2012-13 Flashcards
1
Q
prurient
A
arousing unwholesome desire
2
Q
jusqu’au-boutisme
A
a
3
Q
malapert
A
contumelious
4
Q
Masada
A
ancient Palestinian fortress town on Dead Sea
5
Q
yiskor
A
Yiddish, “may god remember,” a public prayer in remembrance of the dead
6
Q
incarnadine
A
color of flesh or blood
7
Q
homberg hat
A
a
8
Q
Planck’s constant
A
The discovery of quantum physics, which implies the granularity int the physical universe
9
Q
occiput
A
back of the skull
10
Q
analeptic
A
drug stimulating central nervous system, trad. for restorative purposes such as inducing hunger
11
Q
tufa
A
limestone formations from geothermal water
12
Q
hemotoma
A
blood outside vessels in skin, similar to ecchymosis (bruise)
13
Q
actuary, actuarial
A
professional who accounts for financial risk or uncertainty
14
Q
faux-naif
A
a
15
Q
gloaming
A
twilight
16
Q
scurf
A
dandruff or similar flaky skin
17
Q
scrim
A
woven fabric, used in theater/film to diffuse light
18
Q
scrimshaw
A
design on bone or ivory
19
Q
anthracite
A
coal
20
Q
brattling
A
scampering, making a clattering sound by scampering
21
Q
symphorophilia
A
paraphilia from disaster
22
Q
torus
A
surface manipulation of a circle in three dimensions, from tube to globe
23
Q
crapulous
A
intemperance, esp. eating and drinking
24
Q
dashiki
A
West-African colorful men’s top
25
amboina
tree with pearly amber wood, used for decorating guns, knives, etc.
26
Jotto
word game
27
nostalgie de la boue
a
28
pone
Native American: unleavened cornmeal bread baked in ashes
29
chachka (or tchotchke)
bauble, trinket
30
Yoruba
subsaharan West-African tribe, mainly in Nigeria
31
paniche
French longboat
32
biblia pauperum
picture bible
33
eo ipso
from itself, in philosophy used to denote origin
34
Abu Simbel
Area in Egypt with massive stone statues
35
multiverse (origin)
coined by William James
36
raga
melodic mode in Indian classical music
37
Enkidu
in Epic of Gilgamesh, formed of clay, wild man, later companion of Gilgamesh
38
dystonia
abnormal contraction of muscles
39
allodynia
pain from a normally painless stimulus
40
hyperalgesia
extreme response to painful stimulus
41
engram
stimulus impression which can be completely brought back by repeating the stimulus. Coined by Richard Semon
42
Nathan of Gaza
herald of a false prophet
43
sodality
Christian confraternity, lay and based in works (as opposed to diocesan hierarchy)
44
trepverter
Yiddish, words that come to late, slow wit
45
esprit de l'escalier
a
46
cosa nostra
mafia
47
approbative ethical theory
an act is right if an authority (group, god) says it is
48
Vicuña
South American, related to the lama
49
macher
Yiddish: important or influential person (also ironic)
50
exiguous
very small in amount of size
51
neoteny
also pedomorphic: retention of juvenile traits
52
mitosis, mitotic
cell division with same DNA
53
kibisis
leather bag or wallet
54
uncial
written in upper case, or majuscule. describes medieval orthography, esp. Latin and Greek
55
ammonite
extinct sea creatures with shells like tight ram's horns
56
bilobular
anatomy: have two lobes (brain, liver, etc)
57
calefaction
act of heating
58
anfractuous
sinuous or circuitous
59
Ite, missa est
Catholic, concluding words of the mass, from which the word derives. The response is deo gratias
60
cupric
of or containing copper
61
Fort Ticonderoga
important 18th French fort during 18th century French-Indian wars
62
phlogiston theory
17th century theory by Johann Becher to explain why things burn. That's easy: they contain phlogiston
63
immiscible
not forming a homogenous mixture with brought together
64
laodicean
half-hearted, from a early Christian religious community
65
sequacious
lacking originality or independence of thought
66
ferule
any instrument for punishing children
67
erumpent
bursting forth
68
eluent
substance used as a solvent to separate materials
69
perfluent
flowing through
70
krugerrand
South African gold coin
71
louver, louvered
blinds made from horizontal slats
72
ninjo vs giri
Japanese, ninjo is the individual emotion that opposes and complements giri, or social obligation
73
purdah
Muslim: ritual social exclusion of women, equivalent to the Arabic term hijab
74
besom
crude broom
75
ergastic substance
opposed to bioplasm: the non-living, organic or inorganic material in a cell
76
4-F
unfit for military service
77
haimisch
Yiddish: cozy, homey
78
heimischer
German: a stay at home, a pantouflard
79
Hirschfeld
a style of drawn caricature
80
Ahriman
in Zoroastrianism, the evil spirit
81
Marimekko
Finish design style
82
Rebozo
Mexican: shawl passed down over generations, usually gathering threads and object
83
stolid
calm, showing little emotion, dependable
84
Gillie
(Scottish) hunting/fishing guide
85
ahimsa
(sanskrit, Hindu) non-violence; the injunction to do no harm
86
mome
(French) gamin
87
castellation
furnished with turrets
88
Caissa
(Renaissance invention) goddess of chess
89
tzaddik hador
(Jewish messianism) the righteous person born in every generation with the potential to become the messiah
90
baleboste
(Jewish) efficient housewife devoted to the wellbeing of her home
91
bissel
(Yiddish) a little
92
bupkes
(Yiddish) nothing; a disappointment
93
maven
(Yiddish) a trusted expert
94
mishegas
(Yiddish) insanity or craziness
95
schlemiel
(Yiddish) clumsy person
96
schlimazel
(Yiddish) person with constant bad luck
97
tsuris
(Yiddish) trouble or woes
98
yenta
(Yiddish) an old gossip
99
Dome of the Rock
the 7th century temple on the rock from which Muhammed ascended to heaven
100
soupçon
a
101
epicist
epic poet
102
zugzwang
(chess) when the player has to make a move that is disadvantageous relative to passing or not moving
103
shikata ga nai
(Japanese) "it can't be helped"
104
keloid
scar tissue that has become puffy and collagenous (like back scars from whipping)
105
hibakusha
survivors of the Hiroshima or Nagasaki bombings
106
pan-pan girls
Japanese women who fraternized with American soldiers during the occupation
107
algolagnia
sexual pleasure from physical pain
108
synodic period
time required for an orbiting body to return to its original position
109
pica
appetite for non-nutritive substances (clay, glue)
110
apsis
(periapsis, apoapsis) closest or furthest point in an elliptical orbit
111
Rayleigh scattering
scattering of light as it passes through particles
112
vitiligo
depigmentation of parts of the skin
113
pommis
wine: remainder of grape after pressing
114
Kachina doll
(Hopi) dolls contained spirits of nature or ancestors
115
gravid
pregnant, carrying developing young or eggs
116
Mount Ararat
actual mountains in Turkey, where Noah's ark was supposed to have come to rest
117
ikabana
Japanese flower arranging
118
kanji
Japanese adaptation of Chinese characters
119
Béchamel sauce
French cream sauce
120
Lemuria
hypothetic lost land or continent, used to explain biogeography in the 19th century
121
Lord Mountbatten
last viceroy of India (1947)
122
Pantisocracy
utopian plan developed by Coleridge and others, originally intended for the US
123
pseudologia fantastica
pathological lying
124
mythomania
a mania for embroidering the truth. compare pseudologia fantastica
125
orrery
mechanical heliocentric model that shows the positions of planets
126
viaticum
(Catholic) Eucharist for the dying
127
venatic
living by hunting; fond of hunting
128
coefficient
(math) a multiplying factor (ie 7x)
129
deus absconditus.
belief that god is unknowable to the human mind
130
theophany
a god's appearance to humans
131
salvator salvandus
Christ, saving oneself through oneself
132
redde rationem
showdown, paying accounts, day of Armageddon. Luke 16:2
133
parrhesia
(rhetoric) frankness in speech, or apology for frankness of speech
134
kenosis
emptying oneself to the will of God: Christ
135
talion law
lex talionis: eye for an eye
136
felix culpa
happy fall: St Augustine's notion that God allowed the fall for greater good
137
picogram
1 trillionth of a gram
138
mook
(porn industry) a rube, naif
139
convolve
roll together
140
fissile
able to be split
141
clerestory
windows above eyesight to bring in light (orig. church)
142
grand mal
seizure affecting the entire brain
143
satyriasis
uncontrollable excessive sexual desire in a man
144
prenominate
previously mentioned
145
cancrine
having the features of a crab
146
styptic
stops bleeding, lit. tending to contract
147
sinistrorse
(plant) spiraling up left (dextrorse)
148
evection
moon's orbit affected by sun's gravity
149
chrestomathy
selected literary passages from one author
150
benthos
bottom of the sea. Benthic: of creatures living on the sea bottom
151
luxate
to put out of joint, dislocate
152
finial
(architec) ornamental endpoint (on a roof etc)
153
anodize
to coat with a protective coat (usual metal coated with oxide)
154
swivet
extreme distress or discomposure
155
phlogiston
imaginary substance used to explain combustibility
156
retorsive argument
demonstration of truth because it cannot be rejected rationally
157
Shivaree
(also Charivari) confusion, din
158
saprophyte
organism that takes its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter
159
lussus naturae
a monster or marvel of nature
160
tinnitus
buzzing in the ear
161
creosote
pitch oil (esp. resin that accumulates in chimneys)
162
Tommyknockers
mythical creatures who live in mines and work alongside miners. They can be guardians or mischievous
163
obnubilate
do darken or obscure, as with clouds
164
diremption
tear apart or violently separate
165
Bodhisattva
one who gives up enlightenment to help others
166
satori
(Buddhism) sudden spiritual awakening
167
moksha
(Sanskrit) liberation from samsara
168
samsara
(literally, "continuous flow") illusion: the cycle of life and death
169
hebophrenia
type of schizophrenia: foolish, senseless laughter, delusions, and regressive behavior
170
respice finem
(lit. look to the end) focus on the end result
171
Necker cube
optical illusion cube
172
regressus ad infinitum
a
173
taupe
(French, mole) brownish grey
174
Korsakoff's syndrome
deficiency of vitamin B, often from alcoholism: confabulation along with apathy and amnesia
175
confabulation
invention of memories
176
Lotte Pritzel doll
meticulous wax dolls
177
gracile
gracefully slender
178
erysipelas
skin condition (inflammation)
179
a realibus ad realiora
from the real to the more real
180
cupular
cup-shaped
181
matunality
(coined by Isaac Dinesen) midnight to 2 am
182
exopthalmic
prominent eyeballs
183
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes
(Juvenal) Who watches the watchmen?
184
distrait
(French distracted) esp. by anxiety (somewhat elegant)
185
lese-majeste
(medieval) an offense against the king
186
nissus
striving after a goal
187
Bhikkhu
Buddhist monk (Bikkhuni - nun)
188
sylph
(also sylphid, a young sylph) (from Paracelsus) mythological creature of the air
189
tathata
(also dharmata) the condition of having arrived at one's current state
190
Historische krankheit
(Nietzsche)
191
Entkunstgung
(Adorno) the destruction of art's quality as art
192
Vexata quaestio
(legal) a commonly disputed problem
193
hyaline
have a glassy appearance
194
avulsion
tearing away (esp. parts of the body)
195
chiliastic
doctrine that Jesus will reign for 1000 years
196
cheval-de-frise
barbed ground impediment
197
ankylosis
stiffness from bone's adhesion to a joint
198
neotenize
(neoteny) to cause to retain juvenile features
199
tantivy
at full gallop/top speed
200
anfractuous
sinuous or circuitous
201
ferkin
small wooden cask (roughly 1/4 barrel)
202
feuilleton
novel or section of newspaper with light fiction
203
succedaneum
substitute
204
Quonset
(trademark) semi-circular structure build with corrugated steel
205
piacular
making atonement for sacrilege: piacular sacrifice
206
coffle
a line of animals or slaves chained together
207
otiose
serving no practical purpose
208
q.v.
(bibliographical) quod vide: "see this cross reference"
209
escharotic
causing sloughing of skin (either a drug or an injury)
210
sessile
(organism) fixed/immobile
211
paphian
prostitute: orig. inhabitant of Paphos, center of worship of Aphrodite
212
anodize
to coat metal with a protective film
213
anserine
goose-like
214
sic vos non vobis
(Virgil) "this you do not for yourselves"
215
etiolated
pale from lack of light
216
ptosis
drooping eyelid (ptotic)
217
phytotoxin
toxin produced by a plant
218
oscitant
(lit. gaping) yawning, as from drowsiness
219
armigerous
bearing heraldic arms
220
obtundation
mental blunting: less than full mental capacity (us. from trauma) along with reduced pain
221
Baker-miller pink
(pepto-bismal pink) (psych) used in the Navy to calm people in the correctional facilities. Part of a broader theory that color affects mood (studies led by Alexander Schauss)
222
Anthropocene
(informal) geological/chronological term designating period of human industrial habitation of the earth
223
pantophagy
habit/ability to eat all kinds of food
224
inedia
the alleged ability to subsist on air alone (also breatharian)
225
redshift
light doppler from object moving away (op. blueshift)
226
autolysis
self-digestion (bodies use of own cells for nourishment)
227
grimoire
manual of magic or witchcraft
228
Matrioshka dolls
nesting dolls
229
fissiparous
inclined to division into separate groups. reproducing by fission
230
flatus vocis
a mere sound/word without corresponding objective reality
231
oligomenorrhea
infrequent menstruation
232
periphescence
(Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesex) first fever of human bonding
233
sericulture
silk farming
234
peplus
(Greek) loose outer garment
235
tertulia
(Spanish) informal literary group
236
apotemnophilia
sexual arousal involving the fantasy of amputation
237
bloviate
to be verbose (bloviated)
238
chiropteran
bat-like
239
Cenozoic
current geological era (lit "new life")
240
Ship of Theseus
(Plutarch) paradox of the sameness in difference
241
paraphilia
sexual arousal from atypical objects, situations
242
fuge, tace, quiesce
(Christian) flee (the world), be silent, and patiently wait (God to speak to you) (Saint Arsenius)
243
eutrophication
(also hypertrophication) abnormal bloom from addition of nutrients (e.g. algae bloom)
244
oriflamme
banner, symbol, ideal inspiring devotion and courage (orig. from Saint Dennis)
245
nisus formativus
periodic desire for procreation
246
accombination
a combining together
247
Sierpinski triangle
triangle fractal
248
synanthropy
plants or animals that benefit from living near or with humans
249
per forza di levare
(Michelangelo) description of the process of removal (in sculpture) to find the true form
250
explananda
something to be explained
251
difiniendum
something to be defined
252
gnosiology
intuitive (spiritual) knowledge
253
apoptosis
programmed cell death
254
apophasis
mentioning by not mentioning (also proslepsis)
255
adynaton
(lit without power to effect) figure of speech in which an impossible situation is proposed: I will sooner...
256
cerise
cherry color
257
trichobothria
the hair of a spider that help it detect vibrations
258
epicene
intersexual, effeminate
259
equipotentiality
having bilateral potential: (neuropsychology) the ability of the mind to develop capacities regardless of environmental factors.
(behaviorism) (arbitrary) associative linking
260
nootropic
"smart drugs" - cognitive enhancers (memory, performance, etc)
261
monocausotaxophilia
(Karl Popper) fixation on a single explanation
262
anoesis
consciousness as pure passive receptiveness
263
kaizen
(Japanese) continuous small improvements in standardized behavior to produce more effective results
264
entre chien et loup
dusk: when you can't tell if it is a dog or wolf
265
spallation
ejection of fragments from impact
266
hypnagogic
drowsiness just before sleep (hypnogogia -transition from wakefulness to sleep)
267
macropod
marsupial
268
Chicago window
(one large window with two narrower on either side)
269
corten steel
steel alloy that strengthens with rust
270
oculus
(architecture) circular opening in a roof or interior of a building
271
Oleg Cassini
Jackie Kennedy's style
272
zymic
related to fermentation
273
mundus miliebris
feminine effects (material objects)
274
gaffirophobia
fear of bridges
