isnotnull has adopted no words, looked up 0 words, created 22 lists, listed 953 words, written 20 comments, added 0 tags, and loved 95 words.
isnotnull has adopted no words, looked up 0 words, created 22 lists, listed 953 words, written 20 comments, added 0 tags, and loved 95 words.
Comments by isnotnull
isnotnull commented on the word nefandous
As noted in Lurking in Lovecraft by laiane, an obsolete variation of nefandous is used by H.P. Lovecraft in "The Dreams in the Witch House." Lovecraft actually uses the word infandous which, while obsolete, is closer to the Latin infandus. I find the Oxford English Dictionary definition of nefandous to be more inclusive and quote it as follows:
February 16, 2024
isnotnull commented on the word palaeogean
Palaeogean is used by H.P. Lovecraft in The Mound. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, palaeogean is an adjective meaning:
The Origin of palaeogean is:
February 12, 2024
isnotnull commented on the word armigerous
Armigerous is a rare, but excellent adjective used by H.P. Lovecraft in The Dunwich Horror to describe the few old families still residing in the fictional town of Dunwich.
February 9, 2024
isnotnull commented on the word in articulo mortis
in articulo mortis
Adverb
At the moment of death. Compare the article of death.
Origin
late 16th century; earliest use found in Lewes Lewkenor (d. 1626). From post-classical Latin in articulo mortis from classical Latin in + articulō, ablative of articulus + mortis, genitive of mors death
December 7, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word nil admirari
nil admirari
Noun
The attitude of indifference to the distractions of the outside world advocated by the Roman poet Horace.
Technical Note: Occasionally used irregularly as an infinitive phrase: to admire nothing.
Origin
mid 17th century; earliest use found in Henry Hammond (1605–1660), Church of England clergyman and theologian. From classical Latin nīl admīrārī, in nil admirari prope res est una…quae possit facere et servare beatum, ‘to wonder at nothing is just about the only way a man can become contented and remain so’ (Horace Epistles 1. 6. 1) from nīl + admīrārī
December 7, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word supererogation
supererogation
noun
the performance of more work than duty requires
Example: To maximize profits is for management not an optimal exercise or a work of supererogation.
Origin
early 16th century: from late Latin supererogatio(n-), from supererogare pay in addition, from super- over + erogare pay out
November 25, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word laconic
Chuck Palahniuk's prose is laconic.
November 21, 2023
isnotnull commented on the user isnotnull
Thank you ruzuzu for your kind comment about my lists. I do try to have fun collecting words. Otherwise the life of a logophile can become dull.
November 18, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word balm of Gilead
Balm of Gilead was a rare perfume used medicinally, that was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and named for the region of Gilead, where it was produced. The expression stems from William Tyndale's language in the King James Bible of 1611, and has come to signify a universal cure in figurative speech.
Source: Wikipedia
My favorite reference to the Balm of Gilead comes from Edgar Allan Poe's poem, The Raven
November 16, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word ratiocination
Edgar Allan Poe is said to have called the 1841 story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" his first "tale of ratiocination." Many today agree with his assessment and consider that Poe classic to be literature's first detective story. Poe didn't actually use ratiocination in "Rue Morgue," but the term does appear three times in its 1842 sequel, "The Mystery of Marie Roget." In "Marie Roget," the author proved his reasoning ability (ratiocination traces to ratio, Latin for "reason" or "computation"). The second tale was based on an actual murder, and as the case unfolded after the publication of Poe's work, it became clear that his fictional detective had done an amazing job of reasoning through the crime.
November 15, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word acerbic
(especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright.
An acerbic wit.
November 1, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word eloi
The Eloi are one of the two fictional post-human races, along with the Morlocks, in H.G. Wells' 1895 novel, The Time Machine. Eloi live a banal life of ease on the surface of the Earth while the Morlocks live underground, tending machinery and providing food, clothing, and inventory for the Eloi. With all their needs and desires perfectly fulfilled, the Eloi have slowly become dissolute and naive: they are described as smaller than modern humans, with shoulder-length curly hair, pointed chins, large eyes, small ears, small mouths with bright red thin lips, and sub-human intelligence. They do not perform much work, except to feed, play, and mate, and are characterized by apathy.
Reference: Wikipedia's entry for Eloi
October 13, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word ergophobia
Ergophobia seems to be more common now than it was when I was a youth who delivered newspapers after school.
October 13, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word polemicist
polemicist: noun
1. a person who engages in controversial debate.
It's a pet peeve of mine to see words defined using derivative terms, as in polemicist being defined as a person skilled or involved in polemics.
September 19, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word iconoclast
Author Robert O. Paxton, in his book titled “The Anatomy of Fascism,” uses the term iconoclast to describe Friedrich Nietzsche and later generations of philosophers such as Sartre and Foucault. In my humble opinion, if there is any one philosopher who most embodies the term iconoclast, it is Nietzsche.
September 19, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word philology
I prefer the Linguistic definition of philology as the branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical development, and relationships of a language or languages.
Friedrich Nietzsche, after losing his faith, became a professor of classical philology.
September 19, 2023
isnotnull commented on the list euphonious-words
Well done, heyniceaddressI love not just the mellifluent title of this list, but also many of the words contained herein.
September 19, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word precipitancy
Am I the only one who chafes at using a word to define its derivative or vice-versa? As in precipitancy being defined as: "The quality of being precipitant."
September 15, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word equitable
Not to be confused with equable which means "not easily disturbed or angered; calm and even tempered."
September 15, 2023
isnotnull commented on the word equable
Not to be confused with equitable, meaning "fair and impartial."
September 15, 2023