear of shellfish, especially oysters
54
otolaryngologist - A doctor who specializes in treating ear, nose and throat
problems.
otology - The study of the ear and its disorders
oubliette - A dungeon whose only entrance is in the ceiling
ouranomancy - See uranomancy
ouranophobia - See uranophobia
outfangtheft - The right under law of a lord to persecute a vassal caught
outside of his jurisdiction
ovine - Sheep like
ovivorous - Egg eating
oxter - To walk arm in arm
oxyacanthous - Having sharp thorns or spikes
oxyesthesia - Being extremely sensitive to touch
oxygeusia - Being sensitive to taste
oxyosphresia - An extreme sensitivity to smells
oxythymous - Pertaining to someone who is quick to anger
ozostomia - The state of having bad breath
P
paedarchy - Rulership by a child or several children
paedo cracy - A government formed of children
pagophagia - 1. The eating of ice
pagophagia - 2. A folk remedy of eating a bowl of ice daily to offset iron
deficiency
pagophobia - A fear of ice or frost
paleography - The study of ancient writings
paleozo ology - The study of prehistoric animals
pancratic - Accomplished in many forms or sport or game or having a
mastery over numerous sub jects
pandiculation - Stretching and yawning before going to bed or after wak-
ing up
panpygoptosis - A pathological condition in which the thighs are sup-
pressed and the buttocks starts at the back of ones knees
pantagamy - Married to everyone
pantaphobia - A fear of lack of fear
pantomancer - One who sees omens in every event
pantophobia - A fear of everything
papaphobia - A fear of the pope or the papacy
paparchy - Rulership by the pope
papyro cracy - Rulership by paperwork or by the press
papyrophobia - A fear of paper
parab olanus - A monk who treat contagious diseases
paralian - A person who lives near the sea
paralip ophobia - A fear of responsibility
paramnesia - A disorder in which one remembers events that never hap-
pened
paranymph - The best man or bridesmaid at a wedding
55
56
parapraxis - A lapse of memory or a slip of the tongue, usually revealing
a hidden thought
parasitophobia - A fear of parasites
paraskevidekatriaphobia - The fear of Friday the 13th
parateresiomania - The obsession with being a voyeur
parergon - A second job or an additional source of money from extra work
parisologist - A person who uses ambiguous language or evasive writing
parorexia - The craving for strange or indigestible foods
parosmia - A disorder which causes one to smell things that are not real
parousiamania - An obsession with the return of Christ
parrhesiastic - Able to speak freely
parsonarchy - A government formed by priests
partheniad - A poem which honors a virgin
parthenolagnia - The desire to make love to virgins
parthenolatry - worship of a virgin or virgins
parthenophobia - The fear of virgins
pasilaly - Any universal language
passalorynchite - A member of an old Christian sect in which members
had to take a vow of silence
passulation - The act of drying up and turning into a raisin
pataphysics - The science of imaginary solutions or of nonsensical philos-
ophy
patavinity - The use of local slang or expressions when writing
pathenophillia - The love of virgins
pathenophobia - The fear of virgins
pathophobia - A fear of disease
patroiophobia - A fear of hereditary diseases
paucilo quent - Using as few words as possible when speaking
paxophobia - A fear of peace
p eccatiphobia - A fear of sin or of sinning
p eckerwo o d - A southern term for poor anglo-saxon protestants
p ecunious - Having a lot of money
p edantro cracy - Rulership by pedants or pedagogs
p ediatricophobia - A fear of having to take care of children
p ediculophobia - A fear of lice
p ediophobia - 1. A fear of children
p ediophobia - 2. A fear of dolls
p edipulate - To operate with one's feet
57
p edotrophy - The art of raising children properly
p egomancy - Fortunetelling using the bubbles in a fountain
p eladophobia - A fear of people who are bald
p elargic - Resembling a stork
p elology - The study of therapeutic uses of mud
p eniaphobia - A fear of poverty
p enotherapy - Controlling prostitutes in order to eliminate the spread of
disease
p enphobia - The fear of writing or of the written word
p entap op emptic - One who is divorced five times
p entheraphobia - Fear of Mother in Law
p erendinate - To delay until the day of tomorrow or to delay indefinitely
p erfuncturate - To perform some task in a careless or listless manner
p eriblebsis - The wild look which accompanies delirium
p ericlitate - To put at risk or in danger
p eripatetic - walking about, usually while studying
p eriphrastic - Pertaining to circumlocution or to one who is wordy
p erissop edics - The special branch of pediatric dealing with gifted children
p eristerophilist - One who collects pigeons
p eristerophily - The art of training pidgeons
p eristerophobia - A fear of pigeons
p erno ctation - The act of staying up all night doing work or attending a
party
p erno ctator - A person who studies through the night
p ervulgate - To publish something
p essomancy - Divination using stones or rocks
phagomania - Insatiable hunger
phagophobia - A fear of eating or swallowing
phalacrophobia - A fear of going bald
phalacrophobia - Fear of going bald
phanerolagniast - A psychologist who studies human lust
phaneromania - The compulsive habit of picking at scabs or growths
pharmacophobia - A fear of medicine or drugs
pharology - The study of lighthouses or similar signalling devices
phasmophobia - A fear of ghosts
phengophobia - The fear of the Sun or of sunlight
phigerophobia - See pnigophobia
philalethist - A lover of the truth
58
philandrist - One who loves men
philatelist - A stamp collector
philemaphobia - A fear of kissing
philematology - The study of kissing
philematophobia - See philemaphobia
philiater - A medical student
phillumenist - A collector of matchbooks or matchboxes
philo calist - A lover of beauty
philo comal - Pertaining to hair care
philo cubist - A lover of games involving dice
philo desp ot - One who loves tyranny
philo dox - Someone who loves their own opinions
philogeant - One who loves everything on the Earth
philographer - A collector of autographs
philogynist - One who loves women
philologist - One who loves literature and languages
philomath - One who loves math and the sciences
philomythist - A person who loves mythology
philoneist - One who is obsessed with trends or fads
philonoist - Someone who is seeking knowledge
philophobia - A fear of love or of falling in love
philop olemicist - A person who loves to argue or debate
philoprogeneity - The love of your children
philosophaster - A person who pretends to know more than they do to
impress others
philosophobia - A fear of philosophy or philosophers
philosophunculist - A person who pretends to know more than they do
to impress others
philotherian - An animal lover
philoxenist - A person who loves to entertain strangers
philtrum - The groove in the middle of one's upper lip
phob ologophobia - The fear of words about fears
phob ophobia - A fear of being afraid
phonophobia - 1. The fear of sound
phonophobia - 2. The fear of speaking to an audience
photoaugiaphobia - A fear of glaring lights or being in the spot light
photophobia - A fear of light
phrenology - The study of how the shape of one's skull determines char-
59
acteristic traits
phronemophobia - The fear of thinking
phrontifugic - helping to escape from one's thoughts
phrontistery - A place for study or for contemplation
phthiriophobia - A fear of lice
phthirophagous - One who eats lice
phthisiophobia - The fear of tuberculosis
phylactery - One of two small black leather boxes which contain biblical
verses of Jewish law
phyllomancy - Magic using leaves or foretelling one's future from leaves
physiognomancy - Divination using a person's face
physitheism - Giving physical form to a deity
physitism - The worship of nature
phytivorous - Pertaining to vegetable - eating
pica - A craving for an inedible substance (such as chalk or paint chips)
Pickelhaub e - The spiked helmet worn by german or prussian soldiers be-
fore World War I
pilcrow - The symbol used by editors to indicate a new paragraph
pillion - A seat for a second person on a motorcycle or on a horse
pillion - The second seat on a motorcycle or on a saddle
pilosism - Excessive hairiness
pilpul - A subtle debate between rabbincal scholars over the details of the
Talmud
pintle - The pin that holds a hinge together
piobalreachd - A dirge played on the Highland bagpipes
piscatology - The science of fishing
pismirism - The saving of every bit of money, such as hoarding pennies
placophobia - The fear of tombstones
plangent - A deep, reverberating sound such as heavy bells ringing or thun-
der
plangonologist - A collector of dolls
planilo quent - Talking plainly about some sub ject
planomania - The urge to roam
plastron - The padded jacket worn while fencing
platyopic - having a broad flat nose
pleionosis - The habit of exagerating one's own importance
plenilo quent - Always talking or full of speech
plenilune - The time of the full moon
60
plousio cracy - A government consisting of the wealthy and the elite
plumassier - Someone who makes or sells feathers used in ornaments
plutarchy - A government formed by the wealthy and elite
pluto cracy - Rulership by the wealthy or elite
pluto crat - A member of the wealthy ruling class
plutolatry - The worship of wealth
plutomania - An obsession with money
pluviophobia - A fear of rain
pneumatophobia - A fear of air
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcano coniosis - A miner's lung dis-
ease caused by inhaling silicate dust
pnigophobia - A fear of choking
p o doscaph - A boat propelled by bicycle treadles
p ogonophobia - A fear of beards
p oikilothermal - Cold blooded
p oikilothermal - Cold blooded
p oinephobia - A fear of punishment
p olemology - The study of war
p oliticaster - Second rate politician or incompetent leader
p oliticophobia - A fear of politicians
p ollarchy - Rulership by the mob
p oltophagy - To chew food until it is the consistency of porridge
p olyandry - Marriage to several men
p olyap op emptic - Having been divorced numerous times
p olygyny - Marriage to several women
p olylogize - To talk excessively
p olylo quent - One who can talk about numerous sub jects
p olymath - A person of superior and wide ranging knowledge
p olyphage - Someone who eats many kinds of foods
p olyphloisb oian - Making a lot of noise or a loud racket
p olyphobia - A fear of many things
p olytheism - The belief that there are many gods
p omology - The study of how fruit grows
p onerologist - One who expounds on the evils of nature
p onophobia - The fear of overworking
p orphyrophobia - A fear of the color purple
p osology - The area of medicine dealing with dosages
p osthetomist - A person who performs circumcisions
61
p otamophobia - A fear of rivers
p otophobia - A fear of drinking alcohol
p oulaine - Pointy toed shoes such as worn by jesters
preantep enultimate - Fourth from last
precibal - Before dinner
prelapsarian - Pertaining to the time before the biblical fall
presbycusis - The loss of hearing due to old age
presbyopia - The loss of sight due to old age
prescient - Having foresight or knowledge of what will happen.
preterist - One who believes that the prophecies preceeding the Apocalypse
have been fulfilled
preterition - The doctrine that God has decided who to save and passes
over everyone else
preterplup erfect - More than perfect
prob oscidiform - having a nose like an elephant's trunk
procrescophobia - The fear of gaining weight
proficuous - advantageous and useful
prognathous - Having a jaw which extends past the rest of one's face
propinquiphobia - A fear of being too close
prosophobia - A fear of progress
prosop ography - The description of a person's appearance
prosop olepsy - The acceptance of people based on the appearance
prosop olethy - The inability to remember a face
psaphonic - Preoccupied with plotting your ascent to wealth and renown
psellism - An indistinct pronounciation, such as produced by a lisp or by
stammering
psellismophobia - The fear of stuttering
psephology - The study of political elections
psephomancy - Divination by drawing marked stones from a container
pseudandry - The use of a masculine pseudonym by a woman
pseudauto chiria - A murder which is made to look like a suicide
pseudepigraphous - Signed with a false signature
pseudoantidisestablishmentarianism - The false support of the idea
that a government should not support the church
pseudogyny - The use of a feminine pseudonym by a man
pseudomancy - A false or fake divination
pseudophonia - See pseudautochiria
pseudorhombicub o ctahedron - A solid which has twenty-six faces
62
psilanthropism - The belief that Jesus was not a God, but a man
psilanthropy - The belief that Jesus was a mere mortal
psithurism - The sound of the wind rustling the leaves
psithurism - The sound of wind in trees or rustling leaves
psychomancy - Divination by talking to the dead
psychophobia - A fear of the mind
psychrophobia - A fear of cold
pteridology - The study of ferns
pteronophobia - A fear of feathers
pterylology - The study of feather arrangements on birds
ptocho cracy - A government formed of the poor
puellaphillist - One who loves girls
pulicose - Infested with fleas
pygalgia - A pain in the butt
pyknic - Being stocky and round
pyosis - The formation of pus or the process through which pus is formed
pyrexiophobia - A fear of fever
pyrgology - The study of towers
pyriform - Shaped like a pear
pyrography - The art of writing on wood or decorating wood by burning
it
pyromancy - Divination using fire or magic involving fire
pyrophobia - A fear of fire
pyrrhonist - A skeptic who accepts nothing at face value
pysmatic - Always asking questions or inquiring
pythogenic - Coming from garbage
pyx - The container which holds the wafer used in Holy Communion
Q
qasida - A form of arabic poetry
qiviut - The soft undercoat on a musk ox, often used in making coats
quadragenerian - A person who is 40 years old, or between 40 and 50
quadrel - A square stone or tile
quadrifid - To be cut into four pieces
quadrigamist - Someone who either has been married four times or who
is married to four people
quadriliteral - Pertaining to a word which has four letters
quadrumane - A four handed animal, such as a monkey or ape
quaestuary - Seeking money or trying to make money
qualtagh - The first person you see after leaving your house
quartan - Something which occurs every four days
quasihemidemisemiquaver - According to British musical notation, a
128th note
quatrayle - One's great great great grandfather
quean - 1. A whore or prostitute
quean - 2. A young, unmarried woman
quercine - Pertaining to an oak tree
quiddler - A person who hangs around wasting time at work and making
conversation with people who are working
quidnunc - A person who always wants to know what is going on
quincunx - A set of five ob jects arranged with one at each corner of a
square, and the fifth in the center
quinquagesimal - Consisting of fifty days
quinquepartite - Having five parts
quisquilian - Consisting of trash and rubbish
quo dlib ertarian - A pedantic person who engages in elaborate arguments
about minor things
63
64
quo dlib et - A subtle debate over a theological point by Christians
quoin - An external angle in a wall or building
quomo do cunquize - To make money by any means possible
quotidian - Occuring every day
R
radiophobia - The fear of radiation
raith - A quarter of a year
rampasture - A room in which several unmarried men reside, usually in a
boarding house or inn
rasorial - Scratching the ground in search of food
reasty - Something which is covered in rust or has a rusty taste to it
recrudescence - The reappearance of a disease or illness after being cured
rectalgia - A pain in the ass
rectigrade - Moving in a straight line
rectiphobia - A fear of being corrected
rectirostal - Describing a bird (or other animal) with a straight beak
rectopathic - One who is easy to hurt emotionally
recumb entibus - A knockout punch, either verbal or physical
recuse - To excuse a judge from their duties
redactophobia - A fear of editing or of editors
redhibition - The cancellation of a sale due to the product being defective
redubb er - A person who steals cloths and resells them
reest - To smoke or cure either meat or fish
refrangible - Capable of being refracted
regiphobia - A fear of a king or kings
rehibition - The act of taking back defective products
remip ed - Having legs or arms which act like oars - especially referring to
insects
remontado - A person who lives in the forest or mountains and avoid
civilization
remplissage - The padding of literary works or of musical works
renidification - The act of rebuilding one's nest
resipiscent - To learn from experience or have one's sanity restored
65
66
resistentialism - The spiteful behaviour of inanimate ob jects
rhab domancy - Divination using a stick or rod, such as dowsing for water
rhab dophobia - A fear of magic
rhab dophobia - A fear of sticks or rods, or of being beaten with them
rhab dophobia - The fear of being beaten with a stick
rhadamanthine - Being completely fair and incorruptible
rhapso domancy - The art of predicting the future using poetry
rhinophonia - An extreme nasal sound in one's voice
rhombicosido decahedron - An Archimedean solid composed of sixty two
faces
rhyp ophobia - See rupophobia
rhytiphobia - Fear of getting wrinkles
rhytiscopia - an obsession with one's facial wrinkles
rixatrix - A nasty old women, usually with a tendency to natter and scold
roil - To make muddy by stirring or to disturb sediment
roorback - An ugly rumor of fabricated news story created to discredit a
political opponent
rosacea - A condition in which a person has a large red nose
rouleau - A cylinder of coins rolled in paper
rub edinous - Reddish colored
ructation - Belching or burping
ruderal - Growing in a garbage dump
rugulose - Having small wrinkles
rumb elow - 1. A song or refrain sung by sailors while rowing a boat
rumb elow - 2. A common whore
rumb elow - 3. A type of carriage
runcation - The act of weeding
rup estrian - Made out of rocks
rupicoline - Living among or growing on rocks
rup ophobia - A fear of dirt
rurigenous - One who has been born in the country
rustication - Taking a trip to the countryside
S
sabbulonarium - A gravel pit, or money paid to someone who digs gravel
salutatorian - The second best student in a graduating class, whose job it
is to give an introductory speech
sanctilo quent - Speaking of something which is holy or sacred
sanguinivorous - A blood sucker
sanguivorous - One who drinks blood
sap onaceous - 1. Being soapy or slippery
sap onaceous - 2. Being very nice and ingratiating
saprogenic - Causing rot and decay
saprophagous - One who eats dead or decaying animals
saprophilous - Living in rotting waste
saprostomous - Having bad breath
saraad - A fine levied by ancient Welsh courts which were paid in cattle
sarcle - To dig up weeds
sarcophagic - Pertaining to something which eats flesh
sarculation - Weeding using a rake
sardanapalian - Being luxuriously effeminate like the Byron hero Sardana-
palus
sarmassophobia - A fear of love play, especially in women
sartorial - Pertaining to tailors
sarwan - A person who rides and guides a camel
satanophany - Possession by the devil
satrap ess - An official who acts like a petty tyrant
saturnalian - Wild and unrestrained, usually referring to a riotous party
saulie - A person who is hired to mourn
saxatile - Pertaining to rocks
saxify - To turn to stone or rock
scacchic - Pertaining to the game of chess, or to chess pieces
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68
scaldabanco - A preacher who delivers a fiery sermon
scapulimancy - Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been
charred or cracked from a fire
scarp ology - The science of determining characteristic traits by examining
a persons shoes
scatology - The study of excrement
scatomancy - Magic or divination using excrement
scatophagous - One who eats excrement
scatophobia - A fear of excrement
scelerophobia - A fear of evil men, such as burglars or muggers
schadenfreude - Taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others
schematomancy - Divination using the appearance of people
schizo carp - The winged seed pod of maple trees
scho enobatist - A tight rope walker
scholaptitude - A natural ability to perform scholarly achievements
schwa - The inverted e used to symbolized a relaxed vowel sound which is
neither short nor long
sciamachy - Fighting with a shadow or an imaginary opponent
sciamachy - To fight with a shadow, or shadow boxing
sciaphobia - A fear of shadows
sciap o dous - Having huge feet
scintillation - The twinkling of stars or small bursts of light
sciolist - A person who pretends to be an intellectual but is not
sciomancy - Divination by talking to the dead
sciophobia - See sciaphobia
scobiform - Resembling sawdust
scoleciphobia - The fear of worms
scolecophagous - One who eats worms
scolionophobia - A fear of school
scop olagnia - The pleasure gained by a voyeur
scotch - A block of wood or a brick used under vehicle wheels to prevent
rolling
scotomaphobia - A fear of scotoma, (having spots before your eyes)
scotophobia - A fear of darkness or of the night
scriptophobia - The fear of writing or of the written word
scutiferous - 1. Carrying a shield or armor
scutiferous - 2. Being covered in scales like a reptile
sebaceous - Oozing slime or grease
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secundogeniture - 1. Being the second born son
secundogeniture - 2. Any property inherited by the second son
selachostomous - Shark - mouthed
selacophobia - A fear of sharks
selaphobia - A fear of flashing lights or strobe lights
seleno centric - One whose life revolves around the moon (a "space cadet")
selenography - The science of geography of the moon
selenomancy - Divination using the moon
selenophobia - A fear of the moon
self-agglandize - To make oneself more attractive by artificial means
senectitude - Old age
sepicolous - Living in a bush or hedges
septemplicate - One of seven exact copies
septimanarian - A monk who is given a week of duties to perform
septophobia - A fear of decay or decaying matter
sermo cination - A speaker answering their own questions
sesquialteral - Having a ratrio of one to one and a half
sgiomlaireached - The habit of dropping in at mealtimes
sgriob - The itchiness of the upper lip just before taking a sip of whiskey
shaconian - A person who believes Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's
works
shakos - The hat usually worn by members of a marching band
shapka - The fur covered, brimless hat worn by many Russians in the winter
shistaceous - slate colored or livid, especially pertaining to skin
shoat - A worthless young fellow, originally a young hog
shuro cracy - A government based on consensus
sialagogue - Anything which promotes salivation
sialoquent - Spraying saliva when speaking
sidero dromophobia - Fear of railroads or trains
sideromancy - 1 Foretelling the future by studying the stars
sideromancy - 2. Divination using straw burned on hot metal
siderophobia - The fear of stars
siffilate - To talk in a whisper
siffleur - A professional whistler
sigillate - To cover with official stamps and seals
silential - Performed in silence or pertaining to silence
silentium - A place in which silence is enforced
simphobia - The fear of speaking straight forwardly and in simple terms
70
sinistrophobia - A fear of the left side or things on the left side
sitiophobia - A fear of food
skiaphobia - See sciaphobia
skirl - A piercing sound such as produced by the high notes of a bagpipe
sko okum - First rate or the best (from Chinook jargon)
skoptsy - The act of self castration
slavo cracy - A government formed of slave owners
sloken - To quench one's thirst
sloyd - Skilled work (usually manufacturing) which requires dexterous use
of tools
slubb erdegullion - A boorish slob
smaragdine - Pertaining to emeralds
smatchet - A small nasty person or a nasty child
smellfungus - A person who finds faults with everything
snarf - 1. To fall asleep with your clothes on
snarf - 2. The act of laughing while drinking and expelling the fluid through
one's nose
snath - The long bent handle on a scythe
snead - The long bent handle of a scythe
snipsnapsnorum - A type of card game
snoach - To speak through the nose
snollygosters - Sleazy politicians or lawyers
sno od - The fleshy appendage on the beak of a male turkey
snup - To buy something of value which some ignorant person has discarded
or sold cheap
snurl - To turn up one's nose in scorn
snurt - To expel mucus when sneezing
snuzzle - To poke around with one's nose, as dogs do
so ceraphobia - A fear of parents in law
so ciophobia - The fear of society or friendship
so dality - An association or organized group
solfeggio - A singing exercise using the syllable do,re,mi,fa,so,la,ti
solivagant - Wandering all alone
solleret - A metallic pointy toed shoe worn by knights
somatology - The science of using a person's physical features to determine
their personality
somnifugous - Something which drives away sleep
somnilo quent - Speaking in one's sleep
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sophist - A person who uses deceptive reasoning to win debates
sophophobia - 1. A fear of knowledge or wisdom
sophophobia - 2. A fear of learning
sophrosyne - The quality of wise moderation or discreet good sense
sorbile - Drinkable
soro cide - The killing of one's own sister
sororate - The marriage of a man to his wife's sister
soterial - Pertaining to salvation
soteriology - The doctrine the salvation can only be granted by Christ
spaneria - A place with few or no men
spanogyny - A place with few or no women
sparge - To moisten by sprinkling with water
spargefaction - The moistening of something by sprinkling it with water
spartle - To flounder and flail about
spasmatomancy - Divination using convulsions or twitching of one's limbs
spatilomancy - Divination using animal droppings
spatulamancy - Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals
sp ecto cloacaphobia - The fear of one's eyeglasses falling in the sewer
sp ectroheliokinematograph - A special camera used to film the Sun
sp ectrophobia - A fear of mirrors
sphallolalia - Flirtatious talk that leads nowhere
spheksophobia - The fear of wasps
spheromancy - Divination using a crystal sphere
sphragistics - The science and history of seals and stamps
sphygmomanometer - The device used to measure blood pressure
spiculate - To sharpen to a point
spilikins - The wooden pegs used in the game of cribbage
spindrift - The ocean spray which is blown by the wind
splanchnology - The study of the internal organs of humans
sp o dogenous - Pertaining to being in the presence of waste
sp o domancy - Divination using ashes
sprag - A block of wood or a brick used under vehicle wheels to prevent
rolling
squamous - covered with scales
squamulose - covered with very small scales, as in snakes
squirearchy - Rulership by the landed gentry
stagiary - A student of law
stagnicolous - Living in stagnant water
72
stalko - A poor man who pretends he is rich
stasibasiphobia - The fear of standing and walking
stasiphobia - The fear of standing (for fear of falling)
staurolatry - Worship of the cross or Christ on a cross
staurophobia - A fear of crucifxes
steatopygic - Having a fat behind
stellionate - The unauthorized sale of a piece of property
stenophobia - A fear of narrow places
stentorian - Pertaining to very loud and resonant sounds
stentorophonic - Having a loud, powerful voice or making a loud sound
stercoricolous - Living in dung
sterculius - A God who rules over feces and dung
stereognosis - Deducing the weight of an ob ject by handling it
sternutation - The sound of a sneeze or the act of sneezing
sternutatory - Something which causes sneezing
sterquilinous - Pertaining to a dung heap
stertorous - Having a deep raspy sound produced by an obstructed air
passage
stichomancy - Divination using random lines from a book or the Bible
stigmeology - The art of proper punctuation
storiology - The study of folklore and legends
stratephrenia - A neurosis caused by serving in the military
strato cracy - A government formed of the military
stridulation - The shrill sound produced by crickets and other insects
strikhedonia - The pleasure of being able to say to hell with it
strump eto cracy - A government formed of prostitutes
struthious - Like an ostrich
stultilo quent - Speaking senselessly or babbling idiotically
stygiophobia - A fear of hell
suavilo quent - Speaking in a sophisticated manner
suggilated - Badly beaten black and blue
suoid - Like a hog
sup ernaculum - To drink to the last drop
supp edaneum - The block of wood supporting the feet of a crucified person
surfeitigo - The sudden feeling of being stuffed by food, friends, or invita-
tions
suriphobia - A fear of mice or rats
sutler - A person who follows the army in order to sell provisions to the
73
soldiers
swarf - The metallic dust that accumulates after sharpening or grinding
metal
swinophobia - A fear of pigs or swine
sycomancy - Divination using figs
symmetrophobia - The fear of symmetry
symp osiarch - A master of ceremonies
syndyasmia - The proper term for an open marriage in which either part-
ner may live with other people
syngenesophobia - A fear of relatives
74
T
tachophobia - The fear of speed
tachydidactic - Being taught rapidly or teaching quickly
tachydidaxy - Rapid teaching or instruction
tachygraphy - Short hand or stenography
tachyphagia - Fast eating
tachyphrasia - The act of talking very fast
taeniophobia - See teniophobia
talaria - Winged shoes, such as worn by Hermes
taligrade - Walking on the outer edge of one's foot
tallith - The traditional prayer shawl worn by Jewish men
tam-o-shanter - The beret worn by Scottish higland pipers
tanquam - A person with enough education to attend college
taphephillia - The love of funerals
taphephobia - 1.A fear of graves
taphephobia - 2. Fear of being buried alive
tapinophobia - A fear of small things
tarantism - an urge to overcome melancholy by dancing
tartarology - The study of the underworld or doctrine pertaining to Hell
tath - Either cattle manure or the grass that grows in dung
tatterdemalion - An unkempt person who wears rags
taurophobia - A fear of bulls
technocracy - Rulership by technicians or experts
technophobia - The fear of technology
tegestologist - A collector of beer mugs and beer coasters
teleophobia - A fear of religious ceremonies
telmatology - The study of swamps and bogs
temerity - A form of extreme boldness
teniophobia - The fear of tapeworms
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76
teratophobia - A fear of deformed people
teratophobia - A fear of monsters or of having a deformed child
terebration - A pain that feels as though a drill is boring through some
body part
termagant - A violent, brawling woman
tessaraglot - A person who is capable of speaking in four languages
textophobia - A fear of certain fabrics
thaasophobia - A fear of sitting
thalassophobia - A fear of the sea or an ocean
thanatophobia - A fear of death
thanatopsis - The contemplation of death
thaumatology - The study of miracles
theandric - Pertaining to a person who is both a human and a god
theanthropism - The belief in the union of the divine and human
theanthropist - One who believes that gods can take human forms
theanthrop os - A person who is worshipped as a god
theanthropy - The belief in the union of the divine and human
thearchy - Rulership by a god or gods
thelyotokous - Having only female offspring
theo christic - anointed by God
theo cracy - Government formed by the church or by a representative of
God
theo crasy - The worship of different gods
theo demo cracy - A democracy which is controlled by divine powers
theogamy - A marriage between gods
theoktony - The death of God or of gods
theologaster - A religious charlatan
theologicophobia - The fear of theology
theologoumenon - Individual opinion on God or divinity
theomachy - A war between gods or a war against gods
theomancy - Using gods or oracles to foretell the future
theomania - A madness in which one claims to be a god or represent God
on some mission
theomastix - A divine scourge of mortals or a disaster sent by God
theomicrist - A person who mocks God or divinity
theomorphic - Resembling a god or having godlike qualities
theonomy - Rulership by God or a government formed by God
theophagy - The eating of a god (such as in the Christian communion)
77
theophany - The manifestation of a deity on Earth
theophilanthropist - A person who loves both God and mankind
theophobia - A fear of Gods or the wrath of God
theophobia - The fear of God
theopneusty - Divine inspiration, especially one that enables someone to
reveal divine truths
therianthropic - Combining human and animal forms, such as the centaur
theriolater - A person who worships animals
theriolatry - The worship of animals as gods
theriomancy - Divination using animals or their movement
thermophobia - A fear of heat
thixophobia - The fear of touching or being touched
thole - A pin in the gunwhale of a boat to hold an oar
threpterophilia - An attraction to female nurses
thriob oly - Divination using stones or rocks
thrip - To snap one's fingers
thurible - The incense holder used in religious ceremonies
thurification - The burning of incense
thygatrilagnia - An incestuous desire for one's daughter
tibialo concupiscent - Having a lascivious interest in watching a women
put on stockings
timbromaniac - An avid stamp collector
timmynoggy - A device the saves time and labor
timocracy - A government of honorable people
tirocinium - A soldier's first battle
tocology - The study of obstetrics or midwifery
tocophobia - A fear of childbirth
toggy - A long beaverskin coat popular among northern fur traders
tolutilo quent - Pertaining to a smooth talker
tomalley - A type of lobster liver that turns green when heated
tomecide - The act of murdering or destroying a book
tomentose - Covered with thick tangled hair
tomophobia - The fear of surgery
tonitruone - A device used in theater or movies to create thunder
tonitruous - Reverberating with the sound of thunder
tonitruphobia - The fear of thunder
top omancy - Divination using the shape of the land
top onymics - The study of place names
78
top ophobia - 1.A fear of performing
top ophobia - 2. A fear of a particular place
torschlusspanik - The fear of young women that they will not be married
until they are to old to have children
tortfeaser - A wrongdoer
toxicophobia - See toxiphobia
toxiphobia - A fear of poison or being poisoned
traumatophobia - A fear of injury
tregetour - A street magician or juggler
tremophobia - The fear of trembling
trichinophobia - The fear of trichinosis
trichology - The science of hair and hair diseases
trichopathophobia - A fear of hair disease
trichophobia - A fear of hair
trichotillomania - Tearing out one's hair
tricorne - A hat with three points such as was worn by american revolu-
tionaries
triskaidekaphobia - A fear of the number thirteen
tritavia - The great grandmother of one's great grandmother
tritavus - The great grandfather of one's great grandfather
tritheism - Believing in three gods, such as the Trinity
triturate - To crush into a fine powder
tro chilidist - A person who studies hummingbirds
tro chomancy - Divination by studying wheel tracks
trop o clastics - The science of breaking habits
trop ophobia - A fear of changes or making changes
trullization - The act of laying on plaster with a trowel
truttaceous - Resembling a trout
trypanophobia - A fear of injections or inoculations
tsiology - The study of tea, or a dissertation on tea
tubicination - The sound made by someone blowing a horn
turistaphobia - The fear of contaminated water
turistaphobia - The fear of travelling
tychop otamic - Pertaining to something which lives in fresh water
tycolosis - Accident prevention
tyg - A seventeenth century mug having twelve handles
typhlology - The study of blindness
typp - The number of thousands of yards of yarn which weighs one pound
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tyrannophobia - The fear of tyrants
tyromancy - Divination or magic using cheese
tyrophagia - The act of eating cheese
tyrophillia - The love of cheese
tyrophobia - The fear of cheese
80
U
uloid - Resembling a scar
ulotrichous - Having very wooly hair
ultimogeniture - Inheritance by the youngest son
ultracrepidarian - One who speaks or offers opinions in sub jects they know
nothing about
ultracrepidarianism - The act or habit of talking constantly about sub-
jects of which you know little or nothing
ultroneous - Pertaining to a witness who testifies voluntarily
unasinous - being equally stupid or assinine
undecillion - A large number - a one followed by either 36 or 66 zeroes.
undigenous - Created or generated by water
undinism - The trait of having erotic thoughts when viewing or thinking
of water
unigravida - A woman's first pregnancy
uranomancy - Divination by consulting the heavens
uranomania - The delusion that one is of Heavenly descent
uranophobia - A fear of heaven
urbicolous - Living in the city
uredinology - The study of rust
uredinology - The study of rust
uredophobia - See urticariaphobia
urimancy - Magic or fortunetelling using urine
urophobia - The fear of urinating
urticariaphobia - A fear of itching
urticate - 1. To beat with a whip
urticate - 2. To sting with nettles
ustulate - Scorched or discolored from prolonged exposure to heat
usufruct - The right to use another's property, with the condition that the
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property be unchanged
utlesse - An escape from prison
uvate - Grape jam or jelly
uxoricide - The murder of a wife by her husband
uxorious - Excessively devoted to one's husband
uxoro desp otic - Tyrranical rulership by one's wife
V
vaccinophobia - The fear of vaccinations
valetudinarian - A person who is obsessed with some ailment
valgus - Being bow-legged
vanilo quent - Speaking only of oneself or speaking egotistically
vapulate - To beat with a whip
vastation - To purify something by using fire, or to purify a soul by cre-
mation
vaticide - The murder of a prophet
vauntie - Being proud or in high spirits
veneniferous - Transferring or bearing poison
ventrip otent - Having a fat belly, or being a glutton
venustaphobia - The fear of beautiful women
verbigerate - To continually repeat a word or phrase, usually unconciously
verbivore - A person who devours words
verb ophobia - The fear of words
verilo quent - Speaking nothing but the truth
vermiform - Like a worm
vermiphobia - The fear of worms
vernalagnia - A romantic mood brought on by Spring. Also known as
Spring Fever
vernorexia - A romantic mood inspired by Spring
vesp ertillian - Resembling a bat
vesp ertine - Happening in the evening
vespine - Resembling a wasp
vesthibitionism - The flirtatious display of undergarments by a woman
vestiphobia - A fear of clothing
vexillologist - A collector of flags
vexillology - The study of flags
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viaticum - 1.Money and supplies given to someone going on a journey
viaticum - 2. The Holy Communion given to a dying person
vibratiunculation - A slight shudder or vibration
vibrissae - The sensitive whiskers of a cat
viciniphobia - A fear of neighbors or a neighborhood
vigesimation - The act of killing every twentieth person
vilip end - To verbally belittle someone
viraginity - The masculine qualities of some women
virgivitiphobia - A fear of being raped
virgulate - Shaped like a rod
virvestitism - A preference of some women to wear mens clothing
vitricophobia - The fear of one's stepfather
vittate - Resembling a ribbon
voidee - A last minute snack
volower - A person who performs baptisms
voraginous - Pertaining to something which devours everything
W
waggoner - A collection or book of nautical maps
wanweird - An unhappy fate
wapp erjawed - Having a crooked jaw
warison - A musical note used to signal the start of an attack
wegotism - The excessive use of 'we' in writing, particulary in newspaper
editorials
wheeple - A poor attempt at whistling
whiddin - To be running like a hare
wimple - The traditional headress of nuns
winx - To bray like a jackass
wittol - A man who meakly accepts his wife's adultery
witzchoura - A woman's cloak with large sleeves. Primarily worn in the
early nineteenth century
witzelsucht - A feebly attempt at humor
wlatsome - Describing something which is loathed
wommacky - Shaking and weak while recovering from illness or surgery
wuntee - A lonely old buffalo bull
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X
xanthipp e - An ill tempered woman. (Also Socrates' wife)
xantho chroid - Blond haired and blue eyed person with fair white skin
xanthous - Yellow colored
xenarthral - Resembling a sloth, anteater, or armadillo
xeniatrophobia - A fear of going to strange or foreign doctors
xenium - A present given to a guest
xenob ombulate - To be malingering
xeno do chiophobia - A fear of foreign hotels
xeno do chium - A home for the disabled and for the friendless
xenomancy - Divination by using the first stranger to be found
xenonoso comiophobia - A fear of pick pockets, especially foreign ones
xerophagy - A diet of bread and water
xerophilous - Drought loving, particularly pertaining to plants
xerophobia - A fear of dryness or dry places
xertz - To gulp down quickly and greedily
ximelolagnia - The desire to look a women who cross their legs
ximelolagnia - The urge to stare at women who are sitting with their legs
crossed
xiphoid - Sword shaped
xylology - The study of wood or of the structure of wood
xylomancy - Divination using a piece of wood or magic using wood
xylophage - One who eats wood
xylophagous - Describing someone who eats wood
xylophobia - A fear of forests or of woods
xylop olist - One who sells wood products
xyresic - Being as sharp as a razor
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Y
yashmak - The veil worn by Muslim women when in public
yataghan - A long knife, common in Turkey, which has a double curved
blade
yaud - A worn out or old horse
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Z
zarf - A special sleeve for a coffee cup or a beer can
zeitgeist - The general culture, education, and morals of a given era
zelophobia - A fear of jealousy or intense emotion
zenzizenzizenzic - A number raised to the eighth power
zills - The finger cymbals worn by belly dancers
zizith - The fringes at the corners of a tallith
zoanthropy - The delusion that one is an animal
zob - A worthless person
zo onosis - Any disease that can be passed from animals to humans
zo ophobia - A fear of animals
zori - A form of sandals with a leather strap over the instep and a leather
strip between the hallux and second toe
zucchetto - A skull cap worn by Roman Catholic clerics
zygo dactyl - Having two toes pointing forward and two backwards
zymology - The study of fermentation
zythepsary - A brewery
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Sunday, January 08, 2006
World's longest concert sounds second chord
There's something a bit Douglas Adams about this (think Disaster Zone concerts, but scaled in time instead of volume and distance). The piece will take a total of 639 years to perform.
The first year-and-a-half of the performance was total silence, with the first chord, G-sharp, B and G-sharp, not sounding until February 2, 2003.
Two additional Es, an octave apart, were sounded in July 2004 and are scheduled to be released later this year on May 5.
Today, the first chord has progressed to a second, comprising A, C and F-sharp, and is to be held down over the next few years by weights on an organ being built especially for the project.
New pipes are being added to the organ in time for when new notes are scheduled to sound.
Previous Posts
- "Three Constituencies" touched by a business
- Human names as identifiers
- Ssh, Debian and "System bootup in progress - please wait"
- The "Minority Report" UI
- Leaving Montreal
- Jazz Festival Jam Sessions
- In Montreal
- "Local" Internet
- Limits to the authoritarian/centralising mindset
- Brutalising the Language
Archives
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