Every Wednesday BermudaOnion hosts Wondrous Words Wednesday, and asks everyone to share "new to you" words you've found in the course of your weekly reading adventures. To take a look at more wondrous words, or to contribute some yourself, please visit Bermudaonion's Weblog.This week, my words come from Brimstone, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
1. embonpoint - adjective: sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure; "a chubby child"; "pleasingly plump"; from the French, around 1655-65, meaning "in good condition"
From the book: " 'All the color, noise, flash, the embonpoint diva prowling the stage, shrieking and howling and throwing herself from the ramparts of some castle – it distracts the mind from the music.' " [p. 103]This is FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast explaining why he doesn't like opera. Funny because I always think the color, noise, flash and people throwing themselves off ramparts is the best thing about opera.
2. emphraxis - a medical term meaning: 1) A clogging or obstruction of the mouth of the sweat gland; 2) An impaction
From the book: " 'For now, I see a large individual approaching who appears to be suffering from emphraxis.' " [p. 10]
Pendergast again, referring to the approaching Lieutenant Braskie of the Southampton police, who is rather angry at the time; but I'm not sure exactly why he should look like he's suffering from emphraxis. Presumably, the sight of the Special Agent is causing the Lieutenant a certain amount of physical discomfort somewhere.
Oh, I just LUV the Pendergast novels (haven't made it to "Brimstone" yet, tho - next up, "Still Life with Crows"); I'm reading Child currently, too, and two of my words are medical in nature as well - He must have left med school to become a writer! LoL...
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great day, and a wonderful weekend, ahead.
Great words! I love embonpoint! Thanks for playing along.
ReplyDeleteYour words make me think this is a fun book to read. Special Agent Pendergast sounds like an excellent character.
ReplyDelete*Margot @ Joyfully Retired
I do believe that I'm an embonpoint diva!
ReplyDeleteI may have to start reading these books, not having done any so far.
ReplyDeleteI love embonpoint!
And it's funny -- since I'm not wild about opera, I'd probably like all the things that distracted from the music. Heehee!
Meanwhile, mine are here-- Phyl at Bookishgal
Lol! Don't believe I have seen people throwing themselves off ramparts! Would that be derampartation?
ReplyDeleteSince I speak French, I knew embonpoint, but emphraxis is definitely a new one!
ReplyDeleteRe: emphraxis: Can refer to impacted stool. I think it's a more genteel way of saying the lieutenant looked constipated.
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