pedantic--Hayden

pe·dan·tic  (p-dntk) adj. Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules: a pedantic attention to details Hayden's a smart guy, and he likes to read, but he's no "saucy pedantic wretch." (Thanks to John Donne's "The Sun Rising" for that phrase.)

Dispendious --Gretchen

Dispendious means extravagant, costly

Like other artists, Gretchen is creative, a gift which protects her from needing dispendious jewelry.

Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Detersion --Mom

Detersion means an act of cleansing.
noun
Mom takes charge of detersion when our family of grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren gather at the beach each year.

Thanks for the word and the definition to

http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Defatigable --Ann

 Defatigable means easily tired or wearied; capable of being fatigued. (Indefatigable is its opposite.)



Ann seems indefatigable as she walks to work, does the grocery shopping and the cooking and still has the energy to play solitare on her smart phone, but even she poops out sometimes.



Thanks for the word and the definition to

http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

eclogue--Todd

ec·logue (klôg, -lg)

n.

A pastoral poem, usually in the form of a dialogue between shepherds

 

Even if he lived in rural Scotland instead of New York, I don't think Todd would be one to write eclogues.

draconian--Sister Jen

dra·co·ni·an (dr-kn-n, dr-)

adj.

Exceedingly harsh; very severe: a draconian legal code; draconian budget cuts.

Year's ago, when Sister Jen's husband Todd suggested that money was getting tight and the family might need to make draconian budget cuts, he asked Sister Jen to review the yard care expenses; she decided that they could have the roses trimmed once a week instead of twice a week. (Not one for draconian budget cuts, my Sister Jen.)  

Deasil--Little Brother Matt

Deasil means turning clockwise




When he's dancing, Little Brother Matt makes deasil turns; 
he's a talented dancer so he also turns counterclockwise.




Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words 

Diacritic --Kristin

Diacritic means a special mark added to a letter to indicate a different pronunciation, stress, tone, or meaning

Kristin speaks French, so she uses diacritics to aid her pronunciation when she comes to a new vocabulary word.

Thanks for the word and the definition to http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words 

obsequious--Hayden

obsequious
Pronunciation: b-s-kw-s, äb-
adjective
ready or prompt to help or obey like a servant or slave at the wish or command of another person especially to gain favor

Hayden is confident enough in who he is not to be obsequious, and he's respected for that.  

Doyen--Dad

Doyen means one who is knowledgeable or uniquely skilled as a result of long experience in a field of endeavor.

n.

Dad and his bridge partner Alan, though they are relatively new to competitive bridge, often beat doyers; Dad's not so lucky at golf, which he's played longer.

Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words 

sycophant--Lucie

sycophant (sk-fnt, sk-)

n.

A servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people

 

Lucie's no sycophant; she succeeds on her merits.

Emunctory--Hayden's birthday word

Emunctory means relating to nose blowing.

Hayden is too well-groomed to make emunctory noises in public.

Thanks for the word and the definition to http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Discombobulate--Gretchen

Discombobulate
dis·com·bob·u·late (dskm-bby-lt)

tr.v. dis·com·bob·u·lat·ed, dis·com·bob·u·lat·ing, dis·com·bob·u·lates

To throw into a state of confusion.

 

No dance move discombobulates the talented Gretchen.

Deteriorism--LIttle Brother Matt

Deteriorism means attitude that things will get worse.
n.
Little Brother Matt will not succumb to deteriorism; he will find again his optimist's attitude.

Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Dentiloquist--Dad

Dentiloquist means one who speaks with the teeth closed.
n.
Dad's no dentiloquist; he might be a dentiloquist if his jaws were wired shut, but I'm not sure.

Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Chthonic--Mom

Chthonic means dwelling in or under the earth, often referring to the gods of the underworld.

Mom doesn't like chthonic creatures like snakes, whether or not they are gods of someone's underworld.

Thanks for the word and the definition to http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Troglodyte--Kristin's birthday word

trog·lo·dyte

   /ˈtrɒgləˌdaɪt/ Show Spelled[trog-luh-dahyt]  

noun

1. a prehistoric cave dweller.

2. a person of degraded, primitive, or brutal character.

3. a person living in seclusion.

4. a person unacquainted with affairs of the world.

5. an animal living underground.

Origin:
1545–55; < Latin trōglodyta < Greek trōglodýtēs one who creeps into holes, cave dweller, equivalent to trōglo- (combining form of trṓglē a gnawed hole; compare trogon) + dý ( ein ) to creep into + -tēs agent suffix

Kristin's no troglodyte: she lives in a house with modern conveniences.

Definition: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/troglodyte

Calumny--Lucie

cal·um·ny (klm-n)

n. pl. cal·um·nies

1. A false statement maliciously made to injure another's reputation.

2. The utterance of maliciously false statements; slander

 

As Lucie grows into the age where some girls gossip, she will not be a part of calumny.

Deipnosophist--Gretchen and Little Brother Matt

Deipnosophist
n.
One who excels at conversations at the dinner table.

Like her father, Gretchen is a deipnosophist

Thanks for the word and the definition to http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Constult --Dad and Jack

Constult means to act stupidly together
v.

I wonder if Dad and Jack constulted in Parisian art museums.

Thanks for the word and the definition to http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

Calamistration--Mom

 

calamistration: The Act or Process of Curling the Hair

Mom loves to have her picture taken during calamistration.

Thanks for the word and the definition to
http://www.factacular.com/subjects/Interesting_Words

euphemism--Ann's birthday word

eu·phe·mism  (yf-mzm)

n.

The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive: "Euphemisms such as 'slumber room' . . . abound in the funeral business" (Jessica Mitford).

Ann is woman of truth, so she's not one for banal euphemisms. (I love this about her.)

banal--Ann

ba·nal  (b-nl, bnl, b-näl)

adj.

Drearily commonplace and often predictable; trite: "Blunt language cannot hide a banal conception" (James Wolcott).

Ann is woman of truth, so she's not one for banal euphemisms. (I love this about her.)