Dictionary Safari
One of the reasons I love my new (old) 1961 Websters is the thrill of the hunt I get when idly flipping pages; I never know what might jump out at me. Here's a word I came across yesterday: "acroatic." (I suppose that's not a diphthong in the middle--what would you call that? Whatever it is, I love saying it: ACROATIC.)
"Acroatic" refers to deep learning, or instruction beyond the norm: "In graduate school, one can expect at least a few acroatic symposia."
According to the definition, the word derives from the Greek akroasthai, meaning "to hear." At first, I thought this must be unrelated to akro, meaning "high" or "extreme," but now, upon further reflection, I'm not so sure.
Finally, word mavens will like to know that "acroatic" can be used as a substitute for "abstruse."
"Acroatic" refers to deep learning, or instruction beyond the norm: "In graduate school, one can expect at least a few acroatic symposia."
According to the definition, the word derives from the Greek akroasthai, meaning "to hear." At first, I thought this must be unrelated to akro, meaning "high" or "extreme," but now, upon further reflection, I'm not so sure.
Finally, word mavens will like to know that "acroatic" can be used as a substitute for "abstruse."
posted by Oxhead at 8:35 AM
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