New words #3
Whenever I encounter a new word in a podcast or something I am reading I write it down, look it up, and record the definition. Sometime later, I batch and publish here (I’m done with facebook)
funambulist - tightrope walker.
progeria - rare syndrome in children characterized by physical signs and symptoms suggestive of premature old age.
heterochromatin - chromosome material in which the activity of the genes is modified or suppressed. Compare with euchromatin.
chromista - biological kingdom of single-celled and multicellular eukaryotes that share similar features in their photosynthetic organelles.
eocyte - proposed domain (above a kingdom) in biological taxonomy,
cladistic - method of classification of animals and plants according to the proportion of measurable characteristics that they have in common.
plesiomorphic - ancestral character shared by all members of a clade.
apomorphic - novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form.
phenetics - classification of organisms based on overall similarity, regardless of their phylogeny or evolutionary relation.
actinomycetota - phylum of mostly gram-positive bacteria.
arrogate - to secure or acquire.
khaganate - polity ruled by a kahn.
anolyte - liquid anode (e.g. in a flow battery).
catholyte - liquid cathode.
capo - clamp placed over the strings of a stringed instrument, or head of a crime syndicate.
melisma - group of successive notes sung to one syllable.
rebbe - another word for rabbi.
canalize - convert a river into a navigable channel, or convey something through a canal.
sessile - permanently attached or fixed. Stalkless and attached directly at the base.
lindey - (slang) a beautiful girl who cares deeply about her friends and special friends.
testamentary - relating to or bequeathed or appointed through a will.
intestate - not having made a will before one dies.
grazier - person who grazes, feeds, or fattens animals for a living.
evince - to reveal, show, or make obvious.
isochoric - constant-volume thermodynamic process.
retcon - piece of information in a drama that imposes a different interpretation on previously described events.
diegetic - sound or dialogue occurring within the story and able to be heard by the characters,
naif - naive, simple, childlike.
babbitt - materialistic, complacent, and conformist businessman.
verisimilitude - appearance of being true or real.
flagellotropic - moves by means of flagella.
pilitropic - ?
syringotropic - ?
probative - quality of evidencing or proving something.
carceral - relating to or of the nature of a prison.
pyroxylin - form of nitrocellulose (less highly nitrated) and soluble in ether and alcohol.
bête noire - a person or thing that someone particularly dislikes.
thence - from a place previously mentioned, or “as a consequence of”.
deleverage - reduce the level of one’s debt by rapidly selling one’s assets.
aversive - causing strong dislike or aversion.
avuncular - kind toward a younger or less experienced person. Or relating to the relationship between men and their siblings' children.
enzootic - relating to or denoting a disease that affects animals in a particular district or at a particular season.
Tannerite - brand of binary explosive used for firearms targets. Very hard to set off accidentally.
drouth - drought.
subnivean - environment between fallen snow and terrain. Provides insulation and protection from predators.
gnomon - piece of a sundial that shows the time by the position of its shadow. Or (geometry) part of a parallelogram left when a similar parallelogram is removed from its corner.
jeremiad - long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes.
pusillanimity- lack of courage or determination; timidity.
wishcasting - “forecasting” based on wishes rather than on data and models.
dispositive - relating to or bringing about the settlement of an issue or the disposition of property.
rheoscopic - a fluid that shows the direction(s) of its flow.
logline - brief summary of a movie, TV show, or book.
denouement - finale, culmination, climax.
diagenesis - physical and chemical changes during the conversion of sediment to sedimentary rock.
catagenesis - cracking process (in a refinery or in the ground) that converts organic kerogens into hydrocarbons.
kerogen - complex fossilized organic material found in sedimentary rock which yields petroleum products on distillation.
imine - organic compound containing the group —C=NH or —C=NR where R is an alkyl or other group.
liana - woody climbing plant that hangs from trees, especially in tropical rainforests.
execrable - extremely bad or unpleasant, appalling.
firkin - unit of measure: 1/4 barrel (volume), or 26kg (butter & cheese :)
psychrometrics - field of engineering concerned with the physical and thermodynamic properties of gas-vapor mixtures.
parrhesia - (in rhetoric): figure of speech described as "speak candidly or... ask forgiveness for so speaking".
gabion - wirework container filled with rock, broken concrete, or other material, used in the construction of dams, retaining walls, etc.
pari passu - side by side; at the same rate or on an equal footing.
alloidial - (legal) ownership of real property that is independent of any superior landlord. E.g. eminent domain not allowed.
coascervate - colloid-rich viscous liquid phase that may separate from a colloidal solution on addition of a third component.
entelechy - realization of potential. Or the supposed vital principle that guides development. Or the soul.
pellicle - (biology) thin membrane. (optics) thin mirror or mask.
dilatory - slow to act, or intended to cause delay.
inculpate - accuse, incriminate, or blame.
certiorari - writ or order by which a higher court reviews a decision of a lower court.
palinology - study of pollen grains and other spores.
lokiarchaeota - proposed phylum of the Archaea.
Asgard - proposed superphylum consisting of a group of archaea. It appears the eukaryotes emerged within the Asgard.
util - hypothetical unit of satisfaction (utility)
penetrance - extent to which a particular gene or set of genes is expressed in the phenotypes of individuals carrying it.
autosome - any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.
propaedeutic - serving as a preliminary instruction or as an introduction to further study.
piste - ski run of compacted snow.
Holodomor - Terror-Famine or Great Famine - famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians.
Boyar - a member of the old aristocracy in Russia, next in rank to a prince.
anthelmintic - (medicine) used to destroy parasitic worms.
reclama - request to duly constituted authority to reconsider its decision or its proposed action.
thixotropic - property of becoming less viscous when subjected to an applied stress, shown for example by some gels.
demurrage - (finance) the cost associated with owning or holding currency over a given period. E.g. cost to store gold.