”S” Words from Left Field II: Redux. A Supplement to the Logolept’s Diet

<Word meaning & root formation>

Sacerdotophrenia: clerical stagefright [It. Sp. Por. sacerdote (“priest”) + –phrēn (“diaphragm”; “mind”)]

Saltire: X-shaped or diagonal cross [from MidFr. sautoir from MedLat. saltatoria]

Sanguisugent: bloodsucking; bloodthirsty [from L. sanguis (“blood”) + -gent(?)] 🩸

Sapid: flavoursome; lively; interesting [L. sapidus (“tasty”) from sapere (“to taste”)]

Scrivener: a copyist of documents; a clerk, scribe or notary [from OldFr. escrivein from L. scriba (“scribe”)]

Sebastomania: religious insanity or mania [ [Gk. sebastos, (“reverence”) + -mania]

Sermocination: the practice of making speeches; the habit of preaching constantly [from L. sermo (“speech”; “conversation”) + -ion]

Sicarian: a murderer, especially an assassin; mercenary fighter [from Sicarii a group of Jewish zealots/insurrectionists opposing the Roman occupation of Judea; cloak-and-dagger assassination unit [from sicae (“small daggers (sickles) concealed in the sicariis’ cloaks”]

Sillograph: writer of satires [from the book Gk. Sílloi by Timon of Phlius, (flourished ca.280 BC)+‎ -graphe]

Smatchet: a small, nasty person or child; a contemptible, unmannerly person [Scot. Eng. probably from MidEng. smatch + -et]

Somatoparaphrenia: (Psych. ) a type of monothematic delusion where one denies ownership of a limb or an entire side of one’s body [from Gk. sôma, (“body”) + -para (“beside”) + –phrenia]

Staurophobia: pathological aversion to the cross or crucifix (eg, cinematic portrayals of Dracula) [Gk. staurós, (“cross”) + -phobia]

Stegophile: someone whose pastime is climbing tall buildings [Gk. stegos (“roof”) + -philos]

Stentorphonic: speaking very loudly [from Stentōr, a Greek herald in the Trojan War (Homer’s Iliad)]

Stramineous: strawlike; valueless; consisting of straw [L. stramineus (“of straw”) from sternere (“to strew”; “spread out”; “lay flat”)]

Subderisorious: mocking gently and with affection; ridiculing with moderation [L. sub (“below”; “under”) + L. –dērīdeō (“I deride”) + -ous]

Subintelligitur: a meaning or understanding (as of a statement) implied but not expressed [from L. sub- (“secretly”; “under”) + intelligere (“to understand”) + -al]

Succussion: the action or process of shaking the body or the condition of being shaken especially with violence [L. sucussio, from -cussus, (“to shake up”)]

Supernumerary: (person) in addition to usual or necessary number [L. super- (“above”) + number]

Susurrant: gently whispering and rustling [from L. susurrare (“to whisper”)]

Syncretistic: seeking to identify common features of different belief systems, philosophies or civilisations and assimilate them or merge them into a single system [from syncretise (“to attempt to unite and harmonise”), from Gk. synkrētismos (“joining together of Greeks”)] 

Synethnic: of (or together with) same race or country [Gk. syn (“same”; “with”; “together”) + –ethno (“people”; “race”; “tribe”; “nation”)]