Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don't know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun ... etc.
ALLONYM
noun
Pronounced: AL-o-nihm
Meaning: A name that is assumed by an author but that actually belongs to another person.
Example: For his first novel, Allen considered using John Grisham as an
allonym
.
* * * * *
BESTIARY
noun
Pronounced: BEE-stee-airy
Meaning: A medieval, often illustrated, work in verse or prose describing with an allegorical moralizing commentary on the appearance and habits of real and fabled animals.
Example: At the Metropolitan Museum, Eli lingered in front of a case containing a French
bestiary
that told a story about a unicorn and a dragon.
* * * * *
CARICATURED
verb
Pronounced: CARE-ih-ka-tuur-d
Meaning: Represented in exaggeration by means of deliberate simplification and often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics.
Example: Those who inaugurated the movement for women's enfranchisement were initially censured and
caricatured
by the press.
* * * * *
DRYAD
noun
Pronounced: DRY-add
Meaning: One of the minor divinities of nature in Greek and Roman mythology that are represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the forests.
Example: Sally likes to sit in her tree house and pretend that she is a
dryad
.
* * * * *
ECHOLOCATION
noun
Pronounced: eck-ko-lo-KA-shun
Meaning: A process of animal orientation and navigation that involves emission of high-frequency sounds that are reflected back from environing surfaces and thus indicate the relative distance and direction of such surfaces.
Example: Contrary to popular fiction, Erin learned that bats never get tangled in people's hair because their system of
echolocation
is so accurate.
* * * * *
FASTIDIOUSLY
adverb
Pronouced: fass-TID-di-us-ly
Meaning: In a manner that reflects a meticulous, sensitive or demanding attitude.
Example: Vera's insistence on dressing
fastidiously
for every occasion precluded her from going anywhere on short notice.
* * * * *
GLENGARRY
noun
Pronouced: glen-GARE-ree
Meaning: A woolen cap of Scottish origin, typically having a crease in the crown from front to back and edges bound with ribbon that ends in the back in two small streamers.
Example: Each bagpiper was wearing a
glengarry
, a kilt, a sporran and spats.
* * * * *
HYPERBOREAN
adjective
Pronounced: high-per-BORE-ee-in
Meaning: Of, relating to or inhabiting an extreme Northern region; frigid.
Example: Polar bears are among the few animals that can survive in
hyperborean
regions.
* * * * *
IDIOPATHIC
adjective
Pronounced: id-ee-o-PA-thick
Meaning: Arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.
Example: After carefully examining Leila, the doctor announced that her sudden hearing loss was
idiopathic
and might disappear with time.
* * * * *
JOURNALESE
noun
Pronounced: JUR-nal-eeze
Meaning: A style of writing held to be characteristic of newspapers.
Example: The word
transpired
is considered
journalese
because it rarely occurs outside of newspapers.
* * * * *
KARMA
noun
Pronounced: KAR-muh
Meaning: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the sum total of the ethical consequences of a person's good or bad actions comprising thoughts, words and deeds.
Example: In Buddhism, harming another being is believed to contribute to bad
karma
.
* * * * *
LIBERTARIAN
noun
Pronounced: lih-bur-TARE-ree-in
Meaning: One who upholds the principles of individual freedom of thought and action.
Example: A
libertarian
would cut down constitutional authority to the smallest proportions, while an authoritarian leaves but little scope for private judgment.
* * * * *
MASOCHISTIC
adjective
Pronounced: mah-so-KISS-tick
Meaning: Relating to, marked by or given to taking pleasure in physical or mental suffering inflicted on one by oneself or another.
Example: Runners have long endured derisive comments from nonrunners about their apparently
masochistic
tendencies.
