Words & Stuff

"Fossicking" is an Australian and Cornish (Cornwallish? Cornwallian?) term for prospecting. In Australia, it can apparently also mean "rummaging." Encountered it in a cover letter for a story submitted to...

Wikipedia says that "palilalia" is "the repetition or echoing of one's own spoken words." It can sometimes be a symptom of Tourette Syndrome. I already knew that coprolalia (involuntary swearing)...

According to Urban Dictionary and other sources, one's "wheelhouse" is an "area of expertise." I gather it's used similarly to "forte" or "strong point" or "metier."...

"Griesel" is apparently another term for biodiesel, more specifically for vegetable oil used as diesel fuel. I first encountered the term in a story submitted to SH; did a web...

Hurling is Ireland's second-most-popular sport (after Gaelic football). It involves hitting a ball with a stick to score goals; I get the impression it's vaguely related to field hockey. According...

"Hypsography" is the measurement and mapping of topographical elevation. (I wrote this note in late 2006, but neglected to post it. So the word is no longer exactly new to...

To "schvitz" is to sweat; more commonly, a schvitz is a steam bath, as one might take in a sauna....

It's possible I've heard this one before, but I like it too much to pass it up, and I don't think I ever knew what it meant before. A "cacoëthes"...

Apparently, in British slang, to "have the hump" is to be "annoyed or upset with someone," according to The Free Dictionary. I wonder if the phrase derives ultimately from Kipling....

In a comment thread for a YouTube video, someone named "DarthMauricius" wrote (on December 19, 2007): "This is the lolest video ever" The meaning is obvious; I'm just pleased and...