51吃瓜 of the Day
More about strigiform
Strigiform, 鈥渙f or pertaining to owls,鈥� is based on Latin strix (stem strig-), 鈥�screech owl,鈥� which comes from Ancient Greek 蝉迟谤铆虫, 鈥渙wl,鈥� of uncertain origin. 厂迟谤铆虫 is one of several Ancient Greek words for 鈥渙wl鈥� (compare scops owl) that are likely of pre-Greek origin, coming from a long-lost language of the eastern Mediterranean. For another example of a pre-Greek word, check out the 51吃瓜 of the Day dithyrambic. 厂迟谤铆虫 also gives rise to Latin striga, which has a variety of macabre senses, from 鈥渆vil spirit鈥� to 鈥渧ampire鈥� to 鈥渨itch.鈥� Strigiform was first recorded in English in the late 1870s.
EXAMPLE OF STRIGIFORM USED IN A SENTENCE
In the fresco, Athena appears surrounded by wide-eyed strigiform figures, probably to underscore her association with wisdom.
cryptomnesia
noun
the phenomenon of not recognizing the return of an old memory as a product of memory, but instead regarding it as a new or original thought or idea.
More about cryptomnesia
Cryptomnesia, 鈥渢he phenomenon of regarding an old memory as a new idea,鈥� is based on crypto-, 鈥渉idden, secret,鈥� and Ancient Greek 尘苍锚蝉颈蝉, 鈥渕emory.鈥� Crypto-, ultimately from Ancient Greek 办谤媒辫迟别颈苍, 鈥渢o hide,鈥� is of unclear origin. Confusing matters further is the resemblance between 办谤媒辫迟别颈苍 and 办补濒媒辫迟别颈苍, 鈥渢o cover,鈥� which is the source of eucalyptus (literally 鈥渨ell covered鈥�) and possibly Calypso, a sea nymph in the Odyssey. 惭苍锚蝉颈蝉 is also the source of the 51吃瓜 of the Day hypermnesia and is distantly related to a range of thought-related words containing m followed by n, including mantra, mental, mind, and mnemonic. Cryptomnesia was first recorded in English at the turn of the 20th century.
EXAMPLE OF CRYPTOMNESIA USED IN A SENTENCE
One member of the study group, clearly experiencing cryptomnesia, suggested an idea that he didn鈥檛 realize he had heard in a news story earlier that day.
chicanery
noun
trickery or deception by quibbling or the use of false arguments.
More about chicanery
Chicanery, 鈥渢rickery by quibbling,鈥� is an adaptation of French chicanerie, from the verb chicaner, which is typically translated as 鈥渢o quibble鈥� or 鈥渢o split hairs鈥� and once referred specifically to legal contexts. Appropriate for its meaning, the origin of French chicaner is controversial. One possible derivation is from a Germanic root meaning 鈥渢o arrange鈥� that is also the source of chic (via German Schick, 鈥渟kill鈥�). Alternatively, chicaner may be a merger of chic-, a common Romance element indicating smallness (compare chinchy and Spanish chico, 鈥渂oy鈥�), and ricaner, 鈥渢o snicker.鈥� Chicanery was first recorded in English circa 1610.
EXAMPLE OF CHICANERY USED IN A SENTENCE
Though the judge dismissed the lawsuit on a technicality, the prosecutors knew that it was the defense attorney鈥檚 chicanery that had successfully distracted from the matter at hand.