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list of wwftds

Herein is a complete list of "wwftd"s™ dating from ca. 1987 to present. This started as a "word for the day up on the blackboard" sort of thing and has degenerated into its current form; irregular distribution to a mail list via e-mail...and now this. just a small edit to see what's what..

 Copyright © 1995-2020 -- Michael A. Fischer 
    wwftd email

P

pachycephalosaurus

[sci. L.(genus name) < ancient Gk, thick-headed lizard]

Paleontology  a bipedal herbivorous dinosaur of the late Cretaceous, characterized by a thickened, dome-like skull

pachydermatous

thick; callous, insensitive; thick-skinned

paedomorphism

retention in the adult of infantile or juvenile characters

pahoehoe

Hawaiian  /pa HO eh HO eh/ or /pa HOY HOY/  lava with a smooth glassy surface (compare a'a)

palamate

web-footed

palaveration

discussion

palaverous

full of or given to palaver: wordy, verbose

paleomnesia

[fr. Gk paleo-, ancient + -mnesia, condition of memory]

nonce-wd(?)  a good memory of events of the distant past

palfrey

a saddle horse, esp. a light easy-gaited horse suitable for a woman

palimpsest

writing material (as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times

palinode

1) an ode or song recanting or retracting something in an earlier poem

2) a statement retraction

palinoia

[fr. Gk pali-n, again + -noia, thought]  /pal ih NOI uh/

the compulsive repetition of an act as a way to master its performance

palooka

a clumsy, inept, or untalented boxer; a stupid, clumsy, or obnoxious person; oaf; lout

palpate

[probably by back-fromation from palpation]  to examine by touch

palpation

[fr. L. palpatio] an examination by touch, esp. medical

palter

[origin uncertain, perhaps related to paltry]  /POL ter/

archaic  1) to act insincerely or deceitfully: equivocate  2) (palter with) to trifle with

3) now rare  to haggle, chaffer

hence, paltering

palterer

[fr. palter + -er]  one who palters: a triffer; a huckster, a haggler

paludal

[fr. L. palus, swamp]  having to do with, or produced by, swamps or marshes

panache

dash or flamboyance in style; verve

pandiculation

a stretching out when drowsy or when waking; loosely used for 'yawning'

panegyric

an eulogistic oration or writing; a formal or elaborate praise

paneity

the quality of being bread; e.g., the paneity of the eucharistic bread

paneulogism

[fr. pan- + eulogy]  obs. rare  universal or indiscriminate praise

panglossian

[after Pangloss, the absurd, pedantic tutor of (Voltaire's) Candide < pan, all + Gk glossa, tongue]

often capitalized  blindly or naively optimistic

panjandrum

a powerful personage or pretentious official

panspermia

the theory that microorganisms or biochemical compounds from outer space are responsible for originating life on Earth and possibly in other parts of the universe where suitable atmospheric conditions exist

pantagruelism

1) a semi-serious philosophy of laughter

2) a cynical humor

pantarbe

[ab. Gk, some kind of precious stone]

obs.  a precious stone fabled to act as a magnet to gold: the stone of the sun

pantechnicon

Brit.  a usu. enclosed wagon or motortruck used for transportation of goods or animals; also : caravan

pantography

a general description of an object; an overview [other senses may apply]

pantophagous

[see next]  eating or requiring a variety of foods

pantophagy

[Gk pantophagia, indiscriminate eating]  the eating of all kinds or a great variety of food

pantophobia

the fear of everything

panurgic

[fr. a Gk word meaning knavish, ready to do anything; see also Panurge, a witty rascal and companion of Pantagruel in Rabelais's Pantagruel, from the same root]

rare  able or ready to do anything; skilled at all kinds of jobs

paperasserie

[F.] excessive bureaucratic procedure or paperwork; bureaucracy; red tape  (see also: bumf)

paphian

pertaining to elicit love: wanton

papilionaceous

1) resembling the butterfly

Bot.  2a) having a winged corolla somewhat resembling a butterfly, as in the blossoms of the bean and pea  b) belonging to the suborder of leguminous plants which includes the bean, pea, vetch and clover

papillote

[F.] /PA pe YOTE/

1) a greased paper wrapper in which food (as meat or fish) is cooked

2) Hist.  a small triangular piece of paper used as a curl-paper for damp hair

papuliferous

pimply

parachronism

[fr. Gk para- beyond + kronos, time]  /pa RAK ruh niz uhm/

an error in chronology; esp. the placing of an event later than its actual date

parachronistic

misdated, esp. dated too late

paraclete

[fr. L. paracletus < Gk paracletos]

1) capitalized  the Holy Spirit  2) allusively  an advocate; a comforter

paracme

[fr. Gk parakma, to be past the prime]  the point at which the prime is past (and decline has set in)

paradiastole

[L. paradiastole, putting together of dissimilar things]  /PAR eh DI es teli/

Rhet.  a figure of speech in which a favorable turn is given to something unfavorable by the use of euphemism or partial truth

paradiorthosis

[Gk, a marginal correction]  /parr uh dye or thoh sis/

obs. rare  a false correction

paraffle

Scot. obs.  an ostentatious display

paraleipsis

a figure of speech which implies something more serious by deliberately concise treatment (also written as paralepsis)

(e.g. "I don't have time to mention Representative Jones's other faults.")   [compare apophasis]

paralogism

a piece of false or erroneous reasoning; an illogical argument; a fallacy, esp. one of which the reasoner himself is unconscious (as distinct from sophism)

paramnesia

disorder resembling loss of memory: deja vu

paranymph

best man; bridesmaid

paraph

a flourish at the end of a signature

parapraxis

a slip of the tongue, a Freudian slip

paraprosdokian

[fr. Gk para prosdokian, contrary to expectations]  /par ah proze DOKE ian/

a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part

as in, I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it. - Groucho Marx

parasang

[Latin parasanga < Gk parasanges, of Iranian origin]

an ancient Persian unit of distance; about four miles (or 6 kilometers)

pareidolia

a type of illusion or misperception involving a vague stimulus which is perceived as clearly being something

parfilage

the unravelling of gold or silver thread from laces, epaulets, tassels, etc.; fashionable as a pastime among ladies, esp. in France, in the latter part of the 18th century

parisology

the deliberate use of equivocal or ambiguous words

paroemia

/puh REE mee uh/  a proverb, adage or saying

paroeomiographer

[L. paroemiographus]  (also paramiographer)  /Par a mi OG ra pher/

a writer or collector of proverbs

paronomania

[coined by Reginald Hill, after paronomasia]  a clinical obsession with word games

paronomasia

a play on words, pun; hence, paronomastic

paronomastic

relating to paronomasia, punning

parorexia

a craving for unusual foods

Parousia

[Gk, presence]  the second coming (of Christ)

parrhesia

[Gk]  1) boldness or freedom of speech  2) Rhet.  candid speech (sometimes considered a vice)

parthenolatry

virgin-worship (the Parthenon was the temple sacred to Athena, the virgin goddess)

partialist

[partial + -ist]

1) one that is partial to one side; specif.: a partisan

2) rare  a believer in or advocate of theological particularism, or exclusiveness

parti pris

[F., side taken] a preconceived opinion: prejudice

parton

a hypothetical particle that is held to be a constituent of nucleons

parvanimity

[fr. L. parvus, little + animus, mind]  /PAR vuh NIM i tee/

the state or quality of having a small or ignoble mind; pettiness; meanness  (opposed to magnanimity)

parvenu

one that has suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the manner associated with it; a pretentious snob of the nouveau riche

parvenue

a woman who is a parvenu

parviscient

[from L. parvus, small + scientem, knowing]  knowing little, uninformed

pasquinade

a lampoon posted in a public place; satire

passéist

[fr. F. passéiste : passé, the past]  contrast futurist

[adj]  having an excessive regard for the traditions and values of the past; backward-looking

[n] a person, esp. a writer or artist, with excessive regard for the traditions and values of the past; a backward-looking person

passerine

[L. passerinus of sparrows, fr. passer sparrow]

of or relating to the largest order of birds, comprising mainly songbirds of perching habits

passim

here and there

pastinaceous

[fr. L. pastinaca, parsnip]  obs. rare  of the nature of or akin to the parsnip

pataphysics

"The science of imaginary solutions, which symbolically attributes the properties of objects, described by their virtuality, to their lineaments" - Alfred Jarry, 19th Century French absurdist

 Joan was quizzical 
 studied pataphysical 
 science in the home...
    -Lennon/McCartney

patavinity

the use of local words or expressions; local pronunciation from the peculiar style or diction of Livy, the Roman historian, who was born in Patavium (now Padua)

patible

[fr. L. pati, to suffer + -ibilis]  obs.

1) capable of suffering or undergoing something  2) sufferable; tolerable; endurable

{found in Cockerham, Bailey, Johnson}

patootie

/pa TOO tee/  U.S. slang  a sweetheart, girl-friend; a pretty girl

suggested by sweetheart and sweet potato(?)

patrioteer

[patriot + -eer, cf. profiteer]  U.S. depreciative  an insincere, misguided, or false patriot: flag-waver

patulent

rare, see next

patulous

[L. patulus, from patere, to be open]  /PACH ul us/

1) Zool. and Med.  expanded; gaping (also fig.)  a wound with patulous margins

2) Bot.  spreading out   an old tree with patulous branches

patzer

[fr. G. patzer, a blunderer]  an inept chess player  

pauciloquence

[fr. L. pauci; few, little + loquent-em speaking]  rare  uttering few words, speaking briefly  

pauciloquy

[fr. L. pauciloquium, the fact of saying little]

archaic  brevity in speech hence, pauciloquent - that uses few words in speech; laconic

pavid

afraid; timid

pavisand

to display a formidable array of clothing and ornament; to flaunt one's appearance

pawky

[fr. obs. Eng. dial. pawk, trick]  chiefly Brit.  artfully shrewd: canny

peach

[v] to inform against: betray; to turn informer: blab

pear-shaped

[fr. earlier senses, shaped like a pear; rich, mellow]

chiefly Brit. colloq.  to go badly wrong, to go awry

peccable

liable or prone to sin

peccavi

[L., I have sinned]  /pe KAH wee/ or /~ vee/  an acknowledgment of sin

pecksniffian

selfish and corrupt behind a display of seeming benevolence: sanctimonious

peculate

embezzle (see also defalcate)

pedascule

archaic nonce-word  a contemptuous diminutive of 'pedant', coined (or discovered) by WS

peenging

[prob. an imitative alteration of whinging]

Sc. and n. Eng. regional  whining, complaining, moping; peevish

peevologist

[see next]  one who practices peevology

peevology

[peeve + -ology]

1) the collecting and public airing of language peeves  2) the study of such peevish behavior

peirastically

[Gk peirastikos, tentative]  in the way of attempt or experiment, tentatively

pejorate

[fr. L. pejorare to become worse, make worse]  to make worse: depreciate

pelagic

[fr. classical L. pelagicus, of the sea]  of or relating to the open sea, oceanic; also, pelagian

pelf

money, riches

pellucid

admitting maximum passage of light; reflecting light evenly

pencil-necked

[pencil + neck-ed]  orig. U.S. slang

having a pencil-neck; thin, underdeveloped; weak, effete, or excessively studious

NB: Freddie Blassie, late of the pro wrestling business, is said to have coined the phrase pencil-necked geek.

pendulate

[NL pendulum + -ate]  /PEN jul ate/

1) to swing as a pendulum  2) fig.  fluctuate, undulate

penelopize

to undo what you have earlier done, in so delaying a decision due upon completion

[after Penelope, the wife of Ulysses and the model of all domestic virtues]

penetralia

1) the innermost or most private parts, esp. of a temple or palace

2) hidden things or secrets

penny-farthing

an old bicycle with a huge front wheel

pennyworth

[penny + worth]  chiefly Brit.

1) a penny's worth; that which can be bought for a penny

2) a bargain  3) a small amount; a modicum

pentapopemtic

jocular  divorced five times

penultimate

next to the last

peotomy

amputation of the penis

peradventure

doubt, chance

percontation

[fr. L. percontari : to inquire, interrogate]  /per kon TAY shun/

archaic  a questioning or inquiry, esp. one which requires more than a yes or no answer

percrebrate

[fr. L. percribro, to sift thoroughly < cribrum, sieve]

obs. rare  to sift; pass through a sieve

percussedness

a nonce-word referring to a level of noisy carrying on

perdu

[adj]  remaining out of sight: concealed

[n] obs.  a soldier assigned to extremely hazardous duty

perdurable

1) very durable 2) eternal

perdurance

[fr. perdure + -ance]  (also, perduration)

the state or quality of being everlasting: permanence, persistence

perdure

[fr. L. perdurare  to endure, persist]  to continue; to survive

peregrinate

[adj] rare  having the air of one who has traveled or lived abroad: foreign

peregrinate

[vi] to travel, esp. on foot: walk

[vt] to walk or travel over: traverse

peregrinity

[fr. L. peregrinitas, foreignness, outlandishness, condition of being a foreigner or alien]

now rare  (considered to be a foreign word by Johnson)

foreignness in style, fashion, dialect, etc.; strangeness, outlandishness

perendinate

[fr. L. perendie, on the day after tomorrow]  /puh REN din ate/  rare 

a) [vt] to put off until the day after tomorrow, to defer from day to day

b) [vi] to stay from day to day, to make an indefinite stay

perestroik

[back-formation from Russ. perestroika]  to build, to restructure

perfervid

marked by overwrought or exaggerated emotion: excessively fervent

perfidious

faithless, disloyal: treacherous

perfricate

to rub thoroughly

pericope

[Gk perikope, section]  /puh RIH kuh pE/

a selection from a book; specif.  a liturgical reading for a particular day

peripatetic

walking about from place to place, pedestrian, itinerant

peripeteia

[Gk]  (also peripetia)  a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation, esp. in a literary work

periphrasis

using longer phrasing in place of shorter form of expression

perirrhanterium

[fr. Gk perirranth, to besprinkle]  rare  an instrument used for sprinkling holy water, esp. upon the newly baptised, or the font used for such  (cf. Lat. aspergillum)  [from the hogwash files]

periscian

[fr. Gk periskios, throwing a shadow all around]  /peh RIS kian/

rare  having shadows revolving all around, as happens during the course of a summer day in the polar regions

perissology

superfluity of words: pleonasm)

peristalsis

[fr. Gk peristaltikos, peristaltic]

Medical  successive waves of involuntary contraction passing along the walls of a hollow muscular structure (as the esophagus or intestine) and forcing the contents onward; also fig. and transf.

perlustrate

[fr. L. perlustrare : to travel through, to scrutinize]

to travel through and view all over; to survey thoroughly

perlustration

1) the act of inspecting, surveying, or viewing a place thoroughly; a comprehensive survey

2) the act of examining documents for purposes of surveillance; specif. the inspection of posted letters, etc.

permanganate

a salt of a dark purple color

pernickety

[origin unknown]  chiefly Brit.  characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details; fussy, meticulous, persnickety

pernoctation

[L.< pernoctare, to stay all night]  /per nak TAY shun/

the act of staying up all night; an all-night vigil

peroration

concluding part of a discourse; a highly rhetorical speech

perpension

[fr. L. perpensio]  careful weighing in the mind

give me the results of your perpensions - R.L.Stevenson

perpession

[fr. L. perpessio, endurance of suffering]  /per PES sion/

obs.  endurance of suffering

perpilocutionist

jocular  someone who talks through his hat

perpotation

[fr. L. perpotare, to drink heavily]

obs. rare  the act of drinking largely {Johnson, 1824}; excessive drinking

perquisquilian

[fr. L. quisquiliae, trifles, rubbish]  (cf. quisquilious)

obs. nonce-word  thoroughly worthless

perscrutation

[fr. L. perscrutari, to examine thoroughly]  a thorough examination: careful investigation

perseverating

[fr. L. perseverare, to persevere]   /pe(r) SEV uh rating/

repeating something insistently or redundantly

perseveration

continuation of something (as repetition of a word) usually to an exceptional degree or beyond a desired point; hence, perseverate, by back-formation  "perseverate, perseverate, perseverate.." - anon

persiflage

[see next]  frivolous, bantering talk

persiflate

[fr. F. persifler, to banter lightly]  rare  to indulge in persiflage, to talk banteringly

persifleur

[F., see also persiflate]

a person who indulges in persiflage: one given to frivolous banter especially about matters usually given serious consideration

Persil

[Persil, a brand of laundry detergent in UK]  of no interest in intelligence matters: clean

perspicacious

[fr. L. perspicere, see next]  of acute mental vision or discernment

perspicuous

[fr. L. perspicere, to see through]  /pur SPI kyu wus/

simple and elegant as well as clear

perstringe

[fr. L. perstringere, to bind tightly]

now rare (literary and archaic)  to censure or criticize; to pass strictures on

pertinacious

perversely persistent; stubbornly unyielding

peruke

17th - 19th century   a wig

pervicacious

very stubborn

pervigilation

[fr. L. pervigilare, to watch all night]  /per VIJ i lA tion/

obs.  a careful watching {Bailey}; a night vigil

pervious

[fr. L. pervius passable, accessible]  /PUR vee us/

1) permeable  2) archaic  accessible; open-minded

pesematology

the science of falling; e.g., feline pesematology is the science of falling cats

pessimal

[fr. L. pessimus, worst; after optimal]  worst, or least ideal; maximally bad

Pessimisterian

pessimism as a state of mind  (coined by Ian Rankin?)

pessimize

[fr. L. pessimus, worst]  /PES uh mize/

to take a negative view of; make the worst of; also, to act or speak in a pessimistic manner   cf. pessimal

petaflop(s)

[fr. peta-, one thousand million million + FLOPS, floating point operations per second]

a unit of computing power equal to one quadrillion operations per second

petard

a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall; a loud firework

petarding

[fr. petard, explosive]  rare  the action of setting off petards

pettifog

to act like a pettifogger

pettifogger

petty, quibbling, unscrupulous lawyer

pettifogulize

[fr. pettifogger]  nonce-word  to quibble; to use contemptible tricks

hence, pettifogulizer

phallocratic

[F. phallocratique]  /FAL uh KRAD ik/  relating to masculine power and dominance

also, phallocrat, phallocracy

phantomnation

[misinterpretation of 1725 quot.]  ghost word

appearance as of a phantom; illusion. (Obs. and rare.) Pope. {Webster 1864}

Pharisaic

1) of or belonging to the Pharisees

2) laying great stress upon the external observances of religion and outward show of morality, and assuming superiority on that account; hypocritical; self-righteous

pharos

[fr. Gk after Pharos, an island off Alexandria, Egypt, the site of an ancient lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World]

/FAR os/  any lighthouse or beacon to direct mariners

phatic

relating to discourse that is social rather than informative

philippic

tirade

phillumenist

a collector of match-books

philocalist

[fr. Gk philo- + kalos, beautiful]  rare  a lover of beauty

philodox

someone enamored of his/her own opinions

philography

the collecting of autographs

philogynist

a lover or friend of women; one who esteems women as the higher type of humanity

philologaster

an incompetent philologist; a dabbler in philology

philomath

a lover of learning; a scholar

philopolemic

disputatious, as of a person who loves to argue or debate

philoprogenitive

1) tending to produce offspring: prolific

2) of, relating to, or characterized by love of offspring

philosophaster

[post-classical L. philosophaster, person who dabbles in philosophy]  /feh LAS eh fast er/

a pretender or dabbler in philosophy  (cf. poetaster, philogaster, criticaster, grammaticaster)

philosophunculist

[fr. the Latinate form philosophunculus]  rare  a petty or insignificant philosopher (see also philosophaster)

philotimia

"love of honor" [one of Aristotle's ten moral virtues]

philter

love potion; magic potion

philtrum

the vertical groove in the middle of the upper lip

phiz

phisiognomy: face

phlogiston

the hypothetical principle of fire regarded formerly as a material substance

phlyarologist

[fr. ancient Gk phlyaros(?)  silly talk, nonsense]  /fly ah RAL ah gist (?)/

obs. nonce-wd  a person who talks nonsense

phobosophy

[fr. Gk phobos, fear + -sophia, knowledge]

neologism (1949)  fear of knowledge, or of abstract thinking  (hence, phobosopher)

phoenixity

the quality of being unique

phonus-bolonus

[alt. of phoney baloney, after L. nouns ending in -us]  nonsense, exaggeration; insincerity; fraud, trickery

phosphene

[Gk phos, light; + phainein, to cause to appear]  /FOS feen/

a sensation of light caused by excitation of the retina by mechanical or electrical means rather than by light, as when the eyeballs are pressed through closed lids

photokinesis

motion or activity induced by light

phreaking

[vbl. n.] the use of a telephone network without payment; now, generally, to use an electronic device to invade some type of network or system  [U.S., coined in the 60s - from modified spelling of 'freak', under the influence of 'phone']

phrontifugic

helping to escape from one's thoughts or cares; relieving anxiety

phrontistery

a place for study and contemplation

phthartic

[fr. Gk phthartikos, destructive]   /THOR tik/  obs. rare  deadly, destructive

phylogeny

(compare ontogeny)

evolution of the group; history or course of the development of something

piacular

1) sacrificial, expiatory  2) requiring expiation: sinful, heinous

piblokto

a winter-related hysteria and depression among the Inuit

picaroon

[Sp. picaron]  /pik uh ROON/

1) a rogue or adventurer; a bohemian  2) a pirate, corsair  3) a small pirate ship

picayune

1) a silver 5-cent coin struck by the U.S. mint from 1792-1873: half dime

2) something trivial:  not worth a picayune

pickelhaube

[G.]  /PIK el how bee/  a spiked helmet once worn by German soldiers  (file under: so that's what that's called)

pickthank

one who strives to put another under obligation; an officious person; hence, a flatterer

picktooth

obs.  a toothpick

picul

Chinese unit of weight (133.33 pounds)

pied-à-terre

[F., foot on ground]  /pyA da TAR/  a secondary or temporary place of lodging

pie-faced

[pie + faced]  orig. U.S. slang,  chiefly derogatory

having a round, flat face or a blank expression; stupid

a pair of pie-faced louts - A.J. Liebling

piepowder

[fr. F. pied-poudreux]  1) [adj] 'dusty-footed'; wayfaring, itinerant

2) [n] a. a traveling man, a wayfarer, esp. an itinerant merchant or trader; chiefly used in Court of Piepowders, a summary court formerly held at fairs and markets to administer justice among itinerant dealers and others temporarily present   b. attrib.  Piepowder Court = Court of Piepowders (in a.), of which the steward of him who owned or had the toll was the judge

pieriansipist

[Perian + sip + -ist]  neologism  a dabbler in learning: one who learns a little about many subjects, or 'sips' from the Pierian spring (a source of knowledge and inspiration, from the Muses)

pigritious

[fr. L. pigritia, sloth]  obs. rare  slothful; so, pigritude and pigrity - slothfulness

pig's ear

rhyming slang  beer

pigsney

1) darling, sweetheart

2) a small eye

pilgarlic

a bald head, bald-headed man; a man looked upon with humorous contempt or mock pity

pillion

[Scot. Gaelic pillean]  /PIL yun/

1) a pad or cushion for an extra rider behind the saddle on a horse or motorcycle

2) a bicycle or motorcycle saddle  (file under: so that's what that's called)

pilliwinks

an instrument of torture designed to crush fingers

pilpul

[fr. Heb. pilpel, to search, argue] /PIL pool/

a) casuistic argumentation especially among Jewish scholars on talmudic subjects

b) rabbinical dialectic  c) critical analysis and hairsplitting

pilpulistic

characterized by subtle reasoning

pinchbeck

something counterfeit or spurious

pinetum

a scientific collection or living coniferous trees

pinguid

[fr. L. pinguis, fat]  usu. humorous or affected

of the nature of, resembling, or abounding in fat; unctuous, greasy, oily; of soil  rich, fertile

pinguidity

[fr. post-classical L. pinguidus fatty, greasy]  /pin GWID ity/

now rare  fatty, greasy, or oily matter; fatness, obesity

pirogue

[F. fr. Sp. piragua]  a dugout canoe

piscary

[fr. L. piscis, fish]  fishery

piscicapture

capture of fishes, as by angling: fishing

piscicapturist

one who catches fish: fisherman

pisiform

resembling a pea in size or shape

pismire

[fr. the smell of the formic acid that ants secrete]  ant

pismirism

[with reference to the behaviour of ants in hoarding food]  /PIS mer izem/

nonce-word  the hoarding of money; miserliness

piste

[F. piste < It. pista, track]  /peest/

1) a beaten track or trail made by an animal; more generally, any track or trail

2) a hard packed ski trail or course

pistic

[fr. Gk pistikos, faithful < pistos, faith]  /PIS tik/  of, relating to, or exhibiting faith  pistic nard

pistology

branch of theology concerned with faith

pixilated

slightly unbalanced mentally, bemused

plagium

[L., kidnapping]  /PLAY jee um/  Civil Law  the crime of kidnapping (esp. of children); an instance of this

plagosity

[fr. L. plagosus, given to blows, fond of flogging]

obs. rare  the inclination or tendency to beat or flog people

plangent

having a loud, reverberating sound; having an expressive esp plaintive quality

plangonologist

a collector of dolls

plastinated

[fr. plastic, after plastination]  preserved by plastination

plastination

an embalming and preserving technique using synthetic materials such as epoxy or polyester polymers

plastography

rare  a counterfeiting or false writing: forgery

platitudinary

[fr. platitude, after e.g. latitudinary]

rare  characterized by or tending to use platitudes (usually seen in the form platitudinarian)

platypygous

Zool.  /plae ti PAI gus/  having broad buttocks

pleach

interlace, plait

pleather

[blend of plastic + leather]  faux leather, usually of polyurethane  compare naugahyde

pleionosis

[fr. Gk pleos, filled + L. nos, us (?)]  /PLAY o NO sis/

obs. rare  the exaggeration of one's own importance   (cf. nosism, egotism)

pleistodox

[fr. Gk. pleistos, most + doxa, opinion; after orthodox]

nonce-word  holding the opinion of the majority

plenary

complete, full (absolute)

plenipotentiary

[adj] 1) invested with full power  2) relating to a person so invested

pleonasm

the use of more words than necessary

pleonexia

avarice, greed, covetousness (regarded as mental disease)

plerophory

[fr. Gk plerophoria]  archaic  complete assurance; full conviction

plesiosynchronous

[fr. Gk plesios, near + synchronous]  nearly simultaneous; broadly  happening at the same time

plexor

the small, rubber-headed hammer that physicians use to test reflexes

plip

the remote control for some European roadsters, such as Peugeot, Renault, MG  [presumably from the sound made by the device]

pliskie

practical joke; trick

plonk

[perhaps alt. of F. vin blanc]  chiefly Brit. slang  /plongk/ cheap or inferior wine; short for earlier plink-plonk

plonker

[fr. plonk, to set down heavily or carelessly]  Brit. informal  a foolish or inept person

plotz

(Yiddish) 1) to sit down wearily, to flop; to slouch, loaf (around)

2) to burst; usu. in fig. senses, esp. to explode in anger

plumeopicean

[fr. L. plume-us, feathery + pice-us, pitchy + -an]

humorous nonce-word  composed of tar and feathers (alluding to the practice of tarring and feathering an obnoxious person)

plumpendicular

[blend of plumb line + perpendicular (fr. L. pendeo, to hang)]

obs. dial.  perpendicular (to the ground); hanging perpendicularly

plunderbund

political corruption  (coined by Adlai Stevenson?)

pluperfect

[fr. the L., more than perfect]  grammar  past perfect

pluterperfect

[perhaps a corruption of F. plus-que-parfait; ad. L. plus quam perfectum, more than perfect]

nonce-word  cf. pluperfect, (more than?) more than perfect

The pluterperfect imperturbability of the department of agriculture. - James Joyce, Ulysses

pluto

[fr. Pluto, the declassified planet]  to demote or devalue someone or something

plutomania

an abnormal desire for wealth

plutonian

of, relating to, or characteristic of Pluto or the lower world: infernal

plutonic

[fr. L. Pluto]  1) of deep igneous or magmatic origin: plutonic rocks  2) plutonian (relating to Pluto)

pluviose

[ad. L. pluviosus, rainy]  /PLU vee ose/

rare  marked by or regularly receiving heavy rainfall  a pluviose period; fig. tearful

hence, pluviosity, a state characterized by much rain

pluvious

rainy; heavy rainfall

pococurante

indifferent, nonchalant

pocosin

an upland swamp of the coastal plain of the southeastern U.S.

poculation

[fr. L. poculum, a drinking vessel]  /pok yoo LAY shun/  obs. nonce-word  the drinking of wine

poecilonym

[fr. Gk poikilo-, many-colored, variegated, various, a combining form in scientific terms + -nym, name]

one of various names for the same thing; a synonym

poecilonymic

having several names; synonymic

poecilonymy

the use of several names for the same thing; synonymy

poetaster

an inferior poet

po-faced

Brit.  humorless; excessively priggish

pogonip

dense winter fog containing frozen particles formed in deep mountain valleys

pogonology

the study of beards

pohutukawa

Maori  /po hutu KAwa/  a New Zealand evergreen which bears clusters of red flowers in December and January; thus called the Christmas tree

poietic

creative, formative, productive, active

polemology

[fr. Gk polemos, war + -logy]  /po luh MOL uh jee/

the science and study of human conflict and war  (compare irenology)

poliosis

graying of the hair

politicaster

a petty politician; a pretender in politics

poltroon

[Middle F. poultron, fr, Old It. poltrone]  an abject coward: craven

poltroonery

mean pusillanimity: cowardice

polymath

a person of encyclopedic learning

polynya

[Russian] an area of open water amidst sea ice, as in the Arctic

polyonymosity

[fr. polyonymous + -osity]  rare  the use of several different names for the same person or thing

polyphiloprogenitive

very prolific, spec. of a person's talent, imagination, inventive powers, etc.

polysemous

having multiple meanings

pompatus

[perhaps fr. puppetutes, coined by Vernon Green?]  nonsense word (or maybe not)

Some people call me the space cowboy. 
Yeah! Some call me the gangster of love. 
Some people call me Maurice, 
Cause I speak of the Pompatus of love.
  - Steve Miller, "The Joker"

("It doesn't mean anything--it's just jive talk.")

poncey

Brit.  1) effeminate  2) snobby, ostentatious (also poncy)

pong

[origin uncertain]  UK  a strong smell, usually unpleasant; a stink

pongy

[origin unknown]  /PON gy/

Brit. informal  having a strong, usually unpleasant smell; stinky, smelly

pons asinorum

[NL, asses bridge]  critical test of ability imposed on the inexperienced or ignorant

pool-pah

the wrath of god; a sh*t storm (coined by Kurt Vonnegut)

pootle

Brit. colloq.  to move or travel about in a leisurely manner (a blend of poodle and tootle)

popination

[fr. L. popinari, to frequent eating-houses]

obs. rare  an outrageous drinking; a haunting of taverns {found in Bailey (1623) and Phillips (1658)} (barhopping, according to Beyond Balderdash®)

porlock

to interrupt an artist engaged in aesthetic creation

pornocracy

government by harlots

porrect

Zool.  stretched out or forth; extended, especially forward   porrect antennae  [v] to extend; to present, to tender

portmanteau

traveling bag

portmanteau word

Linguistics  a word that is formed by combining two or more words (also called blend, portmanteau or frankenword)

posada

in Mexico, each of a series of visits traditionally paid to different friends during the days before Christmas, representing Mary and Joseph's search for lodging in Bethlehem

poshlost

[Russian]  /POSH lust/  a well-rounded, untranslatable whole made up of banality, vulgarity and sham; it applies not only to obvious trash (verbal and animate), but also to spurious beauty, spurious importance, spurious cleverness

posslq

/POS sul cue/  initialism  Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters

postmodernism

genre of art and literature and especially architecture in reaction against the philosophy and practices of modern movements that is typically marked by revival of traditional elements and techniques (but virtually meaningless in other contexts)

postpositive

[fr. L. postpositus, pple of postponere, to put after]   /post POZ i tiv/

[adj] a modifier placed after or at the end of a word  [n] a postpositive word

postprandial

[fr. post-, after + L. prandium: late breakfast, luncheon]  /post PRAN dee ul/

following a meal, esp. dinner  (cf. antejentacular)

pother

noisy disturbance, fuss; choking cloud of dust/smoke; mental turmoil

potsherd

[short for pottery shard] a pottery fragment

pottiness

[fr. potty + -ness]  (first attested to P. G. Wodehouse)

the state or condition of being potty

potty

chiefly Brit.  1) trivial  2) slightly intoxicated  3) addlebrained

pot-valiant

(also potvaliant)  bold or courageous under the influence of alcoholic drink

pot-walloper

1) a person who qualified to vote in parts of England by having boiled (walloped) his own pot for six months, thereby establishing residency

2) U.S. slang  one who cleans pots; a scullion

powfag

to tire bodily from overwork; to become worn out in mind from care or anxiety; to work to the point of exhaustion {Francis Taylor's Folk-Speech of South Lancashire, 1901}

prastuphulic

[unconfirmed]  heavyset, fat (with a hint of slatternliness)

praxeology

[fr. praxis + -ology]  the study of human conduct

praxis

[Gk]  exercise or practice of an art, science, or skill; customary practice or conduct

preantepenultimate

that precedes or stands immediately before the antepenult; the last but three, defined most often as 'fourth from the last', and applied to syllables

prebend

a stipend furnished by a cathedral to a chapter canon

precative

see precatory

precatory

[fr. L. precari, to pray]  /PREK uh tor E/

expressing entreaty, expressing a wish; also, precative

precess

[back-formation from precession (fr. L. præcedere, to precede)]  to move in or be subjected to precession

precession

Astron.  precession of the equinoxes; any motion analogous to that of the earth's axis or the earth itself in the precession of the equinoxes; e.g. the slow rotation of the axis of a top spinning rapidly in a sloping position

precisian

1) a person who stresses or practices scrupulous adherence to a strict standard especially of religious observance or morality

2) a Puritan

precisianist

see previous

prelapsarian

of or relating to the time before the fall of mankind

premonish

[pre- + monish (admonish), fr. L. monere: to warn]

now rare  to forewarn; to give warning in advance

prepensely

[by extension from prepense, which is usu. seen postpositionally (as, malice prepense)]

with premeditation: deliberately, purposely

preponderate

[fr. L. praeponderare to exceed in weight or influence]  /pri PON duh rate/

1) to exceed in weight: turn the scale

2) to exceed in influence, power, importance or numbers; predominate

presagition

[fr. L. praesagere, to forebode, portend]

obs.  an omen, a prognostication; (also) foresight, prevision

presenteeism

[after absenteeism] /prez un TEE iz um /

the fact or condition of being present, esp. at work; (a) the practice of working more hours than is required by one's terms of employment, or of continuing to work without regard to one's health, esp. because of perceived job insecurity; (b) the practice of attending a job but not working at full capacity, esp. because of illness or stress (usually opposed to absenteeism)

presque vu

[F., nearly seen]  a feeling that you are on the edge of grasping something very, very important

preterist

1) one whose chief interest is in the past; someone whose main pleasure is in reliving the past

2) Theol.  one who believes the prophecies of the Apocalypse to have been already fulfilled

preterition

1) the act of passing, or going past; the state of being past

2) Rhet.  paraleipsis

3) Law  the omission by a testator of some one of his entitled heirs

preterlapsed

[classical L. praeterlapsus]   /pre ter LAPST/  now rare  past, bygone; ended, over with

pretermit

1) to let pass without notice: omit

2) to leave undone: neglect

3) suspend, break off

preternatural

[fr. L. praeter naturam, beyond nature]

1) existing outside of nature: nonnatural; sometimes : supernatural

2) abnormal, exceptional  3) inexplicable by ordinary means

prevenient

[fr. L. praevenire, to precede]  1) preceding  2) anticipatory

priapic

phallic

pricket

a) a small point or spike for holding a candle upright  b) a candlestick having such a spike

pridian

of or pertaining to the previous day

primaveral

[fr. It. primavera, springtime]  rare  of or pertaining to the earliest springtime; also fig.

primogeniture

rights of the first-born

princox

a pert youth: coxcomb

priscianist

[fr. Priscian, a celebrated Roman grammarian]

arch. rare  a grammarian; (in extended use) a person who uses grammar cleverly in dissembling

procacious

[see next]  bold; impertinent

procacity

[fr. L. procacitas  pertinacity, obtrusiveness, impudence]  /pro KAS uh tee/

petulence; impudence

procellous

[L. procellosus, stormy < procella, a storm]  /pro CEL lous/

rare, now literary  tempestuous, stormy  {Bailey}

procerity

[fr. L. proceritas: height, tallness]  /pro SER udi/

now rare  tallness, loftiness, height

procrustean

marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances

proctalgia

a pain in the anus

prodnose

[fr. the name Prodnose, a pedantic and interfering character in the humorous columns of J.B. Morton]

[v] rare : to pry, to be inquisitive (more commonly found used in Britain as a colloq. noun or adj. used to refer to the British public)

prognathous

[fr. Gk pro- + gnathos]  of jaws or a lower jaw: prominent, protruding

prolepsis

anticipation: as

a) the representation or assumption of a future act or development as if presently existing or accomplished

b) the application of an adjective to a noun in anticipation of the result of the action of the verb  (as in: while yon slow oxen turn the furrowed plain)

proleptic

[ab. Gk proleptikos, anticipative]  /pro LEP tic/

of, pertaining to, or characterized by prolepsis or anticipation; anticipative, anticipatory

proleptically

by prolepsis: by way of anticipation; antecedently

prolix

long-winded; wordy

prolocutor

spokesman

proneur

[F.] one who praises another; an extoller, eulogist, flatterer

pronunciamento

[fr. Sp. pronunciamiento, a pronouncement]

a pronouncement, a proclamation, a manifesto; often applied to one issued by insurrectionists

propaedeutic

[fr. Gk propaideuein, to teach beforehand]  /pro pE DYU dik/

needed as preparation for learning or study; introductory to an art or science

logic is not philosophy; it is a propaedeutic discipline - Times Literary Supplement

propination

[f. L. propinatio, a drink to one's health]

obs. rare  the action of offering drink to another in pledging; the drinking to the health of someone

proprioception

[fr. L. proprius, one's own + (per)ception]  /PRO pree oh SEP shun/

the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself

prorogue

[fr. L. prorogare, to prolong, extend]  /pro ROGUE/  defer, postpone

prosody

the study of versification; esp: the systematic study of metrical structure

prosopolepsy

respect of persons; undue favour shown to a particular person, partiality

prosopopoeia

1) a figure of speech in which an imaginary or absent person is represented as speaking or acting

2) personification

prospicience

the act of looking foreward: foresight

prostibulous

pertaining to a prostitute, meretricious; addicted to the company of prostitutes

pro tanto

[LL., for so much]  [adv] to that extent; accordingly  [adj] commensurate, resultant

protean

1) of or resembling Proteus in having a varied nature or ability to assume different forms

2) displaying great diversity or variety: versatile

protervity

peevishness

prothalamion

a song in celebration of a marriage

prothonotary

a court clerk; a chief clerk of any of various courts of law

protopathic

of or relating to sensory nerve fibers that enable the perception of strong rather crude stimuli  (compare epicritic)

prudhomme

[F.] a trustworthy citizen; a skilled workman

psaphonic

planning one's rise to fame

psephologist

someone who pursues the scientific study of elections

psephology

the scientific study of elections

pseudandry

/SU dan dry/  the use of a masculine name by a woman as a pseudonym (not to be confused with pseudogyny)

pseudepigrapha

spurious writings, esp. writings falsely attributed to biblical characters or times

pseudepigraphy

the ascription of false names of authors to works

pseudoantidisestablishmentarianism

false opposition to the withdrawal of state support from an established church

pseudogyny

/su DAJ uh nee/  the use of a feminine name by a man as a pseudonym

pseudology

[fr. Gk pseudologia]  1) false speaking; the making of false statements, esp. when humorously represented as an art or system; the art of lying

2) the science or subject of false statements; a false or pretended science

pseudomorphosis

[fr. Gk pseudomorphos, disguising one's form]  Mineralogy  conversion into a false or deceptive form; by transf., forced into an abnormal state

psilanthropy

belief that Christ was not divine but divinely inspired

psilology

[alteration of philology; fr. Gk psilo- mere, bare]  /psi LOL o gy/

obs. nonce-word  (love of) empty talk

psittacism

/SiD eh sizem/  mechanical, repetitive (parrot-like) speech without thought of the meaning of the words spoken

psychasthenia

an incapacity to resolve doubts/uncertainties or to resist obsessions/compulsions that one knows are irrational

psychomachy

a conflict of the soul (as between good and evil)

psychomancy

divination by means of spirits

psychopomp

[fr. Gk psychopompós, conductor of souls]  /SAI koh pomp/

someone who conducts spirits or souls to the afterworld, as Hermes or Charon

psychrolute

[fr. Gk psychrolusia, bathing in cold water]  /SAI kruh lyut/

one who bathes in the open air daily throughout the winter; spec. a member of a society formed c. 1840 to promote this practice (thus, psychrolusia - bathing in cold water)

psychrolutist

[fr. L. psychrolutes]  obs. rare  an advocate of bathing in cold water

ptyalism

an excessive flow of saliva

pucelage

[F.]  /PU cel age/ obs  the state of being a girl; maidenhood, virginity

pudibund

[fr. L. pudibundus]  prudish

pudibundery

prudery, bashfulness

puggle

[freq. of pug (poke)]  chiefly dial.  [v] to clear out or stir up by poking

puggry

[Hindi pagi, turban]  /PUG gry/  (also puggree, etc.)

1) a turban worn in India

2) a light scarf wound around a hat or helmet to protect the head from the sun

puissance

power; potency; might

pulicous

[ad. L. pulicos-us, fr. pulex, flea]  (erroneously, pulicious)

archaic  abounding with fleas; fleay; so, pulicose : infested with fleas

pullulation

[fr. L. pullulare, to sprout]  1) germination  2) a rapid and abundant increase

pulverulent

[L., pulverulentus; fr. pulver-, dust + -ulentus, abounding in]  /pul VER yuh lent/

consisting of or reducible to fine powder; covered or looking as if covered with dust or powder: dusty, crumbly

pumpkinification

an apotheosis; a parody of deification: apocolocyntosis (the usual translation of apocolocyntosis, in Seneca's Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii, a parody of the deification of the emperor Claudius)

punctilio

minute detail of conduct; careful observance of forms

pundigrion

[origin unknown, but prob. the source of pun; perhaps a humorous alteration of It. puntiglio  equivocation, trivial objection]

obs. rare  a play on words; pun

punditocracy

[pundit + -ocracy]  /pun dih TOK ruh see/  a group of pundits who wield great political influence

pundonor

a point of honor

pungle

[fr. Sp. pongale, put it down]  /PUN gul/  to make a payment or contribution (of money)

punkah

a large fan suspended from the ceiling used esp in India

purblind

partly blind; lacking in vision, insight or understanding: obtuse

purdah

seclusion of women from public observation among Muslims and some Hindus

purfle

to ornament the border or edges of

purfler

one who purfles; spec. one who inlays the ornamentation in violins

The prince of purflers was Stradivarius. -- Grove Dict. of Music (1883)

purlieu

haunt; confine(s); an outlying or adjacent district; environ(s)

pursy

fat; characterized by arrogance arising from wealth

pusillanimous

lacking courage and resolution; marked by contemptible timidity

putz

dial.  in Penn. Dutch homes, a representation of the Nativity scene traditionally placed under a Christmas tree

puzzlepated

having or based on confused attitudes or ideas

puzzomous

[puzzom (poison) + -ous(?)]   (glossed as 'poisonous' in old glossaries)

disgustingly obsequious(?)

pygal

[Gk, the rump]  Anat.  pertaining to the rump

pygalgia

a pain in the buttocks, cf proctalgia

pygephanous

showing one's buttocks: mooning

pygophilous

buttock-loving

pyknic

characterized by shortness of stature, broadness of girth, and powerful muscularity

pyretic

of or relating to fever: febrile

pyriform

[fr. L. pirum, pear + -form]  pear-shaped; compare napiform

Pyrrhic

achieved at excessive cost   a Pyrrhic victory

[after Pyrrhus, king of Epirus who sustained heavy losses in defeating the Romans]

pyrrhonism

[fr. Gk skeptic philosopher Pyrrho]  /PIR eh nizem/  usu. capitalized

Philos.  the doctrine of the impossibility of attaining certainty of knowledge; absolute or universal skepticism; hence generally, skepticism esp. when total or radical

pysmatic

[fr. the Gk. word for question]  obs. rare  interrogatory, questioning

Pythia

[fr. Gk pythein, to rot]  the priestess of Apollo at Delphi

pythonic

[fr. Gk python, spirit of divination]

A.1) of or relating to divination; prophetic, oracular

2) of, relating to or like a python; huge, monstrous [Python, monstrous serpent killed by Apollo at Delphi]

B) of or relating to the Monty Python comedy group

C) of or relating to the Python programming language

pyx

1) a container for the consecrated Host

2) a box used in a Mint for deposit of sample coins

Q

qiviut

[Inuit qiviuq, down, underhair]  /KEE vee ut/

the soft wool of the undercoat of the musk ox

quacksalver

[obs. Dutch (now kwakzalver)]  /KWAK sal vur/  

a charlatan or quack; also transf.

quadragesimal

consisting of 40; specifically, in regard to a 40-day fast occurring during Lent

quadrigamist

[cf. L. quadrigamus, married four times]

one who has married four times; esp., one who has four wives or four husbands at the same time

quadrivium

[L., place where four roads meet]  /kwa DRIV eum/

the higher division of the seven liberal arts in the Middle Ages, comprising geometry, astronomy, arithmetic, and music (compare trivium)

quaesitum

[L.] that which is sought for; an object of search; the answer to a problem

quaggy

1) resembling a marsh; soggy  2) soft and flabby  (cf. quagmire)

quagswagging

[fr. quag, to quake + swag, to sway]  obs. rare  the action of shaking to and fro

quahog

[fr. Narraganset poquaûhock]  /KO hog/  a thick-shelled edible clam of the U.S.

quakebuttock

a coward

quale

[L., of what kind]  /KWA lee/  pl. qualia

a property considered independently from things having the property

qualisign

[fr. quali(ty) + sign]

Philos.  a term originally used by C. S. Peirce in his theory of signs; Peirce often used the designations legisign/sinsign/qualisign for concepts that lexicographers may designate as type, token, or tone

quant

[prob. short for quantitative]

slang  an expert in the use of math and related subjects, esp. in investment management and stock trading

quaquaversal

[fr. L. quaqua, wheresoever + versus, towards]  /kway kwuh VER sal/

mainly Geol.  turning or dipping in any or all directions

transf.  going off in all directions at once

quatopygia

[fr. L. quatio, to shake + Gk pyge, buttocks]  /kwah tuh PIJ ee uh/

the shaking of the buttocks when walking

quaver

a 1/8 note in music

querent

a questioner; specifically, one who seeks the advice of astrologers

querida

[Sp.] a sweetheart, darling: freq. used as a term of address (also querido, the male equivalent)

querimonious

complaining, querulous, apt to complain

questuary

[fr. L. quaestus, gain, profit]  (also quaestuary)   

 obs.  [n] one who seeks for gain  [adj] concerned with gain; money-making

quibbleism

rare  the practice of quibbling

quiddity

[fr. L. quid, what]  1) the essence of a thing or person: whatness  2) a trifling point: quibble

quiddle

[fr. L. quid, what]  (not to be confused with quibble) chiefly dialect  to trifle or waste time; to dawdle

quiddler

[perh. a blend of quiddity and fiddler or twiddler]  dawdler, trifler

quiddling

dawdling

quidnunc

[fr. L. quid nunc, what now]  one who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip, a busybody

quidnuncery

nonce-word  curiosity, love of news or gossip (also quid-nunc-ism)

quietism

a passive mysticism; a state of calmness or passivity

quincunx

an arrangement of things with one at each corner and one in the middle [of a square/rectangle]

quisquiliary

[fr. L. quisquiliæ fr. pl., waste matter, refuse, rubbish]

obs. rare  quisquilious

quisquilious

of the nature of rubbish or refuse; trashy, worthless

quisquos

perplexing

quixotry

visionary schemes; quixotic behavior

quodlibet

1) a philosophical or theological point proposed for disputation

2) a whimsical combination of familiar melodies or texts

quodlibetarian

someone who engages in elaborate arguments about theoretical fine points of any subject (for the sake of argument)

quondam

former

quonking

also quonk

imitative  noise (as from conversation) that disturbs or disrupts a television or radio program due to proximity to the microphones or cameras; or, noise from the sidelines that interrupts an athlete's (or a performer's) concentration

(both of these are validated Scrabble words)

quorate

[fr. quor(um) + -ate]  of a meeting: attended by a quorum; hence inquorate, not attended by a quorum

quotha

[alteration of 'quoth he']  archaic  used to express surprise or sarcasm, after quoting the word or phrase used by someone else

quotidian

commonplace; occurring every day

quotinoctian

occurring every night, nightly  (phony Latinate? compare quotidian)

quoz

archaic  queer; absurd

resume

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