/vol-KAY-no/ noun. The center of a subterranean eruption, usually, but not always, of molten rock, that is often, but not always, basically conical in shape.
WORD(S)
A cornucopia—a logocopia!—of awesome words.
ineffable
/in-EF-uh-buhl/ adjective. Too great or powerful to be described. Inexpressible. Unutterable. Unspeakable.
chiaroscuro
chiaroscuro /kee-ar-uh-SKYER-oh/. noun. Literally, the composition of light and shade or black and white in a painting or picture; figuratively to describe deep contrast.
contretemps
contretemps /KON-trə-ton/. noun. An awkward, embarrassing, difficult situation or disagreement. A minor disagreement. A clash. Originally a French fencing term contre-temps (an unfortunate accident, a mistimed motion), from Latin contra (against) + tempus (time). [Read more…]
gamine
gamine /ga-MEEN/. noun or adjective. A playfully mischievous, pert, usually petite, girl. A female street urchin. A boyish looking young woman; an elfish tomboy. A borrowing from French gamin (a boy who lives on the streets), originally meaning just a young boy or a glassmaker’s assistant. Earlier origin unknown.
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squamous / squamulose
squamous /SKWAY-məs/ & squamulose /SKWAY-myə-ləs/. adjective. Covered with scales; scaly. Composed of scales or a resemblance of scales. In anatomy, the thin scaly part of the temporal bone. In medicine, a suture with thin overlapping parts resembling scales. From Latin squama (scale); possibly related to squalus (filthy, foul), from which squalid and squalor are derived.
farrago
farrago /fə-RAW-goh/. noun. A medley, a confused mess, a mixture, a miscellany. From Latin farrago (mixed fodder for cattle, also generally a mixture), from far (grain). See also: hodgepodge, hotchpotch, mélange, potpourri.
“What strange farrago of impossibilities have these holy dealers in occult divinity jumbled together?” (Thomas Holcroft)
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