Harry Potter and the Grown-Up Words

Thanks Mom, for taking this pic!

It was asked of me recently where I find words for this blog. I confess, it comes from reading. And though I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that the last two books I read were by J. K. Rowling, (I'm way behind the times), I did manage to glean a handful of succulence to share.

Apoplectic - describing someone near to, or in the midst of a stroke, as when describing the captain of the Quidditch team: "he was apoplectic with rage," which to me is almost redundant, but we'll let it slide this time, Joanna.

Arrant - utter, extremely. As in "arrant nonsense."

Balaclava - a covering for the head and neck which looks to me like part ski mask, part ninja costume.

Slipstream - the wake of a moving vehicle, as in the Hogwart's Express.

Having read Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban back to back, I cannot tell you which word comes from which book. But I did take a picture of a typo in Chamber of Secrets. Did anyone else catch it? Check out the picture after the jump.

Colors

Though sometimes I can’t tell the difference between brown and black (I blame the bad lighting), it’s fun to imagine I might spot these colors when I’m out and about.

Cerise - cherry-red

Pavonine - the color of a peacock’s feathers; iridescent.

Festucine - the color of straw when it is between green and yellow.

Cupid Strikes Again

"Psyche revived by the kiss of Love"
Antonio Canova

Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a list of words inspired by the Olympian.

Billet-doux - love letter, from the French.

Gaffle - the lever used to cock a crossbow

Fletching - the attachment of materials (such as feathers) which provides aerodynamics and stabilization to the flight of an arrow. 

Homophones

Here’s a collection of words that can be quite confusing. Just don’t call your friend’s new place specious when you meant spacious!

Spurious - of a deceitful or false origin. Often used in the phrase, “of spurious birth,” which although might be redundant, I’m sure someone thought was a kinder way to say “we don’t know who the father is.”

Specious - attractively deceptive; what looks genuine.

Spacious - roomy and expansive.

Capacious - spacious.