satnav
This is one of those words that I'm reluctant to list because it's such an obvious alteration of well-known words. On the other hand, it's one of the few words...
pessary
A "pessary" is a vaginal suppository, or any of various devices worn in the vagina for various purposes. Ultimately from Greek "pessos," which MW11 says is an "oval stone for...
chook
I'm sorry for the hiatus. One of those things where the longer I went without posting here, the more uncertain I got about the whole enterprise. I have some ideas...
haltere
The halteres are a pair of organs in a fly that "function as sensory flight stabilizers." (To quote from MW10.) Now that I write that, I have a vague idea...
statite
According to Wikipedia, a statite is a hypothetical type of artificial satellite that employs a solar sail to continuously modify its orbit in ways that gravity alone would not allow....
defiled
I don't usually open 419-scam emails, but I happened to glance at this one, and was amused at a particular phrase: Dear Sir/Ma, My name is Mr.Gat Butu I am...
googly-eyed ogle
There's been some discussion on a mailing list lately about pronunciation of "ogle." I've always pronounced "ogle" to rhyme with "mogul," and it bugs me every time I hear it...
Limbo
I always used to mix up Limbo and purgatory. Well, okay, to be honest I still do. But now at least I know that "Limbo" is called that because the...
craton
A "craton" is a part of the Earth's crust that's particularly old and stable. They're apparently often found at the heart of a continent or ocean. I don't know that...
caltrop
I've known what caltrops were since I was a kid: those four-pointed metal things, scattered in roadways to damage tires or hooves or feet. But as with so many words,...