Greetings, Word Lovers! The last WOW was semelparous. According to Merriam-Webster online, semelparous means reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime. If you know the hubby, then you’re probably wondering why I didn’t know this word. If he knew it, I don’t recall him telling me what it meant, either. However, as bad as my memory is getting, he probably did!

This week’s WOW is somnolent. Here are my guesses for somnolent:

somnolent: (ˈsäm-nə-lənt) 1. able to sleep 2. sleepy 3. the state of becoming violent when you don’t have Xanax at night

What’s your guess for somnolent? Comment below with your guess!

Next Post: Logging Off…

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Last week’s WOW was phreaker. No one seemed to have a guess for this one and honestly, that’s a relief to me. I was starting to think my vocabulary was quite limited since many have known the recent Words of the Week! Don’t get me wrong–I thoroughly enjoy it whenever you comment and do know it–it’s just a relief that occasionally we are both learning a new word!

Here’s what Merriam-Webster says about phreaker: one who gains illegal access to the telephone system. I guess that’s the phone version of hacker? If so, then I’m anti-phreak.

This week’s WOW is semelparous. Here are my guesses for it:

semelparous (se-ˈmel-pə-rəs) 1. half transparent 2. someone who is semi-enthusiastic about Paris 3. a state that occurs when your pores are only half clogged

What are your guesses for semelparous? Comment below to educate me!

Next Post: Pictures!

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Howdy, Word Lovers! Last week’s WOW was jocose. The DD says she knows this one. According to her, it means playful or silly. Let’s see if she’s right.

Merriam-Webster’s definition is: given to joking; merry; characterized by joking, or humorous. Pretty darn close–especially that silly part. Wish I had the daughter’s vocab!

What are your guesses for nescience? Comment below and see if you’re right next week!

Wednesday’s Post: Endless Trim…

Welcome back, Word Lovers! Last week’s WOW (Word of the Week) was flocculate. Merriam-Webster Online says that flocculate is to cause to aggregate into a flocculent mass. Don’t you just love it when the dictionary does this to us–gives us a definition using another form of the very same word we didn’t know in the first place?! So, if you didn’t click on flocculent up above, here’s the definition for flocculent: resembling wool especially in loose fluffy organization or containing, consisting of, or occurring in the form of loosely aggregated particles or soft flakes.

Good morning, Word Lovers! Last week’s WOW was veld. According to Merriam-Webster Online, veld means a grassland especially of southern Africa usually with scattered shrubs or trees. The father-in-law was in “the vicinity” with his guess, but I don’t think any of us would have guessed that this term is specific to a particular geographic area.

This week’s WOW is flocculate. Here are my guesses for flocculate:

flocculate (ˈflä-kyə-ˌlāt) 1. the act of birds flocking together. 2. spraying probable ozone-depleting carcinogens on a Texan Christmas tree in an effort to keep all the needles from falling off the week before Christmas 3. speculating about who will get a birdie on the golf course next 4. a word one should say very, very carefully

What are your guesses for flocculate? Comment below!

Wednesday’s Post: Aiding a Kitchen…

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Good evening, Word Fans! (Okay, so I’m late with this post…)

Last week’s WOW was blench. Merriam Webster Online says that blench means: to draw back or turn aside from lack of courage or to flinch. Ummm….this begs the question: Why not just use the word flinch??? It’s the same number of letters. In fact, with the exception of two letters, it’s the same friggin’ word! Clearly, MaryAnn is not a part of the word wizarding team at Merriam-Webster when they’re deciding what words to label “archaic” in their dictionary. I suppose now that most of us look up the words online anyway, deleting out-of-use words from the dictionary is not a particularly cost-saving venture anymore. But, still!

This week’s WOW is agon. Why do I have this weird feeling all my favorite MIP readers are going to know this one??? Heck, I feel like I should know it, too, so here are my guesses (both serious and not so serious) for agon:

agon (ˈä-ˌgän) 1. the condition or state of someone or something being gone 2. how a Southerner refers to processing cheese and/or wine 3. all gone 4. argon gas once it has started dissipating (Think about it–it will hit you later.)

What’s your definition of agon? Comment below with your guess!

Wednesday’s Post: Cabinetry at the Cabin

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Howdy, Word Nerds! Last week’s WOW (Word of the Week) was haplology. Merriam-Webster Online says that the definition for haplology is: contraction of a word by omission of one or more similar sounds or syllables (as inmineralogy for hypothetical mineralology orˈprä-blē for probably).

Since I’m a “probly” kind of person (Is that a midwestern thing???), it’s good to know why I do it!

This week’s WOW is imprimatur. My guesses for it are as follows:

imprimatur (im-prə-ˈmä-tu̇r) 1. an imprint amateur 2. a person knowledgeable about primitive art 3. a connoisseur of impressive food

What’s your guess for imprimatur? Let me know by submitting a comment below this post.

Wednesday’s Post: The Joanna Gaines effect…

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Good morning, Word Nerds! Last week’s WOW (Word of the Week) was cybrarian. Here’s what Merriam-Webster Online says is the definition for said WOW: a person whose job is to find, collect, and manage information that is available on the World Wide Web. I guessed a “cyberspace librarian,” so can I count that as a “win”??? (Let’s be honest–I don’t get that many wins!)

This week’s WOW is haplology. Here are my guesses for haplology:

haplology: (ha-ˈplä-lə-jē) 1. the study of happiness 2. the study of unlucky people 3. the biology of haplos (whatever that is)

What’s your guess for haplology? Post a comment below to let me know how smart you are!

Wednesday’s Post: Becoming a log home cybrarian...

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Howdy, Word Nerds! If you’re wondering where my posts have gone, it’s called a busy life on several fronts. So, sue me–I took a brief vacation from writing!

Last week’s WOW was caparison. Merriam-Webster Online says there are 2 definitions:

1. a :  an ornamental covering for a horse b :  decorative trappings and harness

2. rich clothing :  adornment

Quite clearly none of my horse owner friends read this blog! Of course, the fact that I rarely (if ever) reference horse stuff here has absolutely nothing to do with that.

This week’s WOW is cybrarian. Here are my guesses for cybrarian:

cybrarian: (sī-ˈbrer-ē-ən) 1. an employee of a circular library 2. a cyberspace librarian 3. Marion the Libarian’s and Harold Hill’s son, Cy.

What’s your guess for cybrarian? Post a comment below to let me know the REAL definition.

Wednesday’s Post: Logging Miles…

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Happy 4th of July, everyone! Happy 240th Birthday, America!

We interrupt my normal Monday posts for a word we all say we know. However, I think that on this special day, it’s smart to remind ourselves what we’re celebrating.

Because our founding fathers (and mothers!) gave us freedom of speech, it’s easy to state how dissatisfied we are with our country currently. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that we need to change some things about our country. In doing that we often begin to question whether or not our founding principles are still valid.

I suggest they are still as valid today as they were 240 years ago. We still need to guard against tyranny by another regime far, far away from our borders. We still need to keep our government in check when it gets excessive. We still need to allow people to worship whoever and however they like. We still need to promote the general welfare. Is that easily accomplished?

Of course not. It wasn’t 240 years ago, either. People died defending these rights. Friends. Family members. Children. People lost homes and farms and businesses. It was chaos.

But out of chaos came something truly unusual and beautiful. Respecting others and defending this grand experiment we call a democracy.

So, it bears repeating the Merriam-Webster’s Online definition of patriotism:

patriotism: (ˈpā-trē-ə-ˌti-zəm) love for or devotion to one’s country

Despite the rancor of this year’s politics, patriotism is still in the top 10% of popularity for English words. Perhaps even more interesting are some of the synonyms and antonyms for patriotism:

Synonyms: constancy, faithfulness, loyalty, steadfastness, passion

Antonyms: desertion, falseness, treachery

Let’s strive for a few of those synonyms this day and every day especially as we elect a new President this year. The world could use a little constancy, faith, loyalty, steadfastness, and passion.

Be safe!

Wednesday’s Post: More news from Solitude...

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