A

Abeyance. n. The condition of being temporarily set aside; suspension.

Acerbic. adj. Biting, bitter in tone or taste.

Acquiesce. adj. To consent or comply passively or without protest.

Acrimonious. adj. Bitter, sharp animosity, especially as exhibited in speech or behavior.

Actuarial. adj. A statistical statement of risks and successes.

Aficionado. n. An enthusiastic admirer or follower; a fan.

Agitprop. n. Political propaganda, especially favoring communism and disseminated through literature, drama, art, or music.

Atavistic. n. The reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence, usually caused by the chance recombination of genes.

Amalgam. n. A combination of diverse elements; a mixture: an amalgam of strength, reputation, and commitment to ethical principles.

Amma. n. An abbes or spiritual mother.

Anabiosis. n. Revival after apparent death; reanimation after a coma so deep that all the vital signs have become imperceptible.

Anathema. n. A vehement denunciation.

Androgyny. n. A personality which holds a balance of feminine and masculine characteristics.

Animus. n. Natural and primitive part of the mind.

Anodyne. adj. Capable of soothing or eliminating pain.

Antecedent. adj. Going before; preceding.

Antithetical. adj. Being in diametrical opposition.

Aphorism. n. A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage.

Apocryphal. adj. Of questionable authorship or authenticity.

Apotropaic. adj. Intended to ward off evil: an apotropaic symbol.

Apologia. n. A formal defense or justification.

Apoplectic. adj. Extremely angry; furious. Or sudden impairment of neurological function, especially from a cerebral hemorrhage; a stroke.

Apostate. n. One who has abandoned one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause.

Apotheosis. n. Elevation to a preeminent or transcendent position; glorification.

Apparatchiks. n. An unquestioningly loyal subordinate, especially of a political leader or organization.

Arrear. n. An unpaid, overdue debt or an unfulfilled obligation.

Askance. adv. With disapproval, suspicion, or distrust. Or abnormally pale or wan complexion.

Assuage. v. To satisfy or appease. To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe: assuage her grief.

Atavistic. n. The return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence.

Attenuate. v. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken.

Auspice. n. A sign indicative of future prospects; an omen.

Autodidact. n. A self-taught person.

Avuncular. adj. Regarded as characteristic of an uncle, especially in benevolence or tolerance.

Ataxic. adj. Lacking motor coordination; confused, uncoordinated.

Axiom. n. A self-evident principle or one that is accepted as true without proof as the basis for argument; a postulate.

Foreign Terms

A fortiori. adv. For a still stronger reason; all the more.

Anno Domini. adv. In a specified year of the Christian era.

A priori. adj. Knowable without appeal to particular experience.

Ab initio. adv. From the beginning.

Aide-memoire. n. A memorandum setting forth the major points of a proposed discussion or agreement, used especially in diplomatic communications.

Amuse-bouche. n. tiny bite-sized morsels served before first course of a meal.

Au courant. adj. Informed on current affairs; up-to-date.

Logic, Perception

Altruism. Constructive service to others that brings pleasure and personal satisfaction. [mature] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Acting Out Behavior. Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse to avoid being conscious of the emotion that accompanies it. [immature] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

B

Bacillus. n. See link for literal definition. In terms of literary license, it can be used to describe a death cult or philosophy that lives latent within human societies, like rats beaten back to the sewers until their numbers swarm to unleash what they bring to cities above.

Bailiwick. n. A person's specific area of interest, skill, or authority.

Bellicose. adj. Warlike or hostile in manner or temperament.

Biopic. n. A film or television biography, often with fictionalized episodes.

Blandish. v. To persuade or try to persuade by gentle persistent urging or flattery.

Blithe. adj. Showing a lack of due concern.

Bravura. adj. Of, relating to, or being a brilliant performance technique or style.

Brusque. adj. Abrupt and curt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt.

Bucolic. adj. Of or characteristic of the countryside or its people; rustic. Or characteristic of shepherds or flocks; pastoral.

Foreign Terms

Bête noire. n. One that is particularly disliked or that is to be avoided.

Bon-vivant. n. A person with refined taste, especially one who enjoys superb food and drink.

Booboisie. n. A class of people regarded as stupid and gullible.

Bouillabaisse. n. A combination of various different, often incongruous elements.

Logic, Perception

Barnum Effect. n. The Barnum effect is the name given to a type of subjective validation in which a person finds personal meaning in statements that could apply to many people. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

C

Cachet. n. A mark or quality. A seal on a document, such as a letter.

Cadres. n. A nucleus of trained personnel around which a larger organization can be built and trained.

Calumny. n. A false statement maliciously made to injure another's reputation.

Camarilla. n. A group of confidential, often scheming advisers; a cabal.

Canonical. adj. Conforming to orthodox or well-established rules or patterns, as of procedure.

Casuistry. n. Specious or excessively subtle reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead. The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing cases that illustrate general ethical rules.

Catachresis. n. The misapplication of a word or phrase, as the use of blatant to mean flagrant.

Catharsis. n. A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear.

Caudillismo. n. A State run by a leader or chief, especially a military dictator.

Caustic. adj. Causing a burning or stinging sensation, as from intense emotion.

Cavil. v. To find fault unnecessarily; raise trivial objections.

Certiorari. n. A writ from a higher court to a lower one requesting a transcript of the proceedings of a case for review.

Churlish. adj. Boorish or vulgar.

Coalesce. v. To come together so as to form one whole; unite: The rebel units coalesced into one army to fight the invaders.

Coffle. n. A group of animals, prisoners, or slaves chained together in a line.

Coloratura. n. Music. The ornamentation of music written for the voice with florid passages, especially trills and runs.

Concomitant. adj. Occurring or existing concurrently; attendant.

Congener. n. A member of the same kind, class, or group. An organism belonging to the same taxonomic genus as another organism.

Connote. v. To have as a related or attendant condition: For a political leader, hesitation is apt to connote weakness.

Conterminous. adj. Having a boundary in common; contiguous.

Copasetic. adj. Very satisfactory or acceptable; fine.

Corollary. n. Something that follows directly from something that has been proven. The corollary to the fact that the Earth is round is that we don't have to worry about falling off the edge.

Complicity. n. Involvement as an accomplice in a questionable act or a crime.

Compulsative. a. Operating with force; compelling; forcing; constraining; resulting from, or enforced by, compulsion.

Compunction. n. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt.

Concinnity. n. Harmony in the arrangement or interarrangement of parts with respect to a whole.

Conflation. n. A fusing together; merger of two or more things or ideas into one.

Confluence. n. A flowing together of two or more streams.

Consanguineous. adj. Of the same lineage or origin; having a common ancestor.

Concatenation. v. To connect or link in a series or chain.

Conundrum. n. A riddle in which a fanciful question is answered by a pun. A paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma.

Contextualize. v. To place (a word or idea, for example) in a particular context.

Contretemps. n. An unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence.

Conundrum. n. Puzzle, problem.

Copacetic. adj. Very satisfactory or acceptable; fine.

Copse. n . A thicket of small trees or shrubs; a coppice.

Coruscate. v. To give forth flashes of light; sparkle and glitter.

Coterminous. adj. Having the same scope, range of meaning, or extent in time.

Credulity. n. A disposition to believe too readily.

Crestfallen. adj. Dispirited and depressed; dejected.

Culpable. adj. Deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, evil, improper, or injurious.

Foreign Terms

Carte blanche. n. unlimited authority, lit. blank card.

Casus Belli. n. An act or event that provokes or is used to justify war.

Chef d'œuvre. n. a masterpiece.

Concordat. n. an agreement, treaty.

Consigliere. n. An adviser or counselor, especially to a capo or leader of an organized crime syndicate.

Coup de grâce. n. death-blow, lit. blow of mercy.

Coup de main. n. a surprise attack.

Coup d'état. n. sudden change in government by force, lit. takeover of state.

Cri de coeur. n. An impassioned outcry, as of entreaty or protest.

Cui bono. n. ("Good for whom?", or "Who benefits?") is a Latin adage which means that the person or people guilty of committing a crime may be found amongst those who have something to gain, perhaps financially.

Logic, Perception

Clustering Illusion. The clustering illusion is the intuition that random events which occur in clusters are not really random events. The illusion is due to selective thinking based on a false assumption. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Cognitive Dissonance. A psychological term describing the uncomfortable tension that may result from having two conflicting thoughts at the same time, or from engaging in behavior that conflicts with one's beliefs. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

D

Deadpan. n. A blank, expressionless face.

Deference. n. Submission or courteous yielding to the opinion, wishes, or judgment of another.

Deicide. n. The act of killing a being of a divine nature.

Deign. v. To think it appropriate to one's dignity. To condescend to give or grant; vouchsafe.

Delineate. v. To represent pictorially; depict. To depict in words or gestures; describe.

Deracination. v. To pull out by the roots. To displace from one's native or accustomed environment.

Derision. n. Contemptuous or jeering laughter; ridicule.

Derogate. n. To take away; detract. To deviate from a standard or expectation; go astray.

Diachronic. adj. Of or concerned with phenomena as they change through time.

Dialectical. n. The art or practice of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments.

Diminution. a. The act or process of diminishing; a lessening or reduction.

Discursive. adj. Covering a wide field of subjects; rambling.

Disparate. adj. Containing or composed of dissimilar or opposing elements.

Doctrinaire. adj. A person inflexibly attached to a practice or theory without regard to its practicality . . . in the usual pious and doctrinaire U.N. fashion.

Doggerel. n. Crudely or irregularly fashioned verse, often of a humorous or burlesque nature.

Dolorifuge. a. That which relieves or drives away sadness.

Doltish. adj. Dull in intellect; stupid.

Doyen. n. A man who is the eldest or senior member of a group.

Dross. n. Waste or impure matter.

Drubbing. n. A severe thrashing. A total defeat.

Dulcet. adj. Pleasing to the ear; melodious. Having a soothing, agreeable quality.

Dyspeptic. adj. Of or displaying a morose disposition.

Foreign Terms

Demimonde. a. A class of women kept by wealthy lovers or protectors. A group whose respectability is dubious or whose success is marginal.

Détente. n. A relaxing or easing, as of tension between rivals.

De rigeur. adj. proper, right.

Deus ex machina. n. Commonly as . . . A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty.

Dhimmi. n. (those in custody) Non-Muslim subjects who live in Muslim countries and agree to pay the Jizya (tribute) in exchange for protection and safety, and to be subject to Islamic law. These enjoy a permanent covenant.

Dramatis personae. n. The characters in a play or story. A list of the characters in a play or story.

Logic, Perception

Delusional Projection. Delusions about external reality, usually of a persecutory nature. [almost always pathological] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Denial. A complex psychological process where, while there may be some conscious knowledge or awareness of an event in the world, a person fails to feel the emotional impact, or to see the logical consequences of that event. Can also be thought of as "root cause" in MSM terms. [almost always pathological] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Displacement. Separation of emotion from its real object and redirection of the intense emotion toward someone or something that is less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or threatening. [neurotic] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Dissociation. Temporary and drastic modification of one's personal identity or character to avoid emotional distress. [neurotic] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Distortion. A gross reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs. [almost always pathological] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

E

Ebullient. adj. Zestfully enthusiastic. Boiling or seeming to boil; bubbling.

Efficacy. v. Capacity to produce a desired effect; effectiveness.

Effulgent. adj. Radiant, splendorous.

Electroplate. v. To coat or cover with a thin layer.

Eleemosynary. adj. Of, relating to, or dependent on charity.

Elliptic. adj. Of or relating to extreme economy of oral or written expression. Marked by deliberate obscurity of style or expression. Terse.

Emolument. n. Payment for an office or employment; compensation.

Encomium. n. A formal expression of praise; a tribute.

Enervate. v. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.

Ennui. n. Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom: The servants relieved their ennui with gambling and gossip about their masters.

Entreat. v. To make an earnest request of; petition for.

Ephemeral. adj. Lasting for a markedly brief time.

Epistemology. n. The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.

Equanimity. n. The quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure.

Esurient. a. Of a greedy disposition. The preferred usage is metaphorical, of a person's general character, rather than literal, of his eating habits. Rhymes rather nicely with prurient and luxuriant.

Etiolate. v. To cause to become weakened or sickly; drain of color or vigor.

Etymology. n. The origin and historical development of a linguistic form as shown by determining its basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form where possible.

Eudaemonistic. n. A system of ethics that evaluates actions in terms of their capacity to produce happiness.

Evisceration. v. To remove the entrails of; disembowel.

Excoriate. v. To censure strongly; denounce.

Exculpate. v. To clear of guilt or blame.

Exegesis. n. Critical explanation or analysis, especially of a text.

Expatiate. v. To speak or write at length: expatiated on the subject until everyone was bored.

Expiate. v. To make amends for, atone.

Expropriate. v. To transfer (another's property) to oneself.

Extant. adj. Existing, not destroyed or lost.

Extemporaneous. adj. Carried out or performed with little or no preparation; impromptu.

Extirpate. v. To pull up by the roots.

Extralegal. adj. Not permitted or governed by law.

Foreign Terms

Èminence grise. n. A powerful adviser or decision-maker who operates secretly or unofficially.

Et Hoc Genus Omne. phr. And all that sort of thing. Why say etc. when you can say et hoc genus omne?

Theory

Eupraxsophy. A nonreligious lifestance or worldview emphasizing the importance of living an ethical and exuberant life, and relying on rational methods such as logic, observation and science (rather than faith, mysticism or revelation) toward that end.

Ecumenicism. n. The doctrine of the ecumenical movement promoting cooperation and better understanding among different religious denominations; aimed at religious unity; to often to attack secular values; freedom of speech, reproductive rights, civil rights, etc.

F

Facile. adj. Done or achieved with little effort or difficulty; easy.

Farouche. adj. Fierce; wild: an artist who was farouche even in everyday life.

Fatuous. adj. Foolish or silly, especially in a smug or self-satisfied way.

Fawning. adj. aloof, cool, disinterested, proud, unfriendly.

Feint. n. A deceptive action calculated to divert attention from one's real purpose. A feigned attack designed to draw defensive action away from an intended target.

Filial. adj. Of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter: filial respect. Of or relating to a generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation.

Fleshpots. n. A district or an establishment offering sensual pleasures or entertainment.

Foible. n. A minor weakness or failing of character. The weaker section of a sword blade, from the middle to the tip.

Follicular. adj. Relating to, having, or resembling a follicle or follicles.

Freshet. n. A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw.

Fustian. n. or a. Ridiculously pompous, bombastic, or inflated language. "[He] disliked the heavy, fustian … and brocaded decor of Soviet officialdom."

Foreign Terms

Fait accompli. n. An accomplished, presumably irreversible deed or fact.

Festschrift. n. A volume of learned articles or essays by colleagues and admirers, serving as a tribute or memorial especially to a scholar.

Neologisms

Fauxtography. n. Using Photoshop to distort visual information for the purpose or effect of misrepresenting information. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Logic, Perception

Fugue. n. A pathological amnesiac condition during which one is apparently conscious of one's actions but has no recollection of them after returning to a normal state. This condition, usually resulting from severe mental stress, may persist for as long as several months.

G

Gestalt. n. A physical, biological, psychological, or symbolic configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts.

Gimcrack. n. A cheap and showy object of little or no use; a gewgaw.

Goyishe. n. Gentile; non-jewish.

Gracile. a. Slender. One of graceful slender.

Granfalloon. n. Any large bureaucratic figment of people's imagination. -- Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

Gravamen. n. The part of a charge or an accusation that weighs most substantially against the accused.

Groak. n. One who stands around while others eat, in the hope that he will be invited to join in.

Guilloche. n. A decorative band made up of interlocking lines of design.

Foreign Terms

Guignol. n. Guignol is a French puppet show for children.

H

Hagiography. n. A worshipful or idealizing biography.

Hegemony. n. The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.

Hermetic. adj. Impervious to outside interference or influence. Completely sealed, especially against the escape or entry of air.

Hesternopothia. n. A pathological yearning for the good old days.

Histrionics. n. Theatrical arts or performances.

Hoary. adj. Gray or white with or as if with age. So old as to inspire veneration; ancient.

Hobbesian. n. A situation in which there is unrestrained, selfish, and uncivilized competition.

Holism. n. The view that parts of a system have significance mostly in virtue of their interrelations with other parts.

Hyperbole. n. A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect.

Hypnagogic. adj. Inducing sleep; soporific.

Foreign Terms

Hudna (truce) are those who sign a peace treaty with Muslims after being defeated in war. They agree to reside in their own land, yet to be subject to the legal jurisprudence of Islam like Zimmis, provided they do not wage war against Muslims.

International Legal Terms

Hostis humani generis. n. An international law term meaning, "enemy of mankind."

I

Ideaphoria. n. Ideaphoria describes an experience where one feels a constant onslaught of new ideas, creating a euphoric state of idea creation.

Idiosyncratic. adj. Deviating from the customary.

Ignominious. n. Marked by shame or disgrace.

Imbroglio. n. A difficult or intricate situation; an entanglement. A confused or complicated disagreement.

Impecunious. adj. Lacking money; penniless. Me :\

Impertinent. adj. Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold

Impetuous. adj. Rash; hastily done.

Imprimatur. n. Official approval or license to print or publish, especially under conditions of censorship.

Immutable. adj. Not subject or susceptible to change.

Impresario. n. One who sponsors or produces entertainment, especially the director of an opera company.

Inamorata. n. A woman with whom one is in love or has an intimate relationship.

Inchoate. adj. In an initial or early stage. Imperfectly formed or developed: a vague, inchoate idea.

Incommunicado. adj. Without the means or right of communicating with others: a prisoner held incommunicado; incommunicado political detainees.

Inculcate. v. To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill.

Indocible. a. Unteachable.

Infelicitous. adj. Inappropriate; ill-chosen. Not happy; unfortunate.

Infer. v. To conclude from evidence or premises.

Ingravescent. a. Growing worse or more severe. A medical term used of illnesses, a patient's morbid condition or disease, etc.

Inimical. adj. Injurious or harmful in effect; adverse. Unfriendly; hostile.

Inimitable. adj. Defying imitation; matchless.

Insouciance. n. Blithe lack of concern; nonchalance.

Insuperable. adj. Impossible to overcome; insurmountable.

Interlocutor. n. Someone who takes part in a conversation, often formally or officially.

Internecine. adj. Of or relating to struggle within a nation, organization, or group.

Interpenetrate. v. To become mixed or united by penetration.

Interrogative. adj. Asking a question or being of the nature of a question: an interrogative raising of the eyebrows.

Intransigent. adj. Refusing to moderate a position, especially an extreme position; uncompromising.

Intrenchant. a. Not to be gashed or marked with furrows. As easy mayest thou the intrenchant air with thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed. -- Shakespeare

Inure. v. To habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection; accustom.

Invidious. adj. Tending to rouse ill will, animosity, or resentment.

Invigilation. n. Keeping watch over examination candidates to prevent cheating.

Irenic. n. Promoting peace; conciliatory.

Irredentism. n. One who advocates the recovery of territory culturally or historically related to one's nation but now subject to a foreign government.

Irreducible. adj. Impossible to reduce to a desired, simpler, or smaller form or amount: irreducible burdens.

Isomorphic. a. Being of the same shape and general appearance, but not of the same ancestry, as something else. As, for example, any pet dog and its owner -- more especially any show-dog and its owner.

Foreign Terms

Ignotum per Ignotius. n. An explanation which is even more obscure than the thing it purports to explain. Literally, “the unknown by the more unknown.” There are two forms -- the unintended and the intended. For an example of the former, see the printed instructions for setting up and operating your wife's sewing machine.

Ijtihad. n. The endeavor of a Muslim scholar to derive a rule of divine law from the Koran and Hadith without relying on the views of other scholars.

Ipso facto. n. By the fact itself; by that very fact. An alien, ipso facto, has no right to a U.S. passport.

Neologisms

Islamofascist. A neologism used to compare the ideological or operational characteristics of certain modern Islamist movements with European fascist movements of the early 20th century.

Logic, Perception

Intellectualization. Separation of emotion from ideas; thinking about wishes in formal, affectively bland terms and not acting on them. [neurotic] EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE.

J

Jabberwocky. n. Nonsensical speech or writing.

Jangling. v. To have an irritating effect on.

Jargogle. v. To befuddle or mess up. "Congratulations, dearest; I wouldn't have thought it possible, but you've found something else to jargogle."

Jaunty. adj. Displaying light-hearted nonchalance.

Jeofail. n. A mistake made by a lawyer and acknowledged as such by her to the court. There appears to be no comparable word for a mistake made and acknowledged by a judge; but then, when a lawyer becomes a judge, as everyone knows, they ceases to make mistakes.

Jeremiad. n. A literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom.

Foreign Terms

Je ne sais quoi. n. A quality or attribute that is difficult to describe or express.

Jizya. n. Poll tax that early Islamic rulers demanded from their non-Muslim subjects. This tax applied especially to followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism, who were tolerated in the practice of their religion because they were "peoples of the book." Originally intended to be used for charitable purposes, the revenues from the jizya were paid into the private treasuries of rulers, and the Ottoman sultans used the proceeds to pay military expenses. Many converted to Islam in order to escape the tax.

K

Kalopsia. n. A state in which things appear more beautiful than they really are.

Kinetosis. n. A fancy name for travel sickness.

Krotoscope. n. An applause-measuring instrument. Surely a two-edged sword worthy of comparison with the magic mirror on the wall in Snow White, in that those who have the greatest hunger for its readings are those least likely to be satisfied by them.

Kvetch. v. To complain persistently and whiningly.

L

Labile. adj. Open to change; adaptable: an emotionally labile person.

Laconic phrase. n. Laconians [Sparta] experienced minimal development in the education of arts and literature, thus were famous for their blunt phrases and dry wit.

Lacuna. n. Completely blank area on a painting or painted object or manuscript, resulting from any form of damage.

Lallation. n. Unintelligible baby talk.

Lapidary. n. Marked by conciseness, precision, or refinement of expression. One who cuts, polishes, or engraves gems.

Lede. n. The introductory portion of a news story.

Legerdemain. n. A show of skill or deceitful cleverness: financial legerdemain.

Libidinal. adj. The psychic and emotional energy associated with instinctual biological drives.

Lothario. n. A man who seduces women.

Louche. adj. Of questionable taste or morality; decadent.

Luddite. n. One who opposes technical or technological change.

Lugubrious. adj. Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated degree.

Foreign Terms

Locus Classicus. n. [latin] A passage from a classic or standard work that is cited as an illustration or instance.

Lord Privy Seal. n. Is used for associating pictures too closely and literally with every element of the accompanying spoken script, as in "not bad, but it's a bit Lord Privy Seal."

M

Macaronic. adj. A term applied to verse in which foreign words and phrases are inserted, usually for humorous effect.

Machiavellian. n. Suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and cunning.

Magisterium. n . Authority to teach religious doctrine.

Malapropism. n. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.

Malfeasance. n. Misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official.

Mandorla. n. Almond-shaped light area surrounding a sacred personage in a work of art.

Manumit. v. To free from slavery or bondage; emancipate.

Malnoia. n. A vague feeling of mental discomfort.

Matroneum. n. Gallery for women in churches, especially churches in the Byzantine tradition.

Mawkish. adj. Excessively and objectionably sentimental.

Mellifluous. adj. Flowing with sweetness or honey.

Meme. n. A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

Mendacity. n. A lie; a falsehood.

Metonymy. n. A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of Washington for the United States government or of the sword for military power.

Metronome. n. A device used to mark time by means of regularly recurring ticks or flashes at adjustable intervals.

Miasma. n. A noxious atmosphere or influence

Mimesis. n. Imitation or reproduction of the supposed words of another, as in order to represent his or her character.

Minutiae. n. In fingerprinting terms, are the points of interest in a fingerprint, such as bifurcations (a ridge splitting into two) and ridge endings.

Misprision. n. Neglect in preventing or reporting a felony or treason by one not an accessory.

Mnemonic. adj. Relating to, assisting, or intended to assist the memory.

Mollify. v. To calm in temper or feeling; soothe.

Mondegreen. n. Misheard song lyrics. This kind of recognition error was coined by Sylvia Wright in 1954.

Mordant. adj. Bitingly sarcastic.

Munge. slang. To imperfectly transform information. Cannot describe succinctly. A comprehensive rewrite of a routine

Murcid. a. Slothful, shirking work or duty.

Myrmidon. n. [Greek Mythology] A faithful follower who carries out orders without question.

Foreign Terms

Machtpolitik. n. A doctrine in political theory advocating the use of power and especially of physical force by a political state in the attainment of its objectives.

Medeira. n. Another one of my favorites. Not the portuguese archipelago, but especially the Malvazia and Moscatel!

Mala In Se. n. Wrongs in themselves; acts morally wrong; offenses against conscience.

Mea culpa. n. I am to blame.

Memento mori. n. Reminder that you must die.

Modus operandi. n. [Latin] A method of operating or functioning. A person's manner of working.

Neologisms

Metahypocrisy. n. To accuse someone of hypocrisy while displaying hypocritical behavior.

Moonbat. n. Someone on the extreme edge of whatever their ism happens to be.

N

Nadir. n. The lowest point: the nadir of their fortunes.

Naif. n. One who is naive.

Nascent. adj. Coming into existence; emerging.

Necromorphous. a. Feigning death to deter an aggressor. This would explain a lot about the behavior of counter staff in government departments.

Née. adj. Born. Used to indicate the maiden name of a married woman. Formerly known as.

Nonpareil. adj. Having no equal; peerless.

Non sequitur. n. An inference or conclusion that does not follow from the premises or evidence; does not follow logically from what preceded it.

Foreign Terms

Noblesse Oblige. n. Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank.

Nota Bene. n. Used to direct attention to something particularly important.

Logic, Perception

Narcissistic Awe/Idealization. In its extreme form can be expressed as bizarre mystical feelings; hyper-religious awe or hyper-religiosity in general; as obsessive love; as total immersion in a cult or belief system—all of these behaviors can compensate for the fear that one is forever separated from that “perfect” Other; an over-idealization that essentially treats the person as a "god" rather than a typical human being with imperfections and flaws. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Narcissistic Rage. Occurs as a result of a failure of empathy for what is perceived as being beyond flaw or as extensions of the self. An acting out behavior in which the recipient of rage is never seen as good-enough. EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE

Non-overlapping Magisteria. The relationship between religion and science. The scientific method relies on an objective approach to measure, calculate, and describe the universe. Religious methods are more subjective, relying on varying notions of authority. Coupling the two magisterums, each realm is separate they can never truly be in conflict. All of which is a contentious notion. EXAMPLE

O

Occam's Razor. n. In practice, this means that if a phenomenon can be explained without assuming the existence of an entity, then philosophers and scientists should not assume the entity's existence.

Oleaginous. adj. Falsely or smugly earnest; unctuous: oleaginous flattery.

Ontological argument. Argument that proceeds from the idea of God to the reality of God.

Opprobrious. adj. Expressing contemptuous reproach; scornful or abusive: opprobrious epithets.

Ossification. n. The process of becoming set in a rigidly conventional pattern. The hardening or calcification of soft tissue into a bone-like material.

P

Pabulum. n. A substance that gives nourishment; food.

Paean. n. A fervent expression of joy or praise. Paean was an epithet for Apollo, the healer. The paean, a hymn of praise to Apollo and often to other gods, was sung as a prayer for safety or deliverance at battles and other important occasions.

Palimpsest. n. An object, place, or area that reflects its history. A manuscript that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely erased and often legible.

Palindromic. adj. Relapsing; recurring.

Panegyrics. n. A formal eulogistic composition intended as a public compliment. Elaborate praise or laudation; an encomium.

Pangared. n. Cut or slashed like wood or animals.

Panoptic. adj. Including everything visible in one view.

Pantomime. n. The telling of a story without words, by means of bodily movements, gestures, and facial expressions.

Pareidolia. n. a type of illusion or misperception involving a vague stimulus which is perceived as clearly being something.

Parsimonious. adj. Excessively sparing or frugal.

Parturition. n. The act or process of giving birth; childbirth. Intrapartum is something occurring during parturition.

Paternalist. n. A policy or practice of treating or governing people in a fatherly manner, especially by providing for their needs without giving them rights or responsibilities.

Penchant. n. A definite liking; a strong inclination.

Placate. v. To allay the anger of, especially by making concessions; appease.

Platitude. n. Lack of originality; triteness.

Plethora. n. A superabundance; an excess.

Pogrom. n. An organized, often officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group.

Polemics. n. The art or practice of argumentation or controversy.

Polymath. n. A person of great or varied learning.

Portmanteau. n. A word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two different words, as chortle, from chuckle and snort. Coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking‐Glass (1871)

Potentate. n. One who dominates or leads a group or an endeavor.

Pravda (The Truth) was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1918 and 1991.

Prevaricate. v. To stray from or evade the truth; equivocate.

Presentiment. n. Foresight; A sense that something is about to occur. Also: Prescience, prescient.

Prim. adj. Precise or proper to the point of affectation; excessively decorous. Strait-laced; prudish.

Primogeniture. n. The right of the eldest child, especially the eldest son, to inherit the entire estate of one or both parents.

Proffer. v. To offer for acceptance

Progenitor. n. A direct ancestor. An originator; a founder.

Prognosticate. v. To predict according to present indications or signs; foretell. Urban renewal that prognosticates a social and cultural renaissance.

Promethean. adj. Boldly creative; defiantly original. Me :)

Promulgate. v. To make known (a decree, for example) by public declaration

Protean. adj. Readily taking on varied shapes, forms, or meanings. Exhibiting considerable variety or diversity.

Provenance. n. The history of the ownership of an object, especially when documented or authenticated. Used of artworks, antiques, and books.

Proviso. n. A clause in a document making a qualification, condition, or restriction.

Prolixity. adj. Tending to speak or write at excessive length.

Pugnaciously. adj. Combative in nature; belligerent. Inclination or readiness to fight; quarrelsomeness.

Pulchritudinous. adj. Characterized by or having great physical beauty and appeal.

Pusillanimous. adj. Lacking courage; cowardly.

Putrescent. adj. Becoming putrid; putrefying.

Foreign Terms

Prima facie. adj. At first sight; before closer inspection: They had, prima facie, a legitimate complaint.

Primum non nocere. n. The first thing is to do no harm (Hippocratic oath)

Obscure Phrase

Prolier than thou. A morpheme of the word proletarian and the canonical phrase "Holier than thou."

Logic, Perception

Projection: is a defense mechanism in which one attributes (projects) to others, one’s own unacceptable or unwanted thoughts or emotions. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the unwanted subconscious impulses or desires without letting the ego recognize them. [Almost always pathological] EXAMPLE

Q

Quiescent. adj. Being quiet, still, or at rest; inactive.

Quixotic. adj. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.

Quotidian. adj. Recurring daily. Everyday; commonplace.

R

Raconteur. n. One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit.

Raft. n. A great number, amount, or collection. Also, of course, a flat structure that floats on water.

Ratiocination. n. The process of reasoning, or deducing conclusions from premises; deductive reasoning.

Rebarbative. adj. Tending to irritate; repellent: He became rebarbative, prickly, spiteful.

Recalcitrant. adj. Marked by stubborn resistance to and defiance of authority or guidance.

Recrudescence. v. To break out anew or come into renewed activity, as after a period of quiescence.

Redact. v. To make ready for publication; edit or revise.

Relegate. v. To assign to an obscure place, position, or condition.

Refocillation. n. Total refreshment; revival or revitalization.

Refulgent. adj. Shining radiantly; resplendent.

Remonstrate. v. To say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof.

Renitency. n. Reluctance or resistance.

Repartee. n. A swift, witty reply.

Reticent. adj. Inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself.

Reticulated. adj. Marked by complexity; intricate.

Ribald. adj. Characterized by or indulging in vulgar, lewd humor.

Rictus. n. The expanse of an open mouth, a bird's beak, or similar structure. A rictus of senile fury.

Riposte. n. A retaliatory action, maneuver, or retort.

Risible. adj. Relating to laughter or used in eliciting laughter.

Roil. v. To make (a liquid) muddy or cloudy by stirring up sediment.

Roinous. a. Mean, nasty, and contemptible.

Foreign Terms

Raison d’état. n. National interest.

Raison d'etre. n. Reason or justification for existing.

Rara avis. [Latin] n. A rare or unique person or thing.

Res ipsa loquitur. n. Latin for the thing speaks for itself.

Realpolitik. A usually expansionist national policy having as its sole principle advancement of the national interest.

Logic, Perception

Reaction Formation. Behavior that is completely the opposite of what one really wants or feels (e.g, taking care of someone when what one really wants is to be taken care of; studying to be a pilot to cover-up being afraid to fly). Note - this can work in the short term as an effective strategy to cope, but will eventually break down. [neurotic] EXAMPLE

Repression. Seemingly inexplicable naiveté, memory lapse, or lack of awareness of physical status; the emotion is conscious, but the idea behind it is absent. [neurotic] EXAMPLE

S

Salvific. adj. Having the intention or power to bring about salvation or redemption.

Sanguinary. adj. Accompanied by bloodshed.

Sapphic. adj. Of or relating to lesbianism.

Satrap. n. A subordinate bureaucrat or official.

Schism. n. A separation or division into factions. The offense of attempting to produce such a breach.

Scrofulous. adj. Morally degenerate; corrupt.

Scry. v. To see or predict the future by means of a crystal ball, or a reflection of water.

Scurrilous. n. Given to the use of vulgar, coarse, or abusive language; foul-mouthed.

Selfsame. adj. Being the very same; identical.

Sentient. adj. Having sense perception; conscious.

Senescent. n. The part of the erosion cycle at which the stage of old age begins.

Sententious. adj. Concise, pithy; abounding with maxims and proverbs.

Simulacrum. n. An image or representation. An unreal or vague semblance.

Sinew. n. Vigorous strength; muscular power.

Sinistrorse. adj. Growing upward in a spiral that turns from right to left.

Slovenly. adj. Untidy, as in dress or appearance.

Solipsism. n. The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified: ...almost to the point of solipsism about them, insisting that their adversity is the most important thing.

Somnolence. n. A state of drowsiness; sleepiness.

Spoonerism. n. A transposition of sounds of two or more words, especially a ludicrous one, such as Let me sew you to your sheet for Let me show you to your seat.

Stultify. v. To render useless or ineffectual; cripple. To cause to appear stupid, inconsistent, or ridiculous.

Subcutaneous. adj. Located or placed just beneath the skin: subcutaneous tissue; a subcutaneous implant.

Suborn. v. To induce (a person) to commit an unlawful or evil act.

Supererogate. v. To do more than is required, ordered, or expected.

Surly. adj. Obsolete. Arrogant; domineering. Sullenly ill-humored; gruff.

Surreptitious. adj. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means.

Suss. v. To infer or discover; figure out.

Sycophantic. n. A servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people.

Syllogism. n. A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion.

Syncretism. n. Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous. The merging of two or more originally different inflectional forms.

Foreign Terms

Schadenfreude. n. Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

Suggestio falsi. n. The suggestion of something which is untrue.

Suppressio veri. n. The suppression of the truth.

Logic, Perception

Selective Thinking. Selective thinking is the process whereby one selects out favorable evidence for remembrance and focus, while ignoring unfavorable evidence for a belief.

Surplus-Value. Surplus-value is the social product which is over and above what is required for the producers to live. The capitalist then owns not only the means of production, and the workers’ labor-power which he has bought to use in production, but the product as well. After paying wages, the capitalist then becomes the owner of the surplus value, over and above the value of the workers’ labor-power.

T

Tautologous. a. Repeating the same thing in different words.

Tawdry. adj. Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance.

Temerity. n. Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness. [adj. Temerarious]

Tendentious. adj. Marked by a strong implicit point of view; partisan.

Terse. adj. Brief and to the point; effectively concise.

Torpor. n. A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility.

Treillage. n. Latticework, especially a trellis for a vine.

Trenchant. adj. Forceful, effective, and vigorous.

Trifecta. n. A system of betting in which the bettor must pick the first three winners in the correct sequence.

Tumbledown. adj. Being in such bad repair as to seem in danger of collapsing; very dilapidated or rickety.

Turgid. adj. Excessively ornate or complex in style or language. Or Swollen or distended.

Tyros. n. A beginner in learning something.

Foreign terms

Tikkun olam. n. (Jewish) "Repairing the world." Refers to social justice.

Tranche. n. A piece, portion or slice of something.

Tu quoque. n. A retort accusing an accuser of a similar offense or similar behavior.

Neologism

Talibanization. n. The process by which a strict and repressive Islamist regime comes to power within which Islamist terrorism and religious persecution of non-Muslims is tolerated or encouraged.

U

Ubiquitous. adj. Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent.

Umbrage. n. Offense; resentment: took umbrage at their rudeness. Or [adj.] Something that affords shade.

Unctuous. adj. Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness.

Uxorious. adj. Excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife.

V

Verbose. adj. Wordy. Similar to the noun, verbiage.

Vertiginous. adj. Turning about an axis; revolving or whirling.

Vicissitudinous. a. Full of, or subject to, changes.

Vitriol. n. Bitterly abusive feeling or expression.

Foreign Terms

Veritas odit moras. Truth hates delay. Quote from line 850 of Seneca’s version of Oedipus.

Vide supra. v. A term used to refer a reader to an earlier place in a text

Vis-à-vis. In comparison with or in relation to, lit. face-to-face.

Volte-face. A complete reversal of opinion or position.

Vox populi, vox Dei [Latin] The voice of the people is the voice of God.

Voulu. adj. voulucontrived or forced: said as of certain effects in a literary or artistic work

W X Y Z

Zeitgeist. n. The spirit of the time; the taste and outlook characteristic of a period or generation.

Zygote. n. The cell formed by the union of two gametes, especially a fertilized ovum before cleavage.

Tabelle Affascinanti