Oxter

oxter \ˈäk-stər\ noun: (chiefly Scottish & Irish) 1. armpit, 2. arm

Etymology: Middle English (Scots), alteration of Old English ōxta; akin to Old English eax axis, axle

Huh? What? Armpit? Really? Hey, Scotland, what’s up with that?

Wing Nut

wing nut \ˈwiŋ-ˌnət\ noun: 1. a nut with wings that provide a grip for the thumb and finger,
2. (slang) a mentally deranged person,
3. (slang) one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical

First written usage: circa 1900

What is the etymology behind the slang definitions of wing nut? Is it related to the use of the word nut to refer to a crazy or eccentric person?

Profligate

profligate \ˈprä-fli-gət\ adjective: 1. completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness,
2. wildly extravagant; prodigal
noun: a person given to wildly extravagant and usually grossly self-indulgent expenditure

Etymology: Latin profligatus, from past participle of profligare to strike down, from pro- forward, down + -fligare, akin to Greek phlibein to squeeze

This is a word one would rarely wish applied to oneself.

Trenchant

trenchant \ˈtrent-chənt\ adjective: 1. keen; sharp, 2. vigorously effective and articulate {a trenchant analysis}; caustic {trenchant remarks}, 3 a. sharply perceptive; penetrating {a trenchant view of current conditions}, b. clear-cut; distinct {the trenchant divisions between right and wrong — Edith Wharton}

Etymology: Middle English trenchaunt, from Anglo-French

A lot of usage examples for you with this one.

Sclera

sclera \ˈskler-ə\ noun: the dense fibrous opaque white outer coat enclosing the eyeball except the part covered by the cornea

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek sklēros hard

I ate a hard-boiled egg the other day; it wasn’t hard like a sclera, but it looked like an eyeball.

Platypus

platypus \ˈpla-ti-pəs\ noun: an egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal of Australia whose males possess a venomous heel spur

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek platypous flat-footed, from platys broad, flat + pous foot

The platyus’s scientific name Ornithorhynchus anatinus literally means “duck-like bird snout.” (You may recognize that word chunk rhyn in other words like rhinoceros (“horny nose”) and rhinoplasty (“molded nose”).

Phosphene

phosphene \ˈfäs-ˌfēn\ noun: a luminous impression due to mechanical, electrical or magnetic stimulation of the retina

Etymology: Greek phos- light + phainein to show

You get those blobby, morphing phosphenes when you press your hands against your closed eyeballs.

Nematode

nematode \ˈne-mə-ˌtōd\ noun: any of a phylum (Nematoda or Nemata) of elongated cylindrical worms parasitic in animals or plants or free-living in soil or water (also called roundworm)

Etymology: Greek nēmat-, nēma thread + -ode in the nature of

Don’t mistake a toad for a nematode; it makes the toad angry.

Griseous

griseous \grĭz'ē-əs\ adjective: gray, pearl-gray or mottled with gray

Etymology: Medieval Latin grīseus, of Germanic origin

Skillet good an’ griseous…

Popliteal

popliteal \ˌpä-plə-ˈtē-əl or pä-ˈpli-tē-əl\ adjective: of or relating to the back part of the leg behind the knee joint

Etymology: New Latin popliteus, from Latin poplit-, poples knee joint, back of the knee

The medical term popliteal fossa refers to the knee pit, but English doesn’t have a common, non-medical term for that part of the body the way, say, German has with its Kniekehle.

Axillary

axillary \ˈak-sə-ˌler-ē\ adjective: of, relating to, or located near the armpit

Etymology: Latin, diminutive of ala wing, upper arm, armpit

The noun axilla is another word for the armpit itself. (The stress is on the second syllable.)

gavial

gavial \ˈgā-vē-əl\ noun: gharial, i.e. a large long-snouted crocodilian (Gavialis gangeticus of the family Gavialidae) of India

Etymology: French, modification of Bengali ghãriyal or Hindi gharyal, ultimately from Sanskrit ghantika crocodilian

The gavial’s snout is super-skinny, like a croc with a nose job.

Abstemious

abstemious \ab-ˈstē-mē-əs\ adjective: marked by restraint especially in the consumption of food or alcohol; also: reflecting such restraint {an abstemious diet}

Etymology: Latin abstemius, from abs- from, away, off + root of temetum intoxicating drink

Do you exercise abstemiousness in any of your endeavors?

Larker

larker \ˈlär-kər\ noun: : one who engages in harmless fun or mischief

Etymology: see yesterday’s post

You have your larkers and you have your carkers. Which are you: a larker or a carker?

Larksome

larksome \ˈlärk-səm\ adjective: playful

Etymology: probably alteration of English dialect lake, laik to frolic, play

Wikipedia suggests a second possible word origin: “Shortening of skylark, sailors’ slang for playing rough in the rigging of a ship (because the common European larks were proverbial for high-flying).”

Circumlocution

circumlocution \ˌsər-kəm-lō-ˈkyü-shən\ noun: 1. the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea,
2. evasion in speech

Etymology: Middle English circumlocucyon, from Latin circum- around, about (from circus circle) + locutio speech (from loqui to speak)

I’m surprised circumlocution hadn’t been featured in Sklonklish before today.

Humbug

humbug \ˈhəm-ˌbəg\ noun: 1. something designed to deceive and mislead, 2. a willfully false, deceptive or insincere person,
3. an attitude or spirit of pretense and deception,
4. nonsense; drivel

Etymology: hum delude, impose, cajole + bug specter, goblin

This etymology really delivers the goods. What more could you want?

Lumbago

lumbago \ˌləm-ˈbā-(ˌ)gō\ noun: acute or chronic pain (as that caused by muscle strain) in the lower back

Etymology: Latin, from lumbus

Lumbago sounds like the name of dance, although dancing might be the last thing on your mind if you suffered from it.

Parlous

parlous \ˈpär-ləs\ adjective: 1. (obsolete) dangerously shrewd or cunning, 2. full of danger or risk; hazardous {the parlous state of the country}

Etymology: Middle English, alteration of perilous

You and your parlous parlor games…

Freshet

freshet \ˈfre-shət\ noun: 1. (archaic) stream, 2. a great rise or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow, 3. a swelling quantity; influx {summer brings a freshet of tourists}

Etymology: Archaic English fresh stream or pool of freshwater + -et small one

A fleshet is an overflowing of meat.