Z is for Zymotechnics

Here we are at the finish line!  Congratulations to everyone who made it!

I have a fun vocabulary word for you today.

Today's word is: ZYMOTECHNICS

Zymotechnics is the application of the principles of fermentation.  Fermentation is, of course, the process that converts sugars to acids, gases, or alcohol.  Sure, fermentation does more than give us tasty beverages, but that's certainly one of my favorite byproducts of the process.

Reasons to know this word:

-This is a good bit of trivia to pull out at a party.  It might impress your drunken friends or colleagues.

-By becoming familiar with this word, you are enjoying my final contribution to the 2015 A to Z Challenge, and that will make me happy.

Y is for Yex

Here I am on this penultimate day of the A to Z Challenge with another vocabulary word for you.

Today's word is: YEX

Yex is an old word that means "to hiccough."  In the course of researching this word, I came across this line:

"He yexeth and he speaketh through the nose." -Chaucer

Chaucer died in the year 1400, so that was a while ago.  It's not a word you hear often, that's for sure, but it's a fun one.

Reasons to know this word:

-You can now quote Chaucer, which makes you cultured.  I promise.

-The word "yex" oddly enough sounds a bit like someone sneezing.  That's mildly amusing.

-It rhymes with other fun three-letter words.  The potential for dirty limericks is there.

X is for Xenodocheionology

Today we have the letter X.  This is traditionally a difficult letter to write a blog entry around, but I think I found a suitably cool vocabulary word for today.

Today's word is: XENODOCHEIONOLOGY

Whew!  That one's a mouth full!

Xenodocheionology is defined as the lore relating to hotels or inns.  You know, the stories about grisly murders, dead bodies. room #1408, and all that.

Reasons to know this word:

-If you ever learn to correctly pronounce it, you'll have truly accomplished something.

-If you ever wanted to try this out as a hobby, it could be quite entertaining.  I'm a skeptical sort myself, but I still enjoy the stories.  A lot of us enjoy a good, creepy story now and again.

W is for Whelve

This is the last week of the A to Z Challenge!  We're almost at the finish line!  Let's celebrate with some vocabulary.

Today's word is: WHELVE

Whelve has a couple of definitions, though unlike the definitions for godwottery, you can see the similarity between these.

1.  To turn a vessel upside down so as to cover something.

2.  To cover up with anything; to hide, bury.

Reasons to know this word:

-I didn't know that the time I turned a large mixing bowl upside down to cover a cake so the flies wouldn't land on it, I'd actually whelved it.  That sounds kinda badass for such a mundane activity.

-When writing, you can say something dramatic like "I whelved my feelings for him in the hope that I might forget them."  Cool, right?

V is for Vagarious

It's the last full week of the A to Z Challenge.  We're almost there!

I have another cool vocabulary word for you.

Today's word is: VAGARIOUS

Vagarious is defined as erratic and unpredictable in behavior and direction.

This word is rare in its usage, though I can't quite understand why.  I mean, we can all think of someone or something that fits this description, right?

Reasons to know this word:

-You now know how to describe the drunken behaviors of your friends or family members.  Or your own, perhaps.

-It's kind of cool to look at the connections between this word and more commonly used ones such as vagary or vagrant.  You can hear how similar they sound and see the similarities between meanings.  The evolution of language is a neat thing indeed.

U is for Ubiety

I'm back with another vocabulary word for you!

Today's word is: UBIETY

Ubiety is defined as the condition of being in a particular place.  This word is rarely used, which I'm sure many of you might have guessed.

Reasons to know this word:

-If you're in a philosophical mood, instead of pondering the "whereness" of things, you can ponder their ubiety.  Sure, it's the same thing, but one feels more conducive to a philosophical mood.

-It rhymes with words like society, variety, sobriety, impropriety, notoriety, etc.  You could compose a lovely poem with ubiety and a few of these words listed here.

-It's kind of neat when a word with six letters has four syllables.  Or maybe I'm the only one who thinks that way.

T is for Tegestology

Today I have a fun little vocabulary word for you.  In fact, it was so fun, I wrote a Choose Your Own Adventure Story for it on my other blog.  You can find it HERE if you're interested.

Today's word is: TEGESTOLOGY

Tegestology is the collecting of cardboard beer coasters.  A tegestologist is the person who does the collecting.

Reasons to know this word:

-It's oddly reassuring that odd little hobbies like this have names of their own.

-Now that you know the word, you may be inspired to take up tegestology.  If you do, it could make for some interesting conversation at the next social gathering you attend.  Then again, I'm weird. Keep that in mind.