What did I do before I started playing this word-hunt game every Wednesday? I have managed to find new-to-me words every single week for over a year. I see them everywhere. I must have been reading in a fog all those years. Here’s what I found this week.
1. collation: “I’ll go for water while you prepare the collation.”
Collation means a light, informal meal.
That word came from Here Comes the Sun by Emilie Loring.
This next one I found in an interview with author Michael Connelly in Bookmarks Magazine:
2. tectonic: “Tectonic shift, social shifts, the haves and have-nots, it seems to all the part of the canvas that is the City of Angels–or the City of Angles, as some would have it.”
Tectonic refers to the structure of the earth’s crust and the large-scale processes that take place within it.
3. dyspepsia: “Sensible girl, to spare herself yours of mortal dulness, gossip, and dyspepsia,” was the placid reply.
Dyspepsia is indigestion. I found this word in the short story, Scarlet Stockings by Louisa May Alcott.
Wondrous Words Wednesday is sponsored by Kathy at Bermuda Onion’s Weblog. Visit her for more new words or to play along with words of your own.
This word-hunt means I look them up in a dictionary rather than just guessing what they mean. Do you look them up as you read or save them for later?
I was going to ask the same question BooksPlease just did! I suppose we (readers) all guess at the meaning of new words from the context without even realizing it. Your Wednesday posts have made me think about it and (without really trying) I have found and looked up quite a few more words than usual lately. Maybe I’ll join in the meme.
Somehow collation just doesn’t sound very appetizing to me! I think I like “light, informal meal” better!
I’m with Rhapsody, collation doesn’t sound too appealing to me either! Thanks for being such a loyal participant, Margot!
It’s amazing how many you find when you’re looking (paying attention?), isn’t it? I only knew the other definition of collation: collecting and combining facts and figures or papers — office work!
I would not have guessed “collation” at all. Good finds!
boy, today I knew two, a record for me!
I’ve never heard “collation” before. Great word!
The first words seems like it would be a selection on a copier!! LOL!!