Here\’s the new words I found in my reading during the week:
From Adventures of a Zoologist:
Noncom– \”… we watched through the windows as noncoms fried steaks on a grill among the snowdrifts.\”
Definition: a subordinate officer appointed from enlisted personnel
Otolith– \”Students at Evergreen State College, on Puget Sound, are finding out what seals eat by examining fish otoliths in seal scats recovered from the beach.\”
Definition: a calcerous particle found in the inner ear; in bony fishes it forms a hard shape distinctive to each species
From Dolphin Chronicles:
Purview– \”Even in a boat it\’s difficult to track dolphins at sea for any length of time, and then we generally see only the surface of their lives- most of their activity takes place under water, beyond our purview.\”
Definition: range of vision, comprehension, or experience
Necropsy– \”They were about to perform a necropsy on Arrow, Jane said, and would let us know the results.\”
Definition: what an autopsy is called when performed on animals
Sobriquet– \”So what better sobriquet than Mikhal Baryshnikov\’s nickname?\”
Definition: an affectionate or humorous nickname (one of the dolphins was named Misha)
Gelid– \”A true athlete- triathlete, actually- with the smoothly muscled physique of a competitive swimmer, she swam regularly in the gelid waters of Monterey Bay.\”
Definition: very cold, icy
Umbrage– \”After some initial umbrage at the appellation, we decided to claim the title as our own: we were the dolphinettes, and proud of it.\”
U: feeling of anger, taking offense
Appellation: a name or title (see above usage)
For more wondrous words, visit the host of this meme at Bermudaonion\’s Weblog.