Questions tagged [obscure-terms]
The obscure-terms tag has no usage guidance.
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What is the general term for terms that end in -ian, -ist etc.?
All the terms with a definition starting with 'One who... ', what is the term to describe these terms?
Like, Occupation is the general term for a particular line of work; Mechanic, Doctor, Dentist, ...
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Is there a specific word/phrase for when you recognise a location from a film/TV/the News?
I'm thinking about the eerie feeling you get when you go to a place and you recognise that it was once plastered all over the news because a serious crime was committed there - or if a serious crime ...
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Ogan or Ocan meaning
Hello I have been searching the whole internet for the meaning of a word I have come across on a phone case. I provide the screenshot here, and I appreciate the help in your telling me the meaning of ...
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Is there a name for the misuse of a hyphen/dash?
I'm wondering if there is a name for the misuse of a dash in English Grammar. For clarity, I say 'dash' because I see them used in a way that the writer may think is an em dash, but more often writers ...
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What is the origin of the word "doh" (as seen in the world's first crossword puzzle)?
The first ever crossword puzzle was written by Arthur Wynne in 1913:
Image from Wikimedia Commons
It has several clues with obscure and obsolete answers, but I was able to find all of them in ...
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Is there an obscure word for a collector of obscure words?
I was reading a list on Mental Floss of "Obscure words for Collectors" with words like "Deltiologists" for people who collect postcards and "Arenophiles" for people who ...
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Unusual words used to denote a specific length of time? [closed]
I'm looking for unusual/uncommon words that refer to a period of time. Something like fortnight:
(chiefly UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, dated in North America) A period of 2 weeks. (...
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A long, obscure word with the meaning "abstruse, erudite, (of a text) difficult"
I have forgotten a particular word. It's very rare, but not so rare that it doesn't appear in online dictionaries—for instance, it appeared in Google Search's dedicated dictionary widget with its ...
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Term for a verse in which the last line is composed of the last words of the previous lines in that verse
I have been searching a while and I have a strong feeling there is a term for what I am describing but I cant find it!
An example of what I mean is,
Thank you for your time, and any help would be ...
user436880
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Nullifidan, heresiarch, latitudinarian-- Is there some database where I can find other obscure words describing "types" of people?
I only come across these really obscure words while reading. I really love the weight they carry. Do you know of any place where I can find more words of the same family? If not, do you know any other ...
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What's the difference between "cozen" and "bamboozle"?
We have:
cozen (verb)
1 : to deceive, win over, or induce to do something by artful coaxing and wheedling or shrewd trickery
and:
bamboozle (verb)
1 : to deceive by underhanded methods : dupe, ...
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"Specialize" as a transitive verb and an antonym for "generalize"
In mathematical writing, I would like to find a transitive verb that means to "apply a general theory to a special case in order to get a theory for this special case". In other words, it ...
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What is a term for crop/livestock, something raised for indirect value?
What is a term for crop/livestock, something raised for indirect value?
By indirect value I mean that you're getting (deriving, harvesting) a product from it. The raising of it is not itself the ...
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term for a word that describes itself
The Wiktionary definition of sesquipedalianism, usage (2), is given as follows:
(countable) A very long word.
And wouldn't you know it, sesquipedalianism is a very long word!
Sesquipedalianism is a ...
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Past Tense of Break Bread
According to this site (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Break%20bread), to "break bread" means to engage in amiable conversation. However, I cannot find a sufficiently reliable source ...
