“N” & “O” Words from Left Field II: Redux. A Supplement to the Logolept’s Diet

Posted on by demonymonic
Ancient history, Creative Writing, Literary & Linguistics, Media & Communications, Society & Culture, World history,

<word meaning and root formation>

Nanocephalous: having an abnormally small head [Gk. nânos (“small”) + -cephal (“head”) + -ous]

Nasute: having an acute or sensitive sense of smell; having a long snout [from L. nāsus (“nose”) +‎ -ūtus]

Naupathia: sea-sickness [Gk. naus (“ship”) + -pathos (“suffering”)]

Naupathia (photo: oceanservice.noaa.gov)

Necromorphous: feigning death to deter an aggressor [from Gk. necro (“death”) + –morphe (“form”)]

Nefandous: unspeakable; unutterable [from L. ne- (“not”) + –fandus,  ➨ –fārī (“to speak”)]

Neoteny: an indefinite prolongation of the period of immaturity, with the retention of infantile or juvenile qualities, into adulthood [from Gk. néos “young” + -o--O- + -teínein (“to stretch”; “extend”) + -y]

Nepheligenous: producing clouds of smoke [from Gk. nephélē, (“cloud”) +‎ -genous (“producing). Coined by OW Holmes]

Neopotation: prodigality; extravagance; squandering one’s money on riotous living (OU)

Nidifugous: leaving the nest while still young [L. nīdus (“nest”) + –fugiō (“I flee”; “escape”) + -ous]

Nikhedonia: the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the anticipation of success [nik(?) poss. from Nike, Greek god of victory + Gk. –hedonikos (“pleasure”)]

Nikhedonia: Nike on a high

Nimiety: excess; extravagance; surfeit [from L. nimius (“excessive”)]

Nocent: harmful [from L. nocens (“to harm”)]

Noctivagant: wandering by night [from L. nocti- (“night”) + –vagari (“to wander”)] 🌃

Noisome: noxious; smelly; nasty [from MidEng. noy (“annoyance”) + -some, (“characterised by a specified thing,”)] 

Nonfeasance: failure to perform some action which ought to have been performed [L. non- + Eng. -feasance (“doing”; “execution”)]

Nostrificate: to accept as one’s own; to grant recognition to a degree (or other formal qualification) from a foreign university (or other registered educational institution) [from L. noster (“our”) + -cate]

Noyade: mass execution by drowning (esp in revolutionary France in Nantes, 1793-94) [from L. necare (“kill without using a weapon”) (nonce word)]

The Noyades of Nantes (image source: Selbymay (CC BY— SA) WHE)

Nugacity: triviality; futility; drollery (cf. nugatory: of no value; trifling; pointless) [from L. nugacitas (“trifling”)]

Nullibiety: the state of being nowhere [from L. nūllus (“none”; “no”; “not any”) +‎ –ibī (“there”) + -ety] (cf. Nullibist: one who denies that the soul exists in physical space)

Numen: pertaining to numina; awe-inspiring; supernatural) [L. nuō + –men (“a nodding with the head”; “command”; “will”)]

Nummamorous: money-loving (cf. Nummary: pertaining to coin) (OU) 💴 🪙

Numinous: divine; spiritual” [from L. nūmen]

Nuncheon: a noon drink [from MidEng. nonshench, noneschench, nonechenche (“slight refreshment, usually taken in the afternoon”) from L. nōnus] 🍷

Nutation: the act of nodding the head, esp habitually or constantly; a periodic variation in the inclination of the axis of a rotating object [from L. nūtātiō (“nodding”), from nūtō (“I nod”)]

Nycterent: someone who hunts by night [from Gk. nyct (“night”) + -ent] (cf. Nyctitropic: turning in a certain direction at night) (cf. Nyctalopia: night-blindness)

Nycterent (image: Steam)

Nympholepsy: a passionate longing for something unattainable [from Gk mythology: nymphóleptos (“possessed by nymphs”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

<word meaning and root formation>

Obsidional or Obsidionary: pertaining to a siege [from L.  obsidiō (“siege”; “blockade”)]

Obsidional (source: Medieval art by Marilyn Stokstad)

Obsolagnium: waning sexual desire due to age [from L. ob- (“against”) + lagnium (“desire”)]

Obtund: to blunt, dull or deaden [from L. obtundere (“to dull”, “deaden”, “deafen”)]

Oculogyric: eye-rolling; rotation of the eyes [from L. oculo- (“eye”) + –gyric, from Gk. -gurus (“circle”)]

Oligophagos: eating only a few particular kinds of food [from Gk. olig (“few”) + –phagos (“eating”)]

Ollapod: pharmacist; (Orig. a country apothecary [name of a character in George Colman the Younger‘s comedy The Poor Gentleman (1801)]

Ollapod (source: Wellcome Collection (CC))

Ombrophilous: capable of withstanding heavy and continuous rain [from Gk. ómbros (“rain”) + –philous (“love”)]

Omniety: the state or condition of being all [from L. omnis (“all”) + -iety]

Oneirataxia: inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality [Gk. oneiros (“dream” + –taxis (“arrangement”)]

Onomasticon: an ordered list of names (Orig. a gazetteer of historical and contemporary 4th-century place names in Palestine and Transjordan compiled by Eusebius) [Gk. onomastikós, (“belonging to names”), from onomázō, (“I name”)]

Onomasticon – Eusebius

Onychophagia: nail-biting [from Gk. onych (“claw”) + -phagos].

Ophelimity: the ability to please another; economic satisfaction [from Gk. ōphélimos, (“helpful”)]

Opisthenar: back of the hand [from Gk. opistho- (“behind”; “back”) +‎ –thenar (“palm of the hand”)] 🤚

Opsablepria: inability to look someone in the eye (OU) 👁️

Orarian: dweller by the seaside; relating to the seaside [from L. ōrārius (“coasting”; “along the coast”) + -an]

Orthostatic: relating to standing upright; straight posture [Gk. orth (“right angle”; “perpendicular”) + –statikós (“to make stand”)] (cf. Orthobiosis: a hygienic and moral lifestyle)

Osophagist: a fastidious eater [Gk. (?) + –phagos]

Otiose: serving no useful purpose; leisurely (cf. Otiant: idle or resting [from L. otium (“leisure”)]

Ozostomia: evil-smelling breath [from Gk ozóstom(os) (“having bad breath”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

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

Posted on by demonymonic
Creative Writing, Performing arts, Popular Culture, Social History, Society & Culture

<word meaning and root formation>

Macrologist: a person who engages in long and tiresome talk; ie, a bore [Gk. makrós, (“long”) + –logo (“word”) + -ist]

Macromastic: pertaining to large breasts; (Med.) (also called gigantomastic breasts) breasts which are usually heavy and pendulous with nipples and areolas facing down [Gk. macrós- (“long”) +‎ -mastia (“abnormality of the breast”)]

Macromastic

Macrophallic: having an unusually large phallus [Gk. macrós- (“long”) +‎ -phallós (“penis”)]

Marcid: exhausted; withered; wasted away; decayed [from L. marceō (“wither”) +‎ -idus]

Megapod: having large feet [from Gk. mégas (“great”) + -poús “foot”)] 👣

Menseful: considerate; neat and clean [from mensk, from MidEng. menske (“courtesy”; “honour”)]

Mentulate: Referring to or characterised by a large penis; well-hung [from mentula (“cock”; “dick”; “penis”) +‎ -ātus (“-ed”)]

Merkin: a pubic wig for women (Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: “counterfeit hair for women’s privy parts”) [Origin uncertain but prob. from malkin, a derogatory term for a lower-class young woman]

Merkin (photo: Merkin Museum)

Metoposcopy: using the physical appearance of the face (esp the pattern-lines on the forehead) to judge someone’s character [from Gk. métōpon, “forehead”) +‎ -scopy]

Metoposcopy

Minimifidianism: having virtually no or almost no faith or belief [from L. minimus (“small”; “little”) + –fidian (?) + -ism]

Monandrous: having only one male sexual partner over a period of time [monós (“one”; “single”; “only”) + –androus (“man”; “husband”)]

Mummer: an actor in a traditional masked mime (a mummer’s play) [OldFr. momeur from mommer (“act in a mime”)]

Mummer (photo: sixsellov.live)

Murcid: slothful; shirking work or duty (OU)

Mystagogue: one who instructs in mystical or arcane lore or doctrines [Gk. mystagōgos, from mystēs (“initiate”) + –agein (“to lead”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

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

Posted on by demonymonic
Ancient history, Creative Writing, Literary & Linguistics, Society & Culture
<Word meaning & root formation>

Labefaction: shaking, weakening and/or downfall;  impairment, especially of moral principles or civil order [L. labefactus, labefacere (“to cause to totter”; “shake”) from labare (“to totter”) + -facere (“to make”) + -ion]

Labile: unstable; liable to change [from L. labi, (“to slip or fall”)]

Labrose: thick-lipped [L. labrosus, from labrum (“lip”)] 👄

Laevorotatory or Levorotatory: counter- or anti-clockwise (opp. Dextrorotatory) [L. levo from laevus (“left”) + rotatiō] 🕰️

Lampadedromy: foot race with lighted torches, esp a relay race passing the torch from runner to runner (Anc. Greece: a race in honor of Prometheus in which the contestants ran bearing lit torches, the winner being the first to finish with his torch still lit) [Gk. lampein (“to shine”) + –dromos (“a running”)]

Lampadedromy at the ancient Greek Olympic Games (image. medium.com)

Lamprophony: speaking in a clear loud voice [Gk. lampróphónos (“clear-voiced”) from lamprós (“clear”; “distinct”) + -phone (“sound”) + -y]

Languescent: becoming tired or languid [from L. languescere (“to become faint”)]

Lapidate: stone to death [L. lapidare (“to stone”), from lapid-, lapis (“stone”) + -ate]

Lapidate (v):the punishment of Lapidation

Latebricole: living in holes (OU) 🕳️

Latibulise: to hibernate (OU)

Latifundian: rich in real estate [ L. latus, (“spacious”) + -fundus, (“farm”, (“estate”)] (Latifundium was a large agricultural estate in Ancient Rome)

Latifundium (image: Quora)

Leman: paramour; lover; inamorata [from OldEng. lēofmann (“lover”); (“sweetheart”); equiv. to lief +‎ –man (“beloved person”)]

Lenitic or Lentic: living in quiet or still waters [L. lenitas (“mildness”) + -ic] (cf. Lotic: living in actively moving waters)

Lepid: charming; elegant; amiable [from Gk. lepid-, lepis (“scale”?), from lepein]

Lestobiosis: living by furtive stealing; the act of pilfering food, especially of ants 🐜 [Gr. lestes, (“robber”) +–biosis, (“manner of life”)]

Loganamnosis: a mania for trying to recall a forgotten word or words [Gk. log (“word”) + -amnosis (?) perhaps from –amnesia (“memory”)]

Lucifugous: avoiding daylight or light altogether [ from L. lucifugus, from luci- + -fugus (from fugere (“to flee”) + -al +-ous]

Lucripetous: money-hungry (OU) 💰

Luctiferous: sad and sorry [L. luctifer (“mournful”) from luctus (“sorrow”) + -fer (-ferous) + –ous]

Ludification: derision; mockery [from L.  ludificatio, from ludificare (“to make sport of”), from ludus (“sport”) + -ficare (“to make”, in comparative)]

Lurdane: stupid, dull and lazy; a sluggard [MidFr. lourdin (“dullard”), from lourd (“heavy”)]

Lypophrenia: a vague feeling of sadness, seemingly without cause [OU. ? + Gk. –phrenia (“mind”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

“J” and “K” Words from Left Field II – Redux: A Supplement to the Logolept’s Diet

Posted on by demonymonic
Ancient history, Creative Writing, Law and society,, Literary & Linguistics

<word meaning & root formation>

Jackanapes: “a silly impertinent monkey of a fellow” (Bowler); an impudent or conceited person; a tame monkey [nickname of William de la Pole, (Duke of Suffolk, d. 1450), MidEng. Jack Napis]

Jackanapes (from Wm de la Pole) (source: pinterest.com.au)

Jagannath: juggernaut [Sanskrit. Jagannath (“lord of the universe”) from jagat (“universe”) + -nātha (“master” or “lord”) ]

Janiceps: monster twins with two heads which look in opposite direction [from L. Iānus (“two-headed god”) + -ceps (“headed”)] (cf. Janiform: two-headed god of Greek mythology )

Janiceps (from Janus) (image: Quora)

Jannock: pleasant; outspoken; honest; generous (somewhat the antithesis of a “Jackanapes”) (OU)

Jargogle: to befuddle, jumble or mess up (OU)

Jeofail: (Law.) an oversight in pleading, or the acknowledgment of a mistake or oversight [From OldFrench. j’ai failli [(“I have failed”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

<word meaning & root formation>

Kedogenous: brought about by worry or anxiety [? + –genous (“producing”) OU]

Kedogenous (source: Ermou Street)

Khamsin: (also Khamaseen) dust storm; oppressively hot, dry wind in Egypt that blows from the Sahara [from Egy Arabic. khamsīn (“fifties”)]

Khamsin wind engulfs Cairo (photo: Reuters)

Khoja(h): title of respect for teacher or wise man [Khoja, from Khwāja (New Persian Khājé), a Persian honorific title of pious individuals]

Khoja (source: khojahistory.org)

Kickshaw: a fancy but insubstantial cooked dish, esp of foreign origin; an elegant but insubstantial trinket (Nth. Amer.) [Fr. quelque chose (“something”)]

Kinetosis: a fancy name for travel sickness; (Medic.) any disorder due to unaccustomed motion, aka motion sickness, seasickness, carsickness, etc [Gk. kinet(o)- (“movable” or “moving”) + -osis (“denoting actions, conditions or states)]

Kippage: commotion; confusion [Scot. usage, from modification of Fr. équipage (as in être en piteux équipage (“to be in a sorry plight”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown