Showing posts tagged as: Ancient Greek and Latin roots
A Logolept’s Diet of Obscure, Obsolete, Curious and Downright Odd “G” Words
G-words, words starting with the letter “G”, like “G-men” can be gritty, exacting and uncompromising…sometimes they salaciously and lustfully invoke “the beast with two backs”. Here’s some fairly unorthodox, non-mainstream “G” words you quite possibly have not encountered before.
Gallimaufry: a mixture of different things; a hodge-podge [MFr galimafree (“a kind of stew concocted from various ingredients)]
Galluptious: (or Goloptious) wonderful, delightful, delicious; provocative and sexually alluring [origin uncertain, perhaps alteration of “voluptous]
Gamic: carnal or sexual; requiring fertilisation (biol.) [Old Nth Fr. gam (from “animal’s leg”)]
Genoph: a pickpocket [origin unknown)
Geophilious: live in or near the ground [Gk geo (“earth”) + -phil (“love”)]
Gewgaw: a showy trifle; a trinket; useless, worthless [ME. giuegaue (orig. meaning uncertain)]
Gigantology: the study of giants [Gk. “giant” + -logy]
Glabrous: without hair; smooth [L. glaber (“smooth”; “bald”; “hairless”)] 👨🏾🦲
Glossoid: like a tongue [Gk. glōssoeidēs + -oid] 👅
Gnomic: a phrase that’s short, catchy and clever; puzzling, enigmatic and ambiguous yet seemingly profound [Gk. gnome (“an opinion”)]
Goliard: a learned person, esp in the humanities; (hist.) a wandering, fun-seeking scholar/clerical student in medieval Europe who wrote goliardy (irreverent , satiric Latin verse) [MF, origin uncertain)]
Grallator: someone who walks on stilts (taking quite long strides); an ichnogenus dinosaur [L. grallotores (“stilt-walker”)] 🦕
Gremial: pertaining to the lap or bosom; intimate [L. gremium (“lap”)]
Gymnogynomania: urge to rip women’s clothes off [Gk. gymnos (“naked”; “bare”) + gyn (-“wife”; “-woman”) + -mania
Gymnophoria: the sensation that someone is mentally undressing you [Gk. gymnos (“naked”; “bare”) + -phoria (“to bear”)
Gynotikolobo-massophilia: a proclivity for nibbling one’s earlobes [Gk. gyn + –lobos (“earlobe”) + -masáomai (“to chew”) + -phile] 👂
A Logolept’s Diet of Obscure, Obsolete, Curious and Downright Odd “F” Words
The sixth letter in the alphabet is the consonant “F”. Pre-English, the Phoenicians used to write “F” with a symbol that looked a lot like “Y,” and pronounced it waw. The ancient Greeks changed it into digamma and put a tip on the “Y”, transforming it into the sixth letter in the alphabet we readily recognise today. The “f” sound has a kindred spirit in the “ph” as the two can be interchangeable in spelling, eg, people who live in the Philippines are called “Filipinos”. “F” for frank and forthright and “F” for frivolous and fickle…it would however be remiss of us to not acknowledge that the expression “F-word” has another, polarising, connotation which for many in society is still is a taboo one, as, to use a somewhat old-fashioned-sounding term, a “swear” word… “fuck” and its many derivatives such as “motherfucker”, “fucker”, etc. ad nauseam. So there you have it, “F”, all in all a letter for all seasons and dispositions!
Falerist (or Phalerist): someone who collects and studies medals, badges, pins, ribbons and other decorations [from the Greek mythological hero Phalerus: Gk. Phaleros]
Farraginous: consisting of a confusing mixture, orig. of grains for cattle feed (cf. Farrago); jumbled; messy; heterogenous[L. far “spelt” (ie, grain)]
Favonian: pertaining to the west wind (esp mild, gentle) 💨 [L. fovēre (“to warm”)] (cf. Zephyr)
Firmament: (Relig.) the vault or arch of the sky; the heavens; the field or sphere of an interest or activity [Late Latin. firmamentum, from L. firmare (“support”)]
Flâneur: a man who saunters around observing society; a stroller (fem: approx comparable to Flaneuse). [Old Norse. flana (“to wander with no purpose)]
Flexiloquent: speaking evasively or ambiguously [L. flexibilis (“that may be bent”) + –loquēns (“speaking”; “talking”)]
Florilegium: an anthology esp excerpts of a larger work; collection of flowers [L. flos (“flower” +-legere (“to gather”)] 🌺
Frotteur: (Psycho-sex.) a person who derives sexual gratification—Frottage—thru contact with the clothed body of another person in a crowd [Fr. frotter (“to rub”)]
Funambulist/Funambulator: a tightrope walker; an acrobat who performs balancing acts on a taut, high horizontal rope (also known as an Equilibrist [L. funis (“rope”) + –ambulare (“to walk”)]
Fusilatelist: someone ( with a lot of time on their hands) who collects phone cards from telcos (origin unknown)
Futilitarian: a person devoted to futile pursuits; one who believes that human striving is futile [(19th neologism, a portmanteau word formed from blending “futile” and “utilitarian”]
Fysigunkus: a person devoid of curiosity [Scot. Eng, (19th. origin unknown]
A Logolept’s Diet of Obscure, Obsolete, Curious and Downright Odd “D” Words
The letter “D” corresponds to the Semitic daleth and Greek delta (Δ). “D” is also the Roman numeral for 500. The form (D) is thought to derive from an early pictograph, possibly Egyptian, indicating the folding door of a tent. Later “D” got its more rounded shape, with which we are familiar, from the Chalcidian alphabet, which the Latins may have borrowed for their alphabet (https://www.britannica.com/topic/D-letter). Words beginning with “D”, numero quattro in the English alphabetical order, are an eclectic lot. They can be delightful, decadent or distasteful. Here’s a brief sampler of logophile-friendly “D” words for serious verbivores. 
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
(word) Dacnomania (meaning) a compulsive urge to bite (derivation) Gk dáknō (“bite”) + -mania 🦷
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dactylogram fingerprint Gk Daktylos (“finger”) + –gramma (“that which is written/drawn”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Daedalist
aviator; pilot
Gk from Didalos, L Daedalus (“skilfully wrought”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dapifer one who brings meat to the table (ie, a servant) origin unknown 🍖
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Defenestration
throw someone through a window; remove or dismiss someone from a position of authority
L de “down from” + –fenestra (“window”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Deimatic pattern of behaviour of a bluffing character (zool) Gk deimatóo (“to frighten”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Deipnosophist learned amateur Gk deipnon (“dinner”) + –sophistēs (“knowledgeable in the arts” (from Athenaeus’‘Deipnosophistaí’)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Deltiologist someone who collects and studies postcards [Gk. deltion (“writing tablet”) + -ist]
Deltiologist (image: emaniuz-collection.blogspot.com)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Depontification throw someone off a bridge L de + –pons (“bridge), following pattern of defenestration
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Didascalar Didactic; pertaining to teaching origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Diddicoy scrap dealer; Brit: group of caravan-dwelling travellers who adopt a Gypsy-like lifestyle origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Diestrus a period of sexual inactivity New L dia + -estrus from Gk Oistros (“gadfly”, “sting”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Digladiator swordfighter origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dithyrambic wildly irregular in form Gk dithyrambos (unknown, pre-Hellenic?)
Diversiloquent able to speak on different topics; in different ways L. diversi (“diversus”) + –loquēns (“to speak”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Docent an academic immediately below the professorial rank; a voluntary guide at a museum, zoo or art gallery L docēns (“to teach”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Doctiloquent speaking learnedly L from doceō (“I teach”) +-loquēns (“to speak”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Domatologist
professional housekeeper
origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dontopedology science of putting your foot in your mouth Gk odoús (“tooth”) + –pes (“foot”) + –logos (“word”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Douanier customs official Fr, origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Doulocracy rule by slaves Gk doûlos (“servant”, “slave”) + –kratéō (“rule)
Doulocracy: Spartacus, slave army leader
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dragoman interpreter, translator or guide Gk dragumanus from Arab targuman (“interpreter”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dulciloquent speaking in a sweet, pleasant and agreeable way L. dulcis (“sweet”) + -loquēns (“to speak”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Durative describing an action that is continuing, incomplete; transforming L. durare (“to harden”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dysania Difficult to wake up in the morning origin unknown
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dyschromatopic colour-blind Gk dys (“bad”) + -chroma (“colour”) + -ops (“eye”)
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dysphemism using an offensive word in the place of an inoffensive one Gk dys (“bad”) + –pheme “speech”,
⍔⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍠⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⌼⍔
Dystelology doctrine of purposelessness Gk dys (“bad”) + –télos (“end”, “purpose”, “goal”) + –logos
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A Logolept’s Diet of Obscure, Obsolete, Curious and Downright Odd “A” Words
The Big A! In the beginning was A.
“Words, Words, Words”, mused Shakespeare’s brooding and enigmatic eponymous protagonist in Hamlet [Act II, Scene II]. Indeed, for those wordsmiths, verbivores and aficionados in the grips of logolepsy (fascination or obsession with words), words, lexemes, morphemes, lógos, verba, call it whatever you like, are the very stuff of the world. If you are like me and take a delight in being exposed to new words, always looking to add to the building blocks of your vocabulary, then your interest might be piqued enough to browse the following list of words, a select lexicon with entries which include the obscure, the archaic, the unusual, the peculiar and (sometimes) the downright creepily weird. To begin at the beginning, the letter “A”, primus intra pares among the strictly-ordered glyphs. “A” in the Latin alphabet is similar in shape to the Ancient Greek letter Alpha, from which it derives.
Word | Meaning | Derivation |
Abactor | cattle thief or rustler | L Late Latin abigō ('drive away') |
Achloropsia [cf. Acyanopsia colour-blind blue] | colour-blind green | Gk a + clor ('green') + -podia (rel. to 'sight') |
Acephalous | lacking a (clearly defined) head | Gk akephalous ('headless') |
Acersecomic | one who has never had his or her hair cut | Gk akersekómēs ('young with unshorn hair') |
Acrologic | pertaining to initials; using a sign to represent a word denoting its initial letter or sound, assoc with hieroglyphics & acronyms | Fr acrologique |
Adelphogamy | a form of polyandry; marriage of 2 or more brothers & 1 or more wives (context: Royal marriages in Ancient Egypt, usually between siblings) | Gk adelphi ('brothers') + -gamus ('marriage') 戮 |
Adventitious | occurring as a result of an external factor or by chance, rather than by design or inherent nature; coming from outside, not native | L adventicious (coming to us from abroad") |
Agelast | someone who never laughs; a humourless person | Mid Fr agélastos ('not laughing') |
Agersia | not growing old in appearance | Gk a ('not') + geras ('age') |
Agnomen | an epithet; an appellation appended to a name (eg, Rufus the Indolent) | Anc Rome a 4th name occasionally bestowed on a citizen in honour of some achievement |
Agnosy | ignorance esp universal ignorance; unenlightened; bereft of spiritual understanding or insight | Gk agnōsia ('ignorance') |
Aleatory | something dependent on the throw of dice or on chance; random; (esp in indurance) | L alea a kind of dice game |
Amanuensis | Iiterary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts | L a manu + -ensis ('slave at handwriting') + 'belonging to') |
Ambivert | someone who a balance of extrovert & introvert features in their personality | L ambi ('on both sides') + vertere ('to turn') |
Aneabil | unmarried; single | origin unknown |
Anecdotage | someone with a tendency to be garrulous; anecdotes collectively | Gk anekdota ('unpublished') + -age |
Anemocracy | government by the wind or by whim | Gk anemo ('wind') + -cracy ('rule') |
Anhedonia | inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities | Fr anhédonia+ ('without pleasure') |
Animadvert | criticise or censure; speak out against | L animadvert-ere ('to notice or remark on a subject') |
Antanaclasis | a literary trope whereby a single word is repeated, but in 2 different senses (for effect, a common form of punning) | Gk antanáklasis ('reflection'; 'bending back') |
Antelucan | pre-dawn | L ante ('before') + luc ('light') |
Antemundane | existing before the creation of the world | L ante ('before') + Fr mondain ('of this world') |
Antipudic | covering one's private parts | anti + L pudendum ('genitals'; shame') |
Apodysophilia | feverish desire to undress (a form of exhibitionism) | origin unknown |
Appurtenance | accessory associated with particular lifestyle, eg, luxury | OFr from L appertinere ("belong to") |
Aptronym§ | the name of a person which neatly matches or is amusingly appropriate to their occupation or character (eg, possessor of the highest-ever recorded IQ, Marilyn vos Savant; a Russian hurdler by the name of Marina Stepanova) | neologism, purportedly coined by US columnist Franklin P Adams |
Archimage | great magician, wizard or enchanter 慄♂️ | New Latin from Late Gk archimagus |
Aristarch | a severe critic | after Aristarchus of Samothrace, a Greek grammarian, (2nd BC) |
§ the concept of aptronym gives legs to the theory of nominative determinism which hypotheses that people tend to gravitate towards jobs that fit their surname, eg, a BBC weather presenter with the name Sara Blizzard ️ | |
ABACTOR (Image: American Fine Art)
ADELPHOGAMY
ARISTARCH: Aristarchus of Samos