Mystery Words

WARNING: This posting will be absolutely boring to you, UNLESS, of course, you are one of those like I, who am fascinated by new words, and the definitions thereof. In some cases, you may KNOW the words, but are interested in the various different definitions. If THAT’S the case, read on!

These are unusual words that I have copied from some of the books I have read in recent months - mostly mysteries - written by British authors:

Definitions are copied from:

Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

irascible - adj - quick tempered
ebullient - adj - lively, enthusiastic
lugubrious - adj - gloomy, sad, mournful
opulent - adj - lavish or ample
serried- n - close together
febrile - adj - relating to fear
prodigious - adj - sizable or marvelous
eponymous - adj - giving a name to something
perspicacity - n - acute perception
mendacious - adj - false, telling lies
abjuration - n - formally denouncing or denying yourself
insipidity - n - being dull or flavorless
verdant - n - green, or naïve
reticule - n - woman’s purse
sanguine - adj - confident, cheerfully optimistic, ruddy
deportment - n - conduct or behavior
prolixity - adj - tiresomely wordy
pusillanimous - adj - weak spirited, lack of boldness and resolve
stupefaction - n - amazement, astonishment, unable to think
trepidation - n - apprehension, trembling
caparison - n - decorative covering for a horse, elaborate clothing
profligate - adj - wasteful, with low morals
depredation - n - attack involving plunder and pillage
declivity - n - sloping, downward inclination
verisimilitude - n - appearing to be true, but no evidence
garrulous - adj - talking too much, wordy
perfunctory - adj - routinely done, but hastily by duty
termangant - n - offensive term against a woman - argumentative
captious - adj - overly critical, entrapping
maladroit - adj - lack of skill or tact, clumsy, insensitive
assiduous - adj - very careful, hard working
serendipitous - adj - a natural gift for discovery
plenitude - n - abundance, full or complete supply
predilection - n - special liking or preference for
ancillary - adj - subordinate in importance, providing support
synoptical - adj - general view of the whole
proscenium - n - front of a stage
precocious - adj - mentally advanced at an early age
prodigious - adj - sizable, marvelous and amazing
castellated - adj - indented or serrated
sardonic - adj - disdainfully and cynically mocking
harridan - n - woman pretending to be advanced in age
truculence - n - defiance, or “don’t tell me”
capacious - adj - able to hold a lot or a large quantity
reticule - n - small woman’s purse
raglan - adj - sleeves that run to the collar
eremitical - n - like a hermit who lives alone
detritus - n - debris, rock fragments
prolixity - n - a habit of being wordy
abstruse - adj - obscure, difficult to understand
loquacious - adj - very talkative
adamantine - adj - unyielding, hard and brilliant
convivial - adj - pleasant, enjoyable, sociable
cerulean - adj - deep blue, like the sky
factotum - n - someone who does many jobs
in situ - adv adj - situated normally in its original place
marmoreal - adj - made of marble, or someone aloof/impressive
circumlocution - n - indirect way of speaking, more quite wordy
contumely - n - contemptuous, insulting, scornful, derisive
comestibles - n - food, something edible, usually cooked
erudition - n - scholarship
midges - n - tiny, swarming flies
belvedere - n - building with a fine view
machair - n - Scottish - pasture on a beach
insouciance - n - carefree attitude, lack of anxiety or concern
diffidence - n - a lack of self confidence. reserved or restrained
nouveau riche - n - one who shows off newly acquired wealth
ha-ha - n - a ditch serving as a garden boundary
anodyne - n - a comforting thing that soothes, comforts or relaxes
modus operandi - n - method or way of doing something
preternaturally - adj - going beyond nature, supernatural, uncanny
argot - n - special language used by a particular group
aphorism - n - succinct comment stating or expressing an opinion
parvenu - n - person with newly gained wealth or social status
crenellate - v - to build with battlements
ineluctable - adj - inescapable
condyle - n - rounded end of a bone - ball and socket area
coup doeil - n - a quick look, that gives an impression
sedulous - adj - working persistently with great zeal
auroch - n - extinct wild ox
supercilious - adj - contemptuously indifferent, arrogant
recreant - adj - disloyal, cowardly
conurbation - n - urban sprawl, suburbs merging
porcine - adj - related to or resembling pigs
avatar - n - image of someone in virtual reality

For those of you (are there any?) who have stuck with me through these 85 words, I say, "BRAVO". Did you learn anything? I surely did, but, at my age, my memory sometimes doesn't retain stuff I want it to. Though I've often said, "MEMORY is not my problem - it's RECALL that bothers me."

Now that you've read this far (all 3 of you), I want to confess why I posted such a boring set of words: I have one complete posting ready but waiting for a photo, and another half-done that needs an official statement. Want to know the subjects?

Naaahh!

Are you sure?

Well, if it's OK, here goes.

The one that's finished is called "Ya Gotta Be Kiddin'", based on the book with that title, written by the late R. Glenn Greenwood, one of the founders of the 47 year old Christian Radio Station WEEC. The book chronicles the beginnings of that station.

The other is just waiting for some historical information from an official of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation Department(NICTD), about the South Shore Commuter Train, that runs from Chicago to South Bend and back.

Excited? Can't wait? (I'll bet!)

Closing thought: Words are very important, since they are what are used to convey thoughts to another. In the Bible, the Word is JESUS. He took on human flesh, was humanly born as a baby, then grew up and gave his Life on the Cross for our sins.

Word? Words? Very important, don't you think?