Superior Person's Tuesdays-Revived!

Since it is Tuesday... Here is your Superior Person's Tuesday Word:

ELDRITCH a. Weird or hideous. "In concluding my report as President on the year just concluded, I want to make special mention--and I know the Committee joins with me in this--of our eldritch member, Mrs. Porringer, who..."

We find this word especially fitting considering Halloween is in our rearview mirrors...

Each Tuesday we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website.

Superior Person's Tuesday: Mendaciloquent

MENDACILOQUENT a. Speaking lies. Congressman please note: if you say this quickly enough, on the floor of the house, when characterizing another Congressman (and God knows, in that environment you'll have plenty of occasions for so doing), the Speaker just might let you get away with it.

Each Tuesday we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website..

Superior Person's Tuesday: Ygdrasil

YGDRASIL, n. The gigantic ash tree which, according to Norse mythology, binds together with its roots and branches the whole of earth, heaven and hell. Suggested as a pet name for that tree in your backyard — the one you want your husband to chop down before its spreading canopy brings total darkness to your clothesline, your herb garden and your sunbaking spot.

Image via Viking-Mythology.com.

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Ygdrasil appears in the third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

SHIBBOLETH, n. A doctrine or principle once held essential by a particular group or party but now seen as rather old-hat, if not abandoned altogether. It is probably a comment on the nature of life and mutability, rather than on etymological processes, that the original meaning was a password or other identifying sign, such as an opinion or style of dress, that distinguished the members of a particular group because of their unique attachment to it. Thus advocacy of the nationalization of industry was a shibboleth of the political left wing in former years in a sense quite different from that in which it is now  their shibboleth. Just how important it was in earlier times to be on the right side of a shibboleth can be judged from the original usage in Judges 12:6: "... and it was so that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilea said unto him [sic] Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him..."

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Shibboleth appears in the first.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

PEEN, n. The wedge-shaped or thin end of a hammer head. A ridiculous word.

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Peen appears in the first.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

To celebrate Thanksgiving a good number of us return to our childhood hometowns . . . which brings us to today's Superior Person's word:

Nostopathy n A morbid dread of returning to one's home.

OK. One more for the holiday:

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Nostopathy appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Morology n - In speech or writing, being deliberately foolish or nonsensical as a means of achieving a desired effect. A technique not often employed by the present author, who ordinarily makes his effects by being accidentally foolish or nonsensical.



Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Morology appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Deipnosophist: n A wise conversationalist at the dinner table. Unfortunately, the two elements of the definition rarely go together.

An example of one who is not a deipnosophist.

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Deipnosophist appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Monoplegia n. Impressive medical name for writer's cramp. Overtaken, now that the pen has been replaced by the computer, by osteoarthritis of the small joints – especially, if, like most authors, you use only two fingers.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Monoplegia appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Rhynchocephalian a. Pertaining to an almost extinct order of lizardlike reptiles. The implication of this dictionary definition is that the creature in question is not a lizard, merely like a lizard. In that case, what is it? In any case, suitable as a descriptor for any of your acquaintances who are lizardlike and reptilian.

Yes, folks, that is Reptar from Rugrats.
If you have a little time, you should really check out this clip.

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Rhynchocephalian appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Dissave v. Believe it or not, this delightful word means exactly what it ought to – the opposite of "save." To dissave is to spend more than one's income by drawing upon one's savings or capital. In a sense, it could be said that the ultimate object of all saving is dissaving; this is something that not many people realize.



Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Dissave appears in the Second.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Jactation n. Boasting, bragging. A specialized – indeed highly specialized – variant is jactitation, as in "jactitation of a marriage": falsely putting it about that you are married to a particular person. Both words may be of use in wedding reception speechmaking, but the author leaves the specifics of this to the reader.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Jactation appears in the First.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Tregetour n. A magician or juggler. In modern terms, a tax accountant.

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Tregetour appears in the Second.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

We hope everyone had a nice long weekend!

-ICK suffix The Superior Person should be alert not only to the conversational potential of words and word-forms but also to their potential for written use. A nice effect can be obtained by the addition of the archaic "k" to otherwise uninteresting "ic" suffixes. Thus "comick," not "comic"; "physickal" (or better still, "physickall"), not "physical"; "garlick," not "garlic." Mind you, like the garlick itself, this little device should be used sparingly. Once per missive, at the most. You want to gain a reputation as a lovable eccentric, not a laughably bad speller.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. -ICK appears in the Second.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Hypnophobia n. The morbid dread of falling asleep. Especially when you're sitting right across the table from the guest speaker.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Hypnophobia appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Plenilunary a. - Pertaining to the full moon. Useful for excuses.

"I'm awfully sorry, Cynthia – we'd love to come around tonight, but it's that time of the month again, I'm afraid, and we have to consider poor Quentin's plenilunary condition."

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Plenilunary appears in the First.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Hamadryad n. One of those rather delightful words that have several totally different meanings. A hamadryad can be a tree-dwelling nymph, a venomous Indian snake, or an Abyssinian baboon. You may use the word, for example in the latter sense, when insulting a female, but on being taken to task you may if you wish explain that you were using the word in its nymphal sense. Alternatively, you may use the word as an apparent compliment, conveying by your manner that you are evoking the nymphal sense, but at the same time revel in private knowledge that one of the other senses is the applicable one.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Hamadryad appears in the First.

Superior Person's Tuesday! (er, Wednesday)

We were out of the office yesterday and consequently a little late with this. Enjoy!

Allopathy n. Conventional medical treatment, as opposed to so-called "alternative" medicines, such as homoeopathy, reflexology, etc. If your New Age cousin is persistently refusing to see the doctor about her condition, you could perhaps convince her to do so by secretively whispering to her: "You know, of course, that he's an allopath?"

Ok, just one more . . .

Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Allopathy appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

In honor of the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day today . . .

Gynecocracy – n. Government by a woman or by women; the supremacy of the female. Well, if there’s a word for it, it must exist, mustn’t it? The ontological argument for the supremacy of women. I’m a believer.


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Gynecocracy appears in the Third.

Superior Person's Tuesday!

Famulus n. A medieval sorcerer's assistant. A pleasing appellation for your husband when he is helping you in the kitchen by peeling the potatoes, drying the dishes, etc. – or when you are entertaining. "Come into the living room and make yourself comfortable while I have my famulus mix some drinks."


Each Tuesday, we’ll offer up a Superior Word for the edification of our Superior Readers, via the volumes of the inimitable Peter Bowler. You can purchase all or any of the four Superior Person’s Books of Words from the Godine website. Famulus appears in the First.