two more

An addendum to yesterday:

gusla - not in the online dictionary. I think it is a musical instrument, a Slavic or Balkan one, maybeTurkish. I'm still reading Rebecca West at the breakfast table.

hieratic |ˌhʌɪəˈratɪk|adjectiveof or concerning priests: he raised both his arms in a hieratic gesture.• of or in the ancient Egyptian writing of abridged hieroglyphics used by priests. Compare with demotic.• of or concerning Egyptian or Greek styles of art adhering to early methods as laid down by religious tradition.  ORIGIN mid 17th cent. (earlier as hieratical): via Latin from Greek hieratikos, from hierasthai ‘be a priest’, from hiereus ‘priest’, hieros ‘sacred’.

My next blog is "the movie in my mind"  but I'm not sure if I'll get to it today.

Anon, anon

words words words

phenology |fɪˈnɒlədʒi| noun [ mass noun ] -  the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.

phrenology |frɪˈnɒlədʒi|  - noun [ mass noun ] chiefly historical - the detailed study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental abilities. ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from Greek phrēn, phren- ‘mind’ + -logy.

immanent |ˈɪmənənt|  adjective

existing or operating within; inherent: the protection of liberties is immanent in constitutional arrangements.

• (of God) permanently pervading and sustaining the universe. Often contrasted with transcendent.  ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from late Latin immanent- ‘remaining within’, from in- ‘in’ + manere ‘remain’.

imminent |ˈɪmɪnənt|  adjective

1 about to happen: they were in imminent danger of being swept away.

2 archaic overhanging.  ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin imminent- ‘overhanging, impending’, from the verb imminere, from in- ‘upon, towards’ + minere ‘to project’.

lubricious |luːˈbrɪʃəs|  adjective

1 offensively displaying or intended to arouse sexual desire. he probed the ladies for every lubricious detail of their interactions.

2 smooth and slippery with oil or a similar substance.  ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin lubricus ‘slippery’ + -ious.

hellebore |ˈhɛlɪbɔː|  noun

a poisonous winter-flowering Eurasian plant of the buttercup family, typically having coarse divided leaves and large white, green, or purplish flowers.

●Genus Helleborus, family Ranunculaceae: several species, including the Christmas rose.

• a false helleborine.  ORIGIN Old English (denoting various plants supposed to cure madness), from Old French ellebre, elebore or medieval Latin eleborus, via Latin from Greek helleboros .

amygdala |əˈmɪgdələ|  noun (pl.amygdalae |əˈmɪgdəliː| ) Anatomy

a roughly almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions. ORIGIN Late Middle English: via Latin from Greek amugdalē ‘almond’.

cloaca |kləʊˈeɪkə|

noun (pl.cloacae |-siː, -kiː| )

1 Zoology a common cavity at the end of the digestive tract for the release of both excretory and genital products in vertebrates (except most mammals) and certain invertebrates.

2 archaic a sewer.  ORIGIN late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘sewer’): from Latin, related to cluere ‘cleanse’. The first sense dates from the mid 19th cent.

This is an easy blog for both (all?) of us.  I purposely put two similar words together twice just in case there’s confusion. I also put in words that I sort of know but sort of don’t remember exactly because I haven’t used them recently. I have more bits of paper scattered around with a word or two scribbled on them, but that’s enough for now.

Anon.