26 August 2013

Words for epeolatrists

A selection of adjectives, from Laurence Urdang’s Modifiers (1982):
abbatial, of an abbot
buccinal, of trumpets
compital, of a crossroads
contabescent, of atrophy
frumentaceous, of wheat
haruspical, of a soothsayer
macropodine, of kangaroos
obumbrant, of an overhang
orarian, of the seashore
pavonine, of peacocks
smaragdine, of emeralds
sphingine, of a sphinx
suspirious, of a sigh
trochilidine, of hummingbirds
veliferous, of sails
There are several more in the Futility Closet.
"Epeolatry literally means the worship of words. It derives from ἔπος épos, which unlike λόγος lógos more specifically means word in Greek, and was apparently coined in 1860 by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr."

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