What new word did you learn today?

[JT Woody]

This is part of the main plot of my current WIP, actually. (But my current WIP already has a good working title, so feel free to use "The Thergist"!)

What does theurgy have to do with a pirate, by the way? Now I'm curious. Does someone speak to the spirit of a dead pirate (or even a pirate god)?

A holy man (this worlds version a Pope) who claims to be granted gifts from God, has really stolen such gifts by using sorcery to summon and control God.
Former holy guard turned pirate captain has been chasing him for years, foiling his plans.
When his daughter, ignorant of the world outside of her cushy life the pirate made for her in an island village, stows away and ends up on the mainland, she find herself stuck in the middle. Especually when her strange abilities awaken and she realizes who her real father is.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

A holy man (this worlds version a Pope) who claims to be granted gifts from God, has really stolen such gifts by using sorcery to summon and control God.
Former holy guard turned pirate captain has been chasing him for years, foiling his plans.
When his daughter, ignorant of the world outside of her cushy life the pirate made for her in an island village, stows away and ends up on the mainland, she find herself stuck in the middle. Especually when her strange abilities awaken and she realizes who her real father is.

Ooh! Sounds good -- and highly intriguing. I'll look out for it.

Mine has my Viking heroine worshipping Thor, but not feeling worthy of him, and desperately wishing to be. She prays to him and asks for help, but never gets any ... until she finally does. Which seems cool, until she learns what the price of immortality is. And that's just one, albeit relatively minor, lesson she has to learn.

And that gives me an idea for a song:

Draugr to the right of me, haugbui to the right -- here I am, stuck in the middle with Thor ...

 

[Homer Potvin]

Incuse: a design that is depressed into a coin, instead of a "relief" that is raised.

Far out, man.

 

[Rad Scribbler]

Oxford Word of the Year 2025

~ Rage Bait (n.)

Online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.

 

[Selluwud]

Subaltitudinous - a word I invented to describe my very short friends, they found it endearing. I ran it by AI and got this answer:

The word "subaltitudinous" is not a standard English word found in major dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster or Collins.
However, its meaning can be inferred from its components:

• "sub-": A prefix meaning "under," "below," "beneath," or "less than normal".
• "altitudinous": An adjective meaning "pertaining to altitude or height; lofty; very high".

 

[JLT]

"unideal" ... less than perfect. I didn't know it was a word until I found it in today's crossword puzzle.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

"unideal" ... less than perfect. I didn't know it was a word until I found it in today's crossword puzzle.

Two other definitions:

1. One deal.
2. A deal that has something to do with universities.

And here's a word I learned today: Spuddle (17th century). To work ineffectively or feebly, often while being extremely busy, and achieving absolutely nothing because your mind is elsewhere or you are not fully awake.

Noun: Spuddler.

 

[Louanne Learning]

syzygy - a conjunction or opposition, especially of the moon with the sun

 

[CatrionaGrace]

syzygy - a conjunction or opposition, especially of the moon with the sun

Beat me to it, which is only fair, since I learned it from you. I'm thinking Scrabble...

 

[Selluwud]

appurtenance - In architecture and real estate, an appurtenance is a secondary structure, feature, or right that is permanently attached to or associated with a main property and passes with its sale or transfer. Examples include garages, fences, driveways, and easements, which are considered permanent additions that enhance the property's value and utility.

During the course of my work, I read and interpret many building blueprints. I saw this word used by an architect and had to look it up as it was referring to an attached porch on a house plan.

 

[Selluwud]

haplology - the omission of one occurrence of a sound or syllable that is repeated within a word, for example probly for probably.

I was researching a word my brother used in a Thanksgiving prayer to see if it existed. He combined "recollect" and "reflect" and inadvertently said "recoflect" when speaking about missing members of our family that we should be remembering. Needless to say, it got a lot of chuckles and we use that word now, whenever we get the chance.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

haplology

I know it's not a real word, but how about haplessology - The study of the downtrodden masses throughout the ages?

Yes, it's not a real word, but it should be! *nod*

As for unusual words: shlimazel - a person who is consistently inept or unlucky and fails at things. The term, which comes from Yiddish, is often contrasted with a schlemiel, who is the clumsy person who causes misfortune, while the shlimazel is the one who suffers from it. The word combines the German term for "bad luck" (schlimm meaning "terrible") and the Hebrew word for "luck" (mazel).

Unlike a schlemiel, a shlimazel is unlucky even if they are capable and likeable; they just never catch a break.

A common Yiddish proverb illustrates the difference between a shlimazel and a schlemiel: A schlemiel is the person who spills hot soup, and the shlimazel is the one it lands on.

 

[Louanne Learning]

schlemiel, a shlimazel

 

[badgerjelly]

syzygy - a conjunction or opposition, especially of the moon with the sun

Makes me think of Jung. He created some words of his own.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

I learned a French phrase today.

Qui s'excuse s'accuse. Literally, this means "He who excuses himself accuses himself". The implication is that making unsolicited or excessive apologies either reveals a guilty conscience or implies wrongdoing. If you're truly innocent, you don't need to offer elaborate justifications; the act of over-explaining suggests you feel you've done something wrong, even if you haven't.

This idea is ancient, found in the Latin Letters of St. Jermone as dum excusare credis, accusas ("While you believe you excuse, you accuse"). In essence, it's a warning against unnecessary apologies, as they can backfire and make you look guilty.

 

[Selluwud]

I learned a French phrase today.

Qui s'excuse s'accuse. Literally, this means "He who excuses himself accuses himself". The implication is that making unsolicited or excessive apologies either reveals a guilty conscience or implies wrongdoing. If you're truly innocent, you don't need to offer elaborate justifications; the act of over-explaining suggests you feel you've done something wrong, even if you haven't.

This idea is ancient, found in the Latin Letters of St. Jermone as dum excusare credis, accusas ("While you believe you excuse, you accuse"). In essence, it's a warning against unnecessary apologies, as they can backfire and make you look guilty.

Shakespeare had it right: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"

 

[Selluwud]

Shakespeare had it right: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"

In cruder terms "The smeller's the fella'"

 

[JLT]

In cruder terms "The smeller's the fella'"

Which I heard as "he who smelt it dealt it."

"Smelt" is one of those words like "strove" or "dove" which seem to be antiquated now. I'm glad that "dealt" is still alive and kicking, at least among card players.

I learned a new word while re-reading Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy, which I like to do from time to time. The word is "watersmeet" to describe the confluence of two rivers. Its use is now confined to place names, but should be used more.

 

[Naomasa298]

Shakespeare had it right: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"

Although the meaning of "protest" in Elizabethan meant "to declare" or "to strongly assert", rather than "to deny". The nuance is the same though.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

"Smelt" is one of those words like "strove" or "dove" which seem to be antiquated now. I'm glad that "dealt" is still alive and kicking, at least among card players.

It's curious: I know that "smelt" is past-tense of "smell", but doesn't it also have something to do with blacksmithing -- smelting iron, and all that?

I thought for a second that maybe the latter use made the former fall out of fashion (maybe people thought there would be confusion), but then I realised that's ridiculous. Why would anyone be confused? The meaning of the word would depend on context, that's all.