Word of the day: Catastrophic

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Catastrophic [adj]

[catastrophe [n]: from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē ‘overturning, sudden turn’, from kata- ‘down’ + strophē ‘turning’ (from strephein ‘to turn’)]

-involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering or a sudden and large-scale alteration in the state of something.
-of or relating to geological catastrophism.
-extremely unfortunate or unsuccessful. Physical or financial ruin.

The meteor crashing into the moon was catastrophic: altering tides and weather, which in turn had disastrous consequences for every living thing on earth.

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Word of the day: Raucous

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[Adj] from Latin: raucus (“hoarse, husky, raucous”). Harsh, strident, rough-sounding. or 2. disorderly and boisterous.

The crows sometimes hold a raucous meeting, their voices filling the intersection where they perch in dark strings over the traffic.

Word of the Day: Susurration

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Sussuration: [n] Late Middle English: from Latin susurrare ‘to murmur, hum’. From susurrus ‘whisper’.

The Susurration of the waves against the hull of the ship lulled her to sleep.

Word of the Day: Sciolism

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Sciolism: [n] a pretentious display of superficial knowledge. From Late Latin sciolus (smatterer), diminutive of Latin scius (knowing), from scire (to know). Ultimately from the Indo-European root skei– (to cut or split), which also gave us schism, ski, shin, science, conscience, nice, scienter, nescient, exscind, and adscititious.

As usual, Harris’ reviews were more pontificating and sciolism than actual research and facts could account for.

Word of the Day: Scrutate

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Scrutate: [v] to investigate. From the Latin root: Scrutare (to examine), from which scrutiny is also derived.

The man was not much for social interactions, preferring the company of books and, of course, to scrutate their contents for the meaning of life.

Word of the Day: Paresthesia

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Paresthesia (or paraesthesia): Noun [New Latin paraesthsia : par(a)- + Greek aisthsis, feeling; see anesthesia.]

A skin sensation, such as burning, prickling, itching, or tingling, with no apparent physical cause. From Greek para- (at, beyond) + aisthesis (sensation or perception). Ultimately from the Indo-European root au- (to perceive) that also gave us audio, audience, audit, auditorium, anesthesia, aesthetic, anesthetic, esthesia, synesthesia, and obey. Earliest documented use: 1848.

Word of the day: Paracosm

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Paracosm [n]: A paracosm is a detailed imaginary world, or fantasy world, involving humans and/or animals, or perhaps even fantasy or alien creations. Commonly having its own geography, history, and language, it is an experience that is often developed during childhood and continues over a long period of time: months or even years.

Gillian spent quite a bit of time within a paracosm, speaking to imaginary friends and going to imaginary castles. If it hadn’t been so fascinating, Alex might have found it impossibly irritating.