brachytherapy noun, the treatment of cancer, especially prostate cancer, by the insertion of radioactive implants directly into the tissue. (Got this from Radiation Diaries)

endaural — phenomena are sounds that are heard without any external acoustic stimulation. Endaural means "in the ear". Phenomena include transient ringing in the ears (that sound like sine tones), white noise-like sounds, and subjective tinnitus. (I’ve experienced this, fortunately not for long)

sigmoidoscopy noun [ mass noun ]: examination of the sigmoid colon by means of a flexible tube inserted through the anus. DERIVATIVES sigmoidoscope noun, sigmoidoscopic adjective (More Radiation Diaries)

pyrolysis noun [ mass noun ] Chemistry, decomposition brought about by high temperatures. steam pyrolysis of hydrocarbons. [ as modifier ] : a pyrolysis furnace. DERIVATIVES pyrolytic adjective

grissini plural noun: thin, crisp Italian breadsticks. ORIGIN Italian. NOW, here’s one we can use, if you don’t already.

jollof rice noun, a West African stew made with rice, chilli peppers, and meat or fish. ORIGIN jollof, variant of Wolof. (I picked this up from the NYT food column. Have you ever had it?) —or—

biryani noun [ mass noun ] an Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat, fish, or vegetables. prawn biryani. ORIGIN Urdu, from Persian biryāni, from biriyān ‘fried, grilled’.

uncial adjective 1 of or written in a majuscule script with rounded unjoined letters which is found in European manuscripts of the 4th–8th centuries and from which modern capital letters are derived.

2 rare relating to an inch or an ounce.

uncial noun: an uncial letter or script. • a manuscript in uncial script. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin uncialis, from uncia ‘inch’.

I LOVE anything to do with words and origins and writing….I just heard my NYT drop at the door.

Anon.