A Word A Day

Anu Garg

Description

"Anu Garg's many readers await their A Word A Day rations hungrily. Now at last here's a feast for them and other verbivores. Eat up!"
-Barbara Wallraff
Senior Editor at The Atlantic Monthly and author of Word Court

Praise for A Word a Day

"AWADies will be familiar with Anu Garg's refreshing approach to words: words are fun and they have fascinating histories. The people who use them have curious stories to tell too, and this collection incorporates some of the correspondence received by the editors at the AWAD site, from advice on how to outsmart your opponent in a duel (or even a truel) to a cluster of your favorite mondegreens."
-John Simpson, Chief Editor, Oxford English Dictionary

"A banquet of words! Feast and be nourished!"
-Richard Lederer, author of The Miracle of Language

Written by the founder of the wildly popular A Word A Day Web site (www.wordsmith.org), this collection of unusual, obscure, and exotic English words will delight writers, scholars, crossword puzzlers, and word buffs of every ilk. The words are grouped in intriguing categories that range from "Portmanteaux" to "Words That Make the Spell-Checker Ineffective." each entry includes a concise definition, etymology, and usage example-and many feature fascinating and hilarious commentaries by A Word A Day subscribers and the authors.
Introduction.

1. Animal Words.

2. Latin Terms.

3. Words to Describe People I.

4. Lesser-Known Counterparts of Everyday Words.

5. Words for Odds and Ends.

6. Reduplicatives.

7. Discover the Theme I.

8. Gender-Specific Nouns.

9. Verbs.

10. Coined Words I.

11. Back-Formations.

12. Portmanteaux.

13. Short Words.

14. Words That Make Spell-Checker Ineffective.

15. Names for Things.

16. Words Formed by Metathesis.

17. Words Not to Put On Your Resume.

18. A Verbal Zoo.

19. Words From Medicine.

20. Semordnilap.

21. Words With Color as Metaphor.

22. Words that Make One Say, "I Didn't Know there was a Word for That!"

23. Wordpix I.

24. Wordpix II.

25. Wordpix III.

26. Words with Offbeat Pluralizations.

27. Words about Relations.

28. Collective Nouns.

29. Positive Words.

30. Discover the Theme II.

31. Lesser-Known Synonyms of Everyday Words.

32. Words from Speeches.

33. Words That Contain the Vowels AEIOU Once and Only Once.

34. Coined Words II.

35. English as a Global Language.

36. Eponyms.

37. Words about Words I.

38. Uncommon Words with Common Suffixes.

39. Words to Describe People II.

40. Ordinal Words.

41. Words for Odds and Ends.

42. Red-Herring Words.

43. Discover the Theme III.

44. Newer Words in the Oxford English Dictionary.

45. War of Words and Words of War.

46. Words for Physical Characteristics Used to Describe People Figuratively.

47. Words Evolved from Folk Etymologies.

48. Words about Words II.

49. Words Formed Using Combining Forms.

50. Words Formed Using Combining Forms.

51. Words for Body Parts That Are Used Metaphorically.

52. Red-Herring Words Revisited.

53. Words from Nature?s Oeuvre.

54. Words about People Who Love Books.

55. Mondegreens and Other Linguistic Faux Pas.

57. Answers to the "Discover the Theme" Chapters.

Bibliography.

Index of Words.

Sujets

• Communication Studies
• Word Lists
• vernacular
• Idioma inglés
• Reference
• English language
• English
• Anu Garg
• Anglais

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 21 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781118039687
• Langue: English

Extrait

Table of Contents
 
Title Page
Copyright Page
Epigraph
Acknowledgments
Introduction
 
CHAPTER 1 - Animal Words
 
crabwise (KRAB-wyz)
testudinate (te-STOOD-in-ayt), also testudinal or testudinarian
gadfly (GAD-fly)
kangaroo court (kang-guh-ROO kort)
waspish (WOS-pish)
 
CHAPTER 2 - Latin Terms
 
quid pro quo (KWID pro kwo), plural quid pro quos or quids pro quo
rara avis (RAR-uh AY-vis), plural rarae aves (RAR-ee AY-veez)
sine die (SY-nee DY-ee, SIN-ay DEE-ay)
annus mirabilis (AN-uhs mi-RAB-uh-lis), plural anni mirabiles (AN-i mi-RAB-uh-leez)
sub rosa (sub RO-zuh)
 
CHAPTER 3 - Words to Describe People I
 
philosophaster (fi-los-uh-FAS-tuhr, fi-LOS-uh-fas-tuhr)
autocrat (O-tuh-krat)
adamantine (ad-uh-MAN-teen, -tin)
satrap (SAY-trap, SAT-rap)
anchorite (ANG-kuh-ryt), also anchoret (ANG-kuhr-it)
 
CHAPTER 4 - Lesser-Known Counterparts of Everyday Words
 
epizootic (ep-uh-zo-OT-ik)
anile (AN-yl, AY-nyl)
estivate (ES-tuh-vayt), also aestivate
thegosis (THEE-go-sis)
trilemma (tri-LEM-uh)
 
CHAPTER 5 - Words for Odds and Ends
 
aglet (AG-let)
chad (chad)
tittle (TIT-t1)
grommet (GROM-it), also grummet (GRUM-)
pintle (PIN-tl)
 
CHAPTER 6 - Reduplicatives
 
shilly-shally (SHIL-ee-shal-ee)
tussie-mussie (TUS-ee-MUS-ee) or tuzzy-muzzy (TUZ-ee-MUZ-ee)
herky-jerky (HUR-kee-JUR-kee)
wishy-washy (WISH-ee-wosh-ee)
knick-knack, also nick-nack (NIK-nak)
 
CHAPTER 7 - Discover the Theme I
 
tessera (TESS-er-a), plural tesserae
hypolimnion (hip-o-LIMN-ee-on)
decerebrate (de-CER-uh-brayt)
homonym (HOM-uh-nim)
extravasate (ik-STRAV-uh-sayt)
 
CHAPTER 8 - Gender-Specific Nouns
 
caryatid (kar-ee-AT-id), plural caryatids or caryatides (-i-deez)
telamon (TEL-uh-mon), plural telamones (-MOH-neez)
gynarchy (JIN-ar-kee, JYE-nar-, GYE-)
androcracy (an-DROK-ruh-see)
nymphomania (nim-fuh-MAY-nee-uh, -MAYN-yuh)
satyriasis (say-tuh-RI-uh-sis, sat-uh-)
 
CHAPTER 9 - Verbs
 
cogitate (KOJ-i-tayt)
decoct (di-KOKT)
perorate (PER-uh-rayt)
shamble (SHAM-buhl)
redact (ri-DAKT)
 
CHAPTER 10 - Coined Words I
 
googol (GOO-gol)
blurb (blurb)
boondoggle (BOON-dog-uhl)
heebie-jeebies (HEE-bee-JEE-beez)
runcible (RUN-si-buhl)
 
CHAPTER 11 - Back-Formations
 
emote (I-MOAT)
admix (ad-MIKS)
aesthete (ES-theet, EES-), also esthete
adulate (AJ-uh-layt)
accrete (uh-KREET)
 
CHAPTER 12 - Portmanteaux
 
cremains (kri-MAYNZ)
cinematheque (sin-uh-muh-TEK)
carmine (KAHR-min, -MYN)
birl (burl)
 
CHAPTER 13 - Short Words
 
vim (vim)
fey (fay)
gest (jest), also geste
dun (dun)
maw (maw)
 
CHAPTER 14 - Words That Make the Spell-Checker Ineffective
 
impassible (im-PAS-uh-buhl)
wether (WETH-uhr)
specie (SPEE-shee, -see)
angary (ANG-guh-ree) also angaria (ang-GAR-ee-uh)
demur (di-MUR)
 
CHAPTER 15 - Names for Things
 
crossbuck (KROS-buk)
hallux (HAL-uhks), plural halluces (HAL-yuh-seez)
septum (SEP-tuhm), plural septa (SEP-tuh)
ocellus (o-SEL-uhs), plural ocelli (o-SEL-eye)
newel (NOO-el, NYOO-)
 
CHAPTER 16 - Words Formed by Metathesis
 
scart (skart)
prad (prad)
bort (bort)
gride (gryd)
scrimmage (SKRIM-ayg)
 
CHAPTER 17 - Words Not to Put on Your Résumé
 
manqué (mahng-KAY)
distrait (di-STRAY)
recreant (REK-ree-uhnt)
garrulous (GAR-uh-luhs, GAR-yuh-)
truculent (TRUK-yuh-luhnt)
 
CHAPTER 18 - A Verbal Zoo
 
welkin (WEL-kin)
endogamy (en-DOG-uh-mee)
vamoose (va-MOOS, vuh-)
epigone (EP-i-goan), also epigon (EP-i-gon)
 
CHAPTER 19 - Words from Medicine
 
sternutation (stur-nyuh-TAY-shuhn)
nosocomial (nos-uh-KO-mee-uhl)
antitussive (an-tee-TUS-iv, an-ti-)
prophylaxis (pro-fuh-LAK-sis, prof-)
aperient (uh-PIR-ee-uhnt)
 
CHAPTER 20 - Semordnilap
 
avid (avid)
ogre (O-guhr)
debut (day-BYOO, DAY-byoo)
nonet (no-NET)
rebus (REE-buhs)
 
CHAPTER 21 - Words with Color as Metaphor
 
blue rinse (BLOO rins)
greenmail (GREEN-mayl)
brown study (broun STUD-ee)
purple passage (PUR-puhl PAS-ij), also purple patch, purple prose
pink collar (PINGK KOL-uhr)
 
CHAPTER 22 - Words That Make One Say, “I Didn’t Know There Was a Word for That!”
 
dol (dol)
murdrum (MUR-drum)
thalweg (TAHL-veg, -vek)
scurf (skurf)
mora (MOR-uh)
 
CHAPTER 23 - Wordpix I
 
verboten (vuhr-BOHT-n)
supernumerary (soo-puhr-NOO-muh-rer-ee, -NYOO-)
epicene (EP-i-seen)
diastema (die-uh-STEE-mah), plural diastemata (die-uh-STEE-muh-tuh)
ullage (UL-ij)
 
CHAPTER 24 - Wordpix II
 
chevron (SHEV-ruhn)
maverick (MAV-uhr-ik)
pecuniary (pi-KYOO-nee-er-ee)
pariah (puh-RI-uh)
 
CHAPTER 25 - Wordpix III
 
pendulous (PEN-juh-luhs, PEN-dyuh-, -duh-)
acclivity (a-KLIV-i-tee)
kowtow (kow-TOW)
oology (oh-OL-uh-jee)
inebriety (in-i-BRY-i-tee)
 
CHAPTER 26 - Words with Offbeat Pluralizations
 
opus (OH-pus), plural opera (OH-puhr-a, OP-uhr-a) or opuses
occiput (OK-suh-put), plural occipita (ok-SIP-i-tah) or occiputs
chrysalis (KRIS-uh-lis), plural chrysalises (KRIS-uh-lis-es) or chrysalides (kri-SAL-i-deez)
numen (NOO-muhn, NYOO-), plural numina (-muh-nuh)
virtuoso (vur-choo-OH-soh, -zos), plural virtuosos or virtuosi (-see)
 
CHAPTER 27 - Words about Relations
 
agnate (AG-nayt)
miscegenation (mi-sej-uh-NAY-shuhn, mis-i-juh-)
progenitor (pro-JEN-i-tuhr)
enate (i-NAYT, EE-nayt), also enatic
primogenitor (pry-moe-JEN-i-tuhr)
 
CHAPTER 28 - Collective Nouns
 
sounder (SOUN-duhr)
nide (nyde)
skein (skayn)
skulk (skulk)
bevy (BEV-ee)
 
CHAPTER 29 - Positive Words
 
sipid (SIP-id)
pervious (PUR-vee-uhs)
vincible (VIN-suh-buhl)
furl (furl)
requite (ri-KWYT)
 
CHAPTER 30 - Discover the Theme II
 
dekko (DEK-oh)
ait (ayt), also, eyot
bijou (BEE-zhoo, bee-ZHOO), plural bijoux (-zhoo, -zhooz)
horst (horst)
dotty (DOT-ee)
 
CHAPTER 31 - Lesser-Known Synonyms of Everyday Words
 
athenaeum (ath-uh-NEE-um), also atheneum (ath-uh-NEE-um)
tokology (to-KOL-uh-jee), also tocology
debark (di-BARK)
debark (dee-BARK)
sartorial (sar-TOR-ee-uhl)
cancrine (KANG-krin)
 
CHAPTER 32 - Words from Speeches
 
manacle (MAN-uh-kul)
chasm (KAZ-um)
attainder (uh-TAYN-duhr)
sentient (SEN-shent)
mirabile dictu (mee-RAH-bi-lay DIK-too)
 
CHAPTER 33 - Words That Contain the Vowels AEIOU Once and Only Once
 
armigerous (ahr-MIJ-ehr-us)
epuration (ep-yuh-RAY-shun)
inquorate (in-KWO-rayt)
ossuary (OSH-oo-eh-ree), plural ossuaries, also, ossuarium.
uvarovite (oo-VAR-uh-vyt, yoo-)
 
CHAPTER 34 - Coined Words II
 
eustasy (YOO-stuh-see)
Pangaea (pan-JEE-uh), also Pangea
McJob (mehk-JOB)
locust years (LO-kuhst yeers)
prehensile (pri-HEN-sil, -syl)
 
CHAPTER 35 - English as a Global Language
 
nous (noos, nous)
dyscalculia (dis-kal-KYOO-lee-uh)
timorous (TIM-uhr-uhs)
soporific (sop-uh-RIF-ik, so-puh-)
morose (mo-ROS)
 
CHAPTER 36 - Eponyms
 
Fletcherize (FLECH-uh-ryz)
grinch (grinch)
John Bull (jon bul)
aristarch (AR-uh-stark)
Chicken Little (CHIK-en LIT-1)
 
CHAPTER 37 - Words about Words I
 
haplography (hap-LOG-ruh-fee)
obiter dictum (OB-i-tuhr DIK-tuhm), plural obiter dicta
asyndeton (uh-SIN-di-ton, -tuhn), plural asyndeta
verbigeration (vuhr-bij-uh-RAY-shun)
brachylogy (bra-KIL-uh-jee)
 
CHAPTER 38 - Uncommon Words with Common Suffixes
 
oniomania (O-nee-uh-MAY-nee-uh, MAYN-yuh)
garbology (gar-BOL-uh-jee)
onychophagia (on-i-ko-FAY-juh, -jee-uh)
philography (fi-LOG-ruh-fee)
theophany (thee-OF-uh-nee)
 
CHAPTER 39 - Words to Describe People II
 
pertinacious (pur-tn-AY-shuhs)
pixilated (PIK-suh-layt-id), also pixillated
oscitant (OS-i-tant)
punctilious (pungk-TIL-ee-uhs)
pococurante (po-ko-koo-RAN-tee, -kyoo-)
 
CHAPTER 40 - Ordinal Words
 
fifth column (fifth KOL-uhm)
fourth estate (forth i-STAYT)
third degree (thurd di-GREE)
second fiddle (SEK-und FID-1)
first water (furst WA-tuhr)
 
CHAPTER 41 - Words for Odds and Ends
 
albedo (al-BEE-doh)
dewlap (DOO-lap, DYOO-lap)
chaplet (CHAP-lit)
gnomon (NO-mon)
finial (FIN-ee-ehl, FI-nee-)
 
CHAPTER 42 - Red-Herring Words
 
sextet (seks-TET)
potatory (POH-tuh-tor-ee)
gyrovague (JYE-ro-vayg)
discommode (dis-kuh-MOD)
obsequy (OB-se-kwee)
 
CHAPTER 43 - Discover the Theme III
 
mecca (MEK-uh)
redd (red)
ogee (oh-JEE, OH-jee)
vug (vug, voog)
plica (PLY-kuh), plural plicae (PLI-see, -kee)
 
CHAPTER 44 - Newer Words in the Oxford English Dictionary
 
full monty (ful MON-tee), also Full Monty, full Monty
bad hair day (bad hair day)
nutraceutical (noo-truh-SOO-ti-kuhl)
retail therapy (REE-tayl THER-uh-pee)
webliography (web-lee-OG-ruh-fee)
 
CHAPTER 45 - War of Words and Words of War
 
pyrrhic victory (PIR-ik VIK-tuh-ree)
casus belli (KAY-suhs BEL-y, BEL-ee), plural casus belli
fetial (FEE-shuhl), also fecial
polemology (po-luh-MOL-uh-jee)
spoliation (spo-lee-AY-shun)
 
CHAPTER 46 - Words for Physical Characteristics Used to Describe People Figuratively
 
louche (loosh)
clochard (KLOH-shahr)
myopic (my-OP-ik)
dexterous (DEK-struhs, -stuhr-uhs) also dextrous
ambisinister (am-bi-SIN-uh-stuhr)
 
CHAPTER 47 - Words Evolved from Folk Etymologies
 
humble pie (HUM-buhl pi)
kickshaw (KIK-shaw)
wiseacre (WIZ-ay-kuhr)
rakehell (RAYK-hel)
chaise longue (shayz LONG), plural chaise longues or chaises longues (shays LONG)
 
CHAPTER 48 - Words about Words II
 
Hobson-Jobson (HOB-suhn JOB-suhn)
dittography (di-TOG-ruh-fee)
eye dialect (eye-DY-uh-lekt)
epenthesis (uh-PEN-thu-sis)
idiolect (ID-ee-uh-lekt)
 
CHAPTER 49 - Words Formed Using Combining Forms
 
misocainea (mis-oh-KY-nee-uh, mi-soh-)
piliform (PIL-i-form)
ichnology (ik-NOL-uh-jee)
steganography (ste-guh-NOG-ruh-fee)
chiromancy (KY-ruh-man-see)
 
CHAPTER 50 - Toponyms, or Words Derived from Place Names
 
ultima Th