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Beard seconds
Learned of a new unit of measurement today, the Beard Second. -
Word of the Day: Circumlocution
Found while reading style guides for a conference submission.
Definition by Google:
The use of many words where fewer would do, esp. in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive.
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Word of the Day: Elide
From reading about compilers.
Defintion from Google:- Omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking: "elided consonants or vowels".
- Join together; merge: "whole periods are elided into a few seconds of screen time"; "the two things elided in his mind"
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Word of the Day: Hecatomb
From a co-worker.
Definition by Google:
1. (in ancient Greece or Rome) A great public sacrifice.
2. An extensive loss of life for some cause.
I guessed the etymology is heca = 100 (As in hectare). At least according to wikipedia, "...a sacrifice to the gods of 100 cattle." -
Word of the Day: Auto
From discussion with a co-worker. Specifically, I assumed it was being used as a contraction of automatic. They were using it as the prefix.
From EtymOnline: comb. element meaning "self, one's own, by oneself," from Gk. auto- "self, one's own," combining form of autos "self, same," of unknown origin. Before a vowel, aut-; before an aspirate, auth-. ( Read more... ) -
Word of the Day: Extemporenaous
From today's Calving and Hobbes.
Definition by Google: Spoken or done without preparation.
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Word of the Day: Stereotype
Inspired by musings on the etymology of the word (See below) while overhearing it mentioned by a random passerby. Specifically recalling that "stereo" is Greek for "solid".
Definition by Google:- Noun: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing: "sexual and racial stereotypes".
- Verb: View or ( Read more... )
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Pi day is wrong.
Pi day is this week (3/14). Turns out Pi day is wrong. I think Tau day is better (http://tauday.com/).
I'm surprised I only heard of this today, but I have to agree that is makes better sense (after skimming the original article and the above website). Although I do like the "Turn" symbol over the Tau symbol. -
Word of the Day: Heterodox
Definition from Google
Adjective: Not conforming with accepted or orthodox standards or beliefs.
Synonyms: heretical -
Word of the Day: Epistolary
Inspired by Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress XXVI.
Defintion from Google: Relating to or denoting the writing of letters or literary works in the form of letters.