Most Frequently Looked-Up Words On Nytimes.com, 2009

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Sui Generis

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su·i ge·ne·ris (sū'ī' jĕn'ər-ĭs, sū'ē) pronunciation
adj.

Being the only example of its kind; unique: “sui generis works like Mary Chesnut's Civil War diary” (Linda Orr).
[Latin suī generis : suī, of its own + generis , genitive of genus, kind.]

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Solopsistic

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sol·ip·sism (sŏl'ĭp-sĭz'əm, sō'lĭp-) pronunciation
n. Philosophy.

1. The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified.
2. The theory or view that the self is the only reality.

[Latin sōlus, alone + Latin ipse, self + –ISM.]

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Louche

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louche (lūsh) pronunciation
adj.

Of questionable taste or morality; decadent: “The rebuilt [Moscow hotel] is home to the flashy, louche Western disco Manhattan Express” (Liesl Schillinger).

[French, from Old French losche, squint-eyed, feminine of lois, from Latin luscus , blind in one eye.]

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Laconic

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la·con·ic (lə-kŏn'ĭk) pronunciation
adj.

Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise. See synonyms at silent.

[Latin Lacōnicus, Spartan, from Greek Lakōnikos, from Lakōn, a Spartan (from the reputation of the Spartans for brevity of speech).]

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Saturnine

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sat·ur·nine (săt'ər-nīn') pronunciation
adj.

1. Having the temperament of one born under the supposed astrological influence of Saturn.
2.
1. Melancholy or sullen.
2. Having or marked by a tendency to be bitter or sardonic(Scornfully or cynically mocking): a saturnine expression on his face.
3. Produced by absorption of lead.

saturninely sat'ur·nine' ly adv.

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antediluvian

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an·te·di·lu·vi·an (ăn'tĭ-də-lū'vē-ən) pronunciation
adj.

1. Extremely old and antiquated. See synonyms at old.
2. Bible. Occurring or belonging to the era before the Flood.

[From ANTE– + Latin dīluvium, flood; see diluvial.]

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epistemological

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e·pis·te·mol·o·gy (ĭ-pĭs'tə-mŏl'ə-jē) pronunciation
n.

The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.

[Greek epistēmē, knowledge (from epistasthai, epistē-, to understand : epi-, epi- + histasthai, middle voice of histanai, to place, determine) + –LOGY.]

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shibboleth

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shib·bo·leth (shĭb'ə-lĭth, -lĕth') pronunciation
n.

1. A word or pronunciation that distinguishes people of one group or class from those of another.
2.
1. A word or phrase identified with a particular group or cause; a catchword.
2. A commonplace saying or idea.
3. A custom or practice that betrays one as an outsider.

[Ultimately from Hebrew šibbōlet , torrent of water, from the use of this word to distinguish one tribe from another that pronounced it sibbōlet (Judges 12:4–6).]

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penury

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pen·u·ry (pĕn'yə-rē) pronunciation
n.

1. Extreme want or poverty; destitution.
2. Extreme dearth; barrenness or insufficiency.

[Middle English penurie, from Latin pēnūria , want.]

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sumptuary

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sump·tu·ar·y (sŭmp'chū-ĕr'ē) pronunciation
adj.

1. Regulating or limiting personal expenditures.
2.
1. Regulating commercial or real-estate activities: sumptuary laws discouraging construction of large houses on small plots of land.
2. Regulating personal behavior on moral or religious grounds: sumptuary laws forbidding gambling.

[Latin sūmptuārius, from sūmptus , expense, from past participle of sūmere, to take, buy.]

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schadenfreude

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scha·den·freu·de (shäd'n-froi'də) pronunciation
n.

Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

[German : Schaden, damage (from Middle High German schade, from Old High German scado) + Freude, joy (from Middle High German vreude, from Old High German frewida, from frō , happy).]

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peripatetic

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per·i·pa·tet·ic (pĕr'ə-pə-tĕt'ĭk) pronunciation
adj.

1. Walking about or from place to place; traveling on foot.
2. Peripatetic Of or relating to the philosophy or teaching methods of Aristotle, who conducted discussions while walking about in the Lyceum of ancient Athens.

n.

1. One who walks from place to place; an itinerant.
2. Peripatetic A follower of the philosophy of Aristotle; an Aristotelian.

[Middle English peripatetik, from Latin peripatēticus, from Greek peripatētikos, from peripatein, to walk about, or from peripatos, covered walk (where Aristotle allegedly lectured) : peri-, peri- + patein , to walk.]

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abstruse

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ab·struse (ăb-strūs', əb-) pronunciation
adj.

Difficult to understand; recondite. See synonyms at ambiguous.

[Latin abstrūsus, past participle of abstrūdere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see ab–1 + trūdere, to push.]

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parlous

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par·lous (pär'ləs) pronunciation
adj.

1. Perilous; dangerous: “starting from scratch in parlous economic times” (Madalynne Reuter).
2. Obsolete. Dangerously cunning.

[Middle English, variant of perilous, perilous, from peril, peril. See peril.]

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enervating

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en·er·vate (ĕn'ər-vāt') pronunciation
tr.v., -vat·ed, -vat·ing, -vates.

1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: “the luxury which enervates and destroys nations” (Henry David Thoreau). See synonyms at deplete.
2. Medicine. To remove a nerve or part of a nerve.

adj. (ĭ-nûr'vĭt)

Deprived of strength; debilitated.

[Latin ēnervāre, ēnervāt- : ē-, ex-, ex- + nervus, sinew.]

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adenoidal

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ad·e·noi·dal (ăd'n-oid'l) pronunciation
adj.

1. Of or relating to the adenoids.
2. Suggestive of the vocal sound caused by abnormally enlarged adenoids: a singer with an adenoidal voice.

adenoid:A collection of aggregated lymphoid nodules that occur on the posterior wall and roof of the nasopharynx, hypertrophy of which constitutes adenoids.

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feckless

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feck·less (fĕk'lĭs) pronunciation
adj.

1. Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
2. Careless and irresponsible.

[Scots feck, effect (alteration of EFFECT) + –LESS.]

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solipsism

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sol·ip·sism (sŏl'ĭp-sĭz'əm, sō'lĭp-) pronunciation
n. Philosophy.

1. The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified.
2. The theory or view that the self is the only reality.

[Latin sōlus, alone + Latin ipse, self + –ISM.]

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ersatz

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er·satz (ĕr'zäts', ĕr-zäts') pronunciation
adj.

Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial: ersatz coffee made mostly of chicory. See synonyms at artificial.

[German, replacement, from ersetzen, to replace, from Old High German irsezzan : ir-, out + sezzan, to set.]

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fealty

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fe·al·ty (fē'əl-tē) pronunciation
n., pl. -ties.

1.
1. The fidelity owed by a vassal to his feudal lord.
2. The oath of such fidelity.
2. Faithfulness; allegiance. See synonyms at fidelity.

[Middle English fealtye, from Old French fealte, from Latin fidēlitās, faithfulness, from fidēlis, faithful, from fidēs , faith.]

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sanguine

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adjective
1. cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident: a sanguine disposition; sanguine expectations.
2. reddish; ruddy: a sanguine complexion.
3. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.
4. bloody; sanguinary.

Synonyms:
1. enthusiastic, buoyant, animated, lively, spirited.

Antonyms:
1. morose.

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sartorial

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–adjective
1. of or pertaining to tailors or their trade: sartorial workmanship.
2. of or pertaining to clothing or style or manner of dress: sartorial splendor.
3. Anatomy. pertaining to the sartorius.

adj. Of or relating to a tailor, tailoring, or tailored clothing: sartorial elegance.

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hagiography

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hag·i·og·ra·phy

1. Biography of saints.
2. A worshipful or idealizing biography.

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pandemic

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–adjective
1. (of a disease) prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area.
2. general; universal: pandemic fear of atomic war.
–noun
3. a pandemic disease.

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dauphin

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1. The eldest son of the king of France from 1349 to 1830.
2. Used as a title for such a nobleman.

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antebellum

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before or existing before the war, esp. the American Civil War.

ante: (prefix) before

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paroxysm

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–noun
1. any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion: paroxysms of rage.
2. Pathology. a severe attack or a sudden increase in intensity of a disease, usually recurring periodically.

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risible

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–adjective
1. causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.
2. having the ability, disposition, or readiness to laugh.
3. pertaining to or connected with laughing.

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interlocutor

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–noun
1. a person who takes part in a conversation or dialogue.
2. the man in the middle of the line of performers in a minstrel troupe, who acts as the announcer and banters with the end men.
3. a person who questions; interrogator.

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apotheosis

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1. the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god.
2. the ideal example; epitome; quintessence: This poem is the apotheosis of lyric expression.

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comity

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1. mutual courtesy; civility.
2. Also called comity of nations. courtesy between nations, as in respect shown by one country for the laws, judicial decisions, and institutions of another.

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Atreus

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A king of Mycenae, brother of Thyestes and father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.

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banal

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adjective
devoid of freshness or originality; hackneyed; trite: a banal and sophomoric treatment of courage on the frontier.

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profligacy

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–noun
1. shameless dissoluteness.
2. reckless extravagance.
3. great abundance.

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Sisyphean

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–adjective
1. of or pertaining to Sisyphus.
2. endless and unavailing, as labor or a task.

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inchoate

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–adjective
1. not yet completed or fully developed; rudimentary.
2. just begun; incipient.
3. not organized; lacking order: an inchoate mass of ideas on the subject.

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apoplectic

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–adjective
1. of or pertaining to apoplexy.
2. having or inclined to apoplexy.
3. intense enough to threaten or cause apoplexy: an apoplectic rage.

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neologism

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1. a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.
2. the introduction or use of new words or new senses of existing words.
3. a new doctrine, esp. a new interpretation of sacred writings.
4. Psychiatry. a new word, often consisting of a combination of other words, that is understood only by the speaker: occurring most often in the speech of schizophrenics.

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bildungsroman

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a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

A novel set in the formative years, or the time of spiritual education, of the main character.

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peroration

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–noun
1. a long speech characterized by lofty and often pompous language.
2. Rhetoric. the concluding part of a speech or discourse, in which the speaker or writer recapitulates the principal points and urges them with greater earnestness and force.

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fungible

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–adjective Law.
(esp. of goods) being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind.

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recondite

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1. dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter: a recondite treatise.
2. beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding; esoteric: recondite principles.
3. little known; obscure: a recondite fact.

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phlogiston

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A hypothetical substance formerly thought to be a volatile constituent of all combustible substances, released as flame in combustion.

–noun
a nonexistent chemical that, prior to the discovery of oxygen, was thought to be released during combustion.

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contretemps

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an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance: He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink

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appurtenance

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1. something subordinate to another, more important thing; adjunct; accessory.
2. Law. a right, privilege, or improvement belonging to and passing with a principal property.
3. appurtenances, apparatus; instruments.

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glut

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–verb (used with object)
1. to feed or fill to satiety; sate: to glut the appetite.
2. to feed or fill to excess; cloy.
3. to flood (the market) with a particular item or service so that the supply greatly exceeds the demand.
4. to choke up: to glut a channel.

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feckless

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1. ineffective; incompetent; futile: feckless attempts to repair the plumbing.
2. having no sense of responsibility; indifferent; lazy.