I have been absent from Wondrous Words Wednesday for a couple of weeks, and I must admit, I missed all of you and your weird and wonderful words. Honestly, I was in a bit of a reading slump there for a week or two, and only undertook to read one YA novel that really didn't contain any words that challenged me, hence my brief vanishing act. But, I found an unexpected source this week in a Star Trek novel, of all places! See if you knew these before I defined them for you; they were certainly new to me.
1. integument--basically, whatever protects the outside: a shell, skin, or fur on an animate creature, the shell of an egg, or the surface of a plant.
2. rictus--The sort of creepy, awful, seeming smile that people have on their face when their in the last death throes of something like the nastier poisons. Ergo, it can also be a painfully, horribly fake smile. I believe "grimace" would also work here.
3. brio--pretty much this is just another way of saying gusto.
So, there you go. Happy word hunting!
did not know that smile had it's own name.. love rictus and brio..
ReplyDeleteYou never know where you'll find a new word. I knew I'd seen rictus before but couldn't recall the meaning until I saw your definition. I hope you're out of your reading slump.
ReplyDeleteGreat words! I've also seen rictus but hadn't fully understood it -- thanks!
ReplyDeleteNothing like a Star Trek novel to pull you out of a reading slump!
Ain't it the truth! By the time I started the second chapter, the old "What happens next?!" thrill was definitely back.
DeleteWho would have guessed Star Trek? That's the beauty of this meme. I love finding new words everywhere. I like brio and want to use it in normal life.
ReplyDeleteThe only one of your words that I knew of this week, was 'rictus', but that is only from way back in my youth, when my work as a florist brought me into quite a lot of contact with funeral directors, and it is a word which they often used.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that I like the way 'integument' sounds as a word, although 'brio' is much more friendly.
Hope you are back in a winning streak with the books and reading.
Yvonne
Great to hear that your reading slump is ending, and great to see you back- I've missed your posts. I've never read a Star Trek novel. It is great how new words are every where- most of mine come from kids books after all. I know integument, have a notion that I have heard rictus and brio before, but couldn't have given any sort of meaning.
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