Pelf, n.; money or gain that is acquired in a dishonest way or is viewed with contempt. From Old French pelfre meaning “booty, stolen goods”, related to the word pilfer. [via, see, et]
Category: Dictionary
Adventitious
Adventitious, adj. meaning “happening by chance”, “associated by chance”, “coming from another source”; or, in biology, “appearing sporadically or in an abnormal or unusual place”; from the Latin adventicius, meaning foreign. [see, et, et] To an intellectual person the whole business of love-making is ridiculous, and without dignity. Dreams and fancies are invoked to give… Continue reading Adventitious
Caducity
Caducity, n. Meaning the infirmity of old age, or, poetically, the quality of anything being transitory. [via, see, et]
Appetence
Appetence, n. From the Latin, appetere, to strive after; meaning the state or action of a strong desire, tendency or attraction. Also, appentent as an adjective. [via, see, et, et]
Adianoeta
Adianoeta, n. From the Greek for ‘unintelligible’, an expression with both an obvious and another subtle, or even esoteric, meaning; like an allegory or double entendre [via, also, et]. Presumably a – dia – noeta might be translated as, something like, “not through things known” [see]. Amusingly and awesomely, therefore, the word adianoeta is itself… Continue reading Adianoeta
Stigmergy
Stigmergy, n. the spontaneous, indirect organization that emerges out of the seeming chaos of individuals doing their work, a principle of systems which perhaps suggests that individual agents doing their work create non-coördinated self-organization which makes it possible for others to more efficiently do their own work. [ht, see, et, et]
Aperçu
Aperçu, n. a clever or immediate insight, adopted from the French. [ht, see, et]
Conforaneus
Conforaneus, adj. Of the same court or market, something occurring in the same arena. From the Latin conforaneus meaning using the same forum. [see,also]
Malapert
Malapert, adj. Saucy, insolent, outspoken. From the Latin, mal- meaning badly, wrongly and apertum meaning open. [see,et,also] I presume, open in the sense of impolite, impolitic and unrestrained; as in the way that “uncovered language” is impolite and bawdy.
Inconcinnity
Inconcinnity, n. Lack of harmony or suitability. From the Latin, inconcinnus meaning absurd, awkward, clumsy, I presume.
Desuetude
Desuetude, n. A state of disuse, from the Latin desuetudo meaning outdated, no longer custom. Also, “a doctrine that causes statutes, similar legislation or legal principles to lapse and become unenforceable by a long habit of non-enforcement or lapse of time” [see].
Sciolist
Sciolist, n. An archaic word for a person who pretends to be learned, knowledgable, or well-informed, from Latin sciolus which is a diminutive of scius meaning knowing. il Dottore, though he doesn’t know he doesn’t know it, is an expert sciolist.
Sedulous
Sedulous, adj. being dedicated and diligent, from the Latin sedulus meaning zealous.
Anent
Anent, prep. An archaic word which means “concerning” used much as some usage of “about” currently.
Irredentism
Irredentism, n. From the Italian for “unredeemed” this is the belief and advocacy for a restoration of territory. [via]
Anagnorisis
Anagnorisis, n. The realization of true nature or identity, one’s own or another’s; The transition from ignorance to knowledge. [via,see,et,also]
Taciturn
Taciturn, adj. silent, uncommunicative, withdrawn, tight-lipped. I recently used a word in a conversation that I can’t find in any dictionary. The word I’ve used, and have heard before, is “Tacturn” … but, the only evidence of this word I’m finding is “Taciturn” which doesn’t sound anything like “Tacturn” unless you say your Latin with… Continue reading Taciturn
Feri
Feral: “ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin fera ‘wild animal’ (from ferus ‘wild’ ) + -al.” So, feri, pl. n. wild animals of male or mixed sex?
Akathisia
Akathisia, or Acathisia, n. A sensation of inner restlessness; the inability to remain still.
Clerisy
Clerisy, n. the intelligentsia; the theory class. [via, also]