If you’re going out for an all-you-can-eat decapod feast over the Fourth of July weekend, you know that “decapod” means “a crustacean of the order Decapoda, such as a shrimp, crab, or lobster.” We learned a few other food words in June, too: “sippet,” meaning “a small piece of bread or toast”; “gourmandize,” meaning “eat good food, especially to excess”; and “granivorous,” meaning “feeding on grain.” But there were also plenty of non-culinary terms last month — how many of the June word-of-the-day definitions do you know memoriter, or by heart?
Pother
noun
Unknown, late 16th century
- A commotion or fuss.
Andrew does his grocery shopping when the stores open to avoid the pother of rush-hour shoppers.
Uroboros
noun
Greek, 1940s
- A circular symbol depicting a snake, or less commonly a dragon, swallowing its tail, as an emblem of wholeness or infinity.
The way one event blends into another makes summer festival season feel like an entertainment uroboros.
Cupreous
adjective
Latin, 17th century
- Made of copper.
The Moscow mule is a mixed drink traditionally served in a cupreous cup.
Paronomasia
noun
Latin, 16th century
- A play on words; a pun.
My favorite paronomasia is: "The difference between a hippo and a Zippo is that a hippo is very heavy, while a Zippo is a little lighter."
Knurl
noun
English, 17th century
- A small projecting knob or ridge, especially in a series around the edge of something.
I have several razor handles but prefer the one with knurls that help me keep my grip in soapy water.
Bijou
adjective
French, 17th century
- (Especially of a residence or business establishment) Small and elegant.
The hotel was absolutely bijou, with just a dozen rooms managed by a local couple eager to meet our every need.
Granivorous
adjective
Latin, 17th century
- (Of an animal) Feeding on grain.
Granivorous animals such as rabbits and birds are drawn to our garden to feed on the sunflowers and black-eyed susans.
Ludic
adjective
French, 20th century
- Showing spontaneous and undirected playfulness.
In a ludic moment, my mother pulled the car off the highway after school and took me to drive go-karts for an hour.
Decapod
noun
French, 19th century
- A crustacean of the order Decapoda, such as a shrimp, crab, or lobster.
Rather than fish, I chose the crab-and-lobster platter and dined on decapods.
Tittle
noun
Middle English, 12th century
- A tiny amount or part of something.
- A small written or printed stroke or dot, indicating omitted letters in a word.
The cake looked delicious, but I could only eat a tittle of a slice.
Cacoethes
noun
Latin, 17th century
- An urge to do something inadvisable.
My brother admits to feeling a nagging cacoethes to pull pranks whenever our whole family gets together.
Adscititious
adjective
Latin, 17th century
- Forming an addition or supplement; not integral or intrinsic.
When the dense fog stranded hundreds of travelers, the resort struggled to feed the adscititious crowd.
Evince
verb
Latin, 17th century
- Reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling).
- Be evidence of; indicate.
Sharon said nothing, but evinced her elation by the look on her face.
Florin
noun
Middle English, 14th century
- A foreign coin of gold or silver, especially a Dutch guilder.
- A former British coin and monetary unit worth two shillings.
I wonder how many florins Michelangelo received for painting the Sistine Chapel.
Sippet
noun
English, 16th century
- A small piece of bread or toast, used to dip into soup or sauce or as a garnish.
My favorite variation on a sippet is “toast soldiers.”
Deedy
adjective
English, 16th century
- Industrious, effective.
My mother is so deedy that in the year since she retired she’s renovated the bedroom, bathroom, and backyard with only my father’s help.
Lucent
adjective
Latin, 16th century
- Glowing with or giving off light.
The hall for the wedding reception was lucent in the twilight as the guests arrived.
Ogdoad
noun
Greek, early 17th century
- A group or set of eight.
It’s a good idea to visit an amusement park as an ogdoad, because everyone will have someone to sit with on the rides.
Schism
noun
Greek, late 14th century
- A split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief.
- The formal separation of a church into two churches, or the secession of a group owing to doctrinal and other differences.
The argument at Thanksgiving dinner over who makes the best gravy caused a schism in the family, and we planned a gravy tournament for Christmas.
Catachresis
noun
Greek, mid-16th century
- The use of a word in a way that is not correct — for example, the use of “mitigate” for “militate.”
Tina’s professor found the catachresis in her term paper so careless that he gave her a "C."
Dight
adjective
Old English, 13th century
- Clothed or equipped.
My prom date appeared at the top of the staircase, dight in a beautiful blue dress that matched my vest.
Memoriter
adverb
Latin, 17th century
- By, or from, memory; by heart.
The poet delivered her verse memoriter, without even a notecard for reference.
Singultus
noun
Latin, 18th century
- Hiccups.
I get singultus every time I drink sparkling wine.
Cosset
verb
Anglo-Norman French, 16th century
- Care for and protect in an overindulgent way.
It’s rewarding to cosset one’s pets and receive unconditional love in return.
Arcadian
adjective
Latin, 16th century
- Relating to an ideal rustic paradise.
Though the cabins offered every modern convenience, the resort’s decor motif was purely arcadian.
Gourmandize
verb
French, 17th century
- Eat good food, especially to excess.
Some people travel to see the sights, but Mark loves to gourmandize in other countries.
Duumvirate
noun
Latin, 17th century
- A coalition of two people having joint authority or influence.
After the founder brought her husband into the company, the pair operated as an equal duumvirate.
Superjacent
adjective
Latin, 16th century
- (Technical) Lying over or above something else; overlying.
I spread a superjacent layer of topsoil in the garden to protect my seedlings.
Tralatitious
adjective
Latin, 17th century
- (Of words or phrases) Metaphorical.
- Passed down; transmitted from one to another.
The head chef adopted a tralatitious practice from the previous chef of giving a pep talk before dinner.
Feature image credit: wildart/ iStock