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What word did you just look up?

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NRoach

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I just had to look up the declension for Maður.

Not very writing related, I'm afraid.
 

SkyeScribble

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I looked up the world "unconfrontational" which isn't correct; "non-confrontational" is the better way to say that.

"Menial" means "not requiring much skill" not "inconsequential" as I thought. Strait is a body of water, not straight. Preemptively is the correct spelling despite the weird double-e.
"Moraic" describes a language or phonology with heavy focus on syllabic rhythm, such as Japanese.
 

benbenberi

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Moraic is one I've never met before. I gather it's part of the technical linguistic vocabulary?
 

Jamesaritchie

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Strait is a body of water, not straight. Preemptively is the correct spelling despite the weird double-e.
.

"Strait" is also one of my favorite country singers. Can you have George Strait in a straight strait?
 

Brightdreamer

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Slightly off topic, but I need to use the term 'water main' right off that bat in my story, but do people generally understand what a water main is?

Those who don't can probably tell from context. It's a fairly common term, I'd think... but, then, there's always That Person, the one who not only doesn't but won't figure things out, complaining all the way. (Don't write for That Person; they aren't worth it.)
 

benbenberi

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Slightly off topic, but I need to use the term 'water main' right off that bat in my story, but do people generally understand what a water main is?

Hmmm.... it's that thing that breaks and floods the street & messes up traffic, yeah? You never hear them mentioned otherwise...does a water main actually exist without a break?
 

Sonsofthepharaohs

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interpose - I could guess from the Latin etymology, but I wanted to ensure I was getting it's usage right. Semantics can be tricky...

(it was because someone I'm betaing for used 'impose' in a weird way, and I thought what they really meant was interpose or interject)
 

Roxxsmom

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Hmmm.... it's that thing that breaks and floods the street & messes up traffic, yeah? You never hear them mentioned otherwise...does a water main actually exist without a break?

We had no water for most of a day recently because a water main broke. Didn't flood anything, though.

They're in the category of things you take for granted until they're broken.

Avuncular: kind or friendly, like an uncle.

Reading a novel right now sprinkled with little gems like that. The author's vocabulary is phenomenal.

As an aunt, I object to the lack of the word "avauncular."
 
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kkbe

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You want my what? :poke: :tongue

You mean vant? As in, "I vant to suck your blood"?


images
 

Primus

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I recently had to look up the artist for "Afternoon Delight" as I had recently watched the always hilarious Anchorman. "San Diego, which in German translates to, a whale's vagina–" Classic Ron.
 

Justin K

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Hmmm.... it's that thing that breaks and floods the street & messes up traffic, yeah? You never hear them mentioned otherwise...does a water main actually exist without a break?

That's why the broken water main makes the waterfall in my story "enchanted"
 

tko

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petrichor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor

I love this word, but torn as to whether I should use it to describe the arrival of monsoon season in India . . .

Petrichor (/ˈpɛtrɨkɔər/) is the scent of rain on dry earth, or the scent of dust after rain. The word is constructed from Greek, petros, meaning stone + ichor, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology. It is defined as "the distinctive scent which accompanies the first rain after a long warm dry spell".[1]
 

atthebeach

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Erudite: having or showing great knowledge or learning.

I saw it, knew I recognized it, but had to look it up. Ironic too, since I kind of should be considered "having knowledge", especially about words, with my Ph.D. in linguistics and all.

And then, I had to double check if knowledge is spelled with a d or not. That always gets me.

So this is me- learning to laugh at myself sometimes :)
 

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shambolic

adjective
(informal) completely disorganized; chaotic
 

Jamesaritchie

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor

I love this word, but torn as to whether I should use it to describe the arrival of monsoon season in India . . .

Petrichor (/ˈpɛtrɨkɔər/) is the scent of rain on dry earth, or the scent of dust after rain. The word is constructed from Greek, petros, meaning stone + ichor, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology. It is defined as "the distinctive scent which accompanies the first rain after a long warm dry spell".[1]

As I usually do with such words, I prefer using a bit of the definition to using the word itself. Something like, The long awaited rain began to fall, releasing the distinctive and wonderful smell of dry and dusty earth coming back to life.
 

morngnstar

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"Adaptivity". It was for work, not writing. Apparently it is "a word".
 

TessB

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Periaktoi, for the spelling, not 'periactoid' like I'd always assumed.

(I should cross-post this one to the 'read not heard' thread as a 'heard but never seen' word.)

Periaktos (plural form Periaktoi, from Greek revolving) is a device used for displaying and rapidly changing theatre scenes. It was first mentioned in Vitruvius' book on architecture, De architectura (c. 14 BC) but its most intense use began in Renaissance theatre.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periaktos
 

Sonsofthepharaohs

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Knowing my nocturnal habits, a friend just asked me if I was 'diurnal' at the moment. I thought she was asking me if I had the runs ;)


diurnal

[dahy-ur-nl]
adjective

1. of or pertaining to a day or each day; daily.

2. of or belonging to the daytime (opposed to nocturnal ).
 
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