Word of the Day
pandiculation
noun
the act of stretching oneself, especially on waking.
Why the Museum of Science chose pandiculation
Pandiculation has been observed in most vertebrates, cold and warm-blooded. To find out more about pandiculation, watch this video from science communicator Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D.
Learn more fun facts at the Museum of Science.
More about pandiculation
Pandiculation, “the act of stretching oneself,” comes from the Latin verb pandiculārī, “to stretch, grimace,” which derives from pandere, “to spread out, extend.” Pandere has three stems in English: pand-, pans-, and pass-. We can find pand- and pans- in expand and expansion, while pass- appears in compass and passport. Unfortunately, pandiculation is not related to panda, which was borrowed from one of the languages spoken in Nepal. Pandiculation entered English in the early 17th century.
EXAMPLE OF PANDICULATION USED IN A SENTENCE
After a long session of pandiculation, the bleary-eyed panda rose and set off in search of breakfast.
More about strigiform
Strigiform, “of or pertaining to owls,” is based on Latin strix (stem strig-), “screech owl,” which comes from Ancient Greek stríx, “owl,” of uncertain origin. Stríx is one of several Ancient Greek words for “owl” (compare scops owl) that are likely of pre-Greek origin, coming from a long-lost language of the eastern Mediterranean. For another example of a pre-Greek word, check out the Word of the Day dithyrambic. Stríx also gives rise to Latin striga, which has a variety of macabre senses, from “evil spirit” to “vampire” to “witch.” Strigiform was first recorded in English in the late 1870s.
EXAMPLE OF STRIGIFORM USED IN A SENTENCE
In the fresco, Athena appears surrounded by wide-eyed strigiform figures, probably to underscore her association with wisdom.
cryptomnesia
noun
the phenomenon of not recognizing the return of an old memory as a product of memory, but instead regarding it as a new or original thought or idea.
More about cryptomnesia
Cryptomnesia, “the phenomenon of regarding an old memory as a new idea,” is based on crypto-, “hidden, secret,” and Ancient Greek mnêsis, “memory.” Crypto-, ultimately from Ancient Greek krýptein, “to hide,” is of unclear origin. Confusing matters further is the resemblance between krýptein and kalýptein, “to cover,” which is the source of eucalyptus (literally “well covered”) and possibly Calypso, a sea nymph in the Odyssey. Mnêsis is also the source of the Word of the Day hypermnesia and is distantly related to a range of thought-related words containing m followed by n, including mantra, mental, mind, and mnemonic. Cryptomnesia was first recorded in English at the turn of the 20th century.
EXAMPLE OF CRYPTOMNESIA USED IN A SENTENCE
One member of the study group, clearly experiencing cryptomnesia, suggested an idea that he didn’t realize he had heard in a news story earlier that day.