“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

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

Posted on by demonymonic
Creative Writing, Literary & Linguistics, Media & Communications, Popular Culture, Regional History, Society & Culture
<word meaning & root formation>

Haptodysphoria: a shiveringly unpleasant feeling experienced from touching certain surfaces, such as peaches or wool [Gk. háptō (“touch”; “hasten”) + -dus (“bad”) + –phérō (“I bear”; “carry”)]

Harpocratic: relating to silence (OU)?

Harpocratic (source: Clipart Library)

Hartal: a general strike of labour, including a total shutdown of workplaces, businesses, courts, etc, as a political protest [Hindi haṛtāl, from hāṭ (“shop”) + -tālā (“lock”)]

Hebesphalmology: study of juvenile delinquency [OU; from Hebe (“goddess of youth and spring”(?)) + ? + -logy]

Henotic: promoting harmony or peace; unifying [Gk. henōtikós, (“serving to unite”)] ☮️

Hesternopotia: a pathological yearning for the good old days (OU)

Heteronym: a word with the same spelling but a different pronunciation and meaning [Gk. héteros (“other”; “another”) + -nym]

Heterotopia: strange or ambivalent places (places that defy the normal logic of ordering) [word popularised by philosopher Michel Foucault, Fr. hétérotopie, Gk. héteros + -topia from “utopia”, (“place”)]

Horrisonant: having an ugly, harsh sound; unpleasant to the ear [L. horrēre, sonānt-em (“to dread”; “shudder”) + -ant]

Humicubation: the act or practice of lying on the ground, esp in penitence or self-abasement [L. humus (“the ground”) + –cubare (“to lie down”)]

Hygeiolatry: fanaticism about health; the worship of health and/or hygiene [ Gk. hygie (“healthy”) + –latry (“worship”)]

Hygeiolatry (image: everydayhealth.com)

Hygrophanous: seeming transparent when wet, and opaque when dry [Gk. hygr- (“wet”) + –phan, -phen (“to show”; “visible”)(?) + -ous]

Hyperhedonia: (Medic.) a condition where abnormally heightened pleasure is derived from participation in any act or happening (no matter how mundane) [Gk. hyper- + G. hēdonē, (“pleasure”)]

Hypertrichosis: excessive hairiness [Gk. hyper-, (“excess”) + -trikhos, (“hair”) and –osis]

Hypertrichosis (Werewolf Syndrome)

Hypobulia: (the procrastinator’s curse!) (Psych.) a lack of willpower or decisiveness [Gk. hypo (“beneath“ or “below,”) + -aboulía (“irresolution”)]

Hypogeal: pertaining to the earth’s interior; subterranean; growing or existing underground [Gk. hupógeios (“underground”)] (cf. Hypogeum: underground temple, tomb or cavern)

Hypogeal (source: wob.com)

Hypothimia: profound melancholy or mental prostration; depressive state of mind; diminished emotional response [Gk.  hypo- + Greek -thymos (“spirit”)]

Key: OU = origin unknown

<word meaning & root formation>

Idioglossia: secret speech or language, especially invented by children [Gk. idio- (“own”; “peculiarity”) + -glōssa, (“tongue”; “speech”)]

Idolum: insubstantial image; a spectre or phantom; a fallacy [Gk. eídōlon, (“image; “idol”), from eîdos, (“form”)]

Illuminati: those who claim to have exceptional intellectual or spiritual awareness (orig. a Bavarian secret society founded in 1776) [L. illuminatus (“enlightened”)]

Illuminati

Indocible: unteachable [in- + LateLat. -docibilis (“docible” (“teachable”)]

Ineluctable: unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable [L. in- + –ēlūctor (“struggle out”) + -bilis]

Interciliary: between the eyebrows [L. inter- (“between“; “amid”) + –cilium (“eyelid”)]

Inexpugnable: that which cannot be taken by assault or storm; unconquerable; impregnable [L. in + -expugnābilis]

Innascible: not subject to birth; without a beginning; self-existent [L. innāscibilitās (“state of being unable to be born”)]

Invultuation: the use of or the act of making images of people, animals, etc, for witchcraft; sticking pins in a wax doll representing someone you wish to inflict pain on [MedLat. invultuāre (“to make a likeness”) from in- + vultus (“likeness”)]

Invultuation (source: etsy.com)

Irrefragable: not able to be refuted or disproved; irrefutable; indisputable; unbreakable [LateLat. irrefragabilis, from L. refragari (“to oppose or resist”)]

Isographer: someone who imitates another person’s hand-writing [Gk. iso- (“same”) + –graphe (“write”)]

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

Posted on by demonymonic
Built Environment, Creative Writing, Memorabilia, Natural Environment, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

<word meaning and root formation>

Facinorous: exceedingly wicked [L. facinorōsus, from facinus (“deed”; “bad deed”), from facio (“to make”; “to do”)]

Facundity: eloquence [L. facunditas, from facundus + -itas (“-ity”)

Fascia: band of colour; a name-board over a shop entrance; a dashboard [L. fascia (“band”; “door frame”)]

Fatidic: foretelling the future; prophetic [L. fātidicus, from fātum (“fate”) + dico (“I speak”)]

Fatidic (source: Diamond Art Club)

Fideism: relying on faith alone; epistemological view that faith is independent of reason [ L. fidēs (“trust”; “belief”; “faith”) + -ism]

Flagitious: grossly criminal; utterly disgraceful; shamefully wicked [L. flagitium (“shameful thing”)]

Forisfamiliate: (Scot. law) to disinherit; to shed parental authority [Medieval Latin. forisfamiliatus, forisfamiliare, from L. foris (“outside”) + -familia (“family”)]

Fungible: (Legal.) replaceable by or acceptable as a replacement for a similar item [L. fungi (“to perform”)]

Fustian: ridiculously pompous, bombastic or inflated language [Anglo-Fr. fustian (“a kind of fabric”), prob. from L. fustis (“tree trunk” or “club”; “staff”)]

Fustigate: to criticise severely; to cudgel, ie, to beat with a stick [L. fustis + –igare ]

Fylfot: “Saxon” swastika; a type of swastika associated with medieval Anglo-Saxon culture (cf. Gammadion)

Fylfot (source: the Golden Dawn Shop)

<word meaning and root formation>

Gabion: a cage, cylinder or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil used as a retaining wall in civil engineering, road building, military applications and landscaping [from It. gabbione (“big cage”) from It. gabbia from L. cavea (“cage”)]

Gabion (source: oceangeosynthetics.com)

Galactophagous: milk-drinking [galaktophágos, (“milk-fed”) from gálaktos (“milk”) + –phagos (“eating”)] 🥛

Galliardise: great merriment; gaiety [from Fr. galliard + -ise, from Transalpine Gaulish gal- (“strength”) +‎ -ard, from Proto-Celtic galā (“ability”; “might”)]

Gambrinous: full of beer; an icon of beer [named after Gambrinus, a mythical Germanic or Flemish king who is supposed to have invented beer]

Gambrinus (statue of Gambrinus, Falstaff Brewery, New Orleans)

Gelogenic: provoking laughter; laughable [Gk. gélōs, (“laughter”)]

Genarch: (also sp. Genearch) head of family; a chief of a family or tribe [Gk. géniteur (“genitor”) + -arch ]

Genial:¹ diffusing warmth and friendliness; cordial [L. geniālis (“relating to birth or marriage”; from genius (“tutelary”; “deity”)]

Glycolimia: (also sp. Glycaemia) a craving for sweets;  presence or level of sugar (glucose) in the blood [from NewLat. glyco- (“sugar”) + -emia (“condition of the blood.”)]

Gormandise: eat greedily or voraciously [from MidEng. gourmaunt, gormond, gromonde, from OldFr. gormant (“a glutton”) + -ise]

Gormandise

Gracile: slender [L. gracilis (“slender”)]

Gramercy: used to thank someone; an exclamation of surprise [Fr. from grand merci (“a special thank you”)]

Graminivorous: grass-eating [L. gramin-, gramen (“grass”) + -vorus + -ous (“eating”)]

Grammatolatry: the worship of letters or words Gk. grammato, from grammat-, gramma) + -latry (Grammatolatry could be the motto for this whole project!)

Grampus: a blowing, spouting, whale-like sea creature; a cetacean of the dolphin family [grampoys, from graundepose (“great fish”)]

Grampus (image: facebook.com)

Grandgousier: someone who will eat anything and everything [Fr. grand gosier, (“Big throat”) a fictional character in the story of Gargantua by François Rabelais]

Grandgousier from Gargantuan (source: loc.gov)

Graphospasm: writer’s cramp [Gk. grapho (“writing”) + –pasmós”; “spasm”; “convulsion”)] ✍️

Grassation: the act of attacking violently; living in wait to attack [L. grassatio, from grassatus, grassarito (“go about”; “attack”; “rage against”) + -ion]

Graveolent: having a rank smell; fetid; stinking [L. graveolent-, graveolens, from gravis (“heavy”) + -olent-, -olens ]

Gravid: pregnant (-a: pregnant woman); full of meaning [L. gravidus (“laden”; “pregnant”), from gravis (“heavy”)] (cf. Gravific: that which makes heavy)

Groak: to watch people silently while they’re eating, hoping they will ask you to join them (OU)

Grobianism: rudeness; boorishness [from Middle High Ger. grob or grop (“coarse or vulgar”). 1. a Grobian is an imaginary personage known for boorish behaviour, appearing in works of 15-16th century writers 📑 2. a fictional patron saint of the vulgar and coarse, St Grobian

Gyrovagues: wandering or itinerant monks devoid of leadership. Having no fixed address they were reliant on charity and the hospitality of others [Late Latin. gyrovagus from L. gȳrus (“circle”) + –vagus (“wandering”)]

Gyrovagues (image: Deviant Art)
¹ genial’s a word that gets bandied round a lot in casual conversation and on the net, however there seems some haziness about the term’s meaning…perhaps a homophonic issue through some confusion with “genius?”)

Key: OU = origin unknown