animus | (noun) a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility | Synonyms: animosity, bad blood |
---|
calamus | (noun) the hollow spine of a feather | Synonyms: quill, shaft |
---|
(noun) any tropical Asian palm of the genus Calamus; light tough stems are a source of rattan canes | - |
(noun) perennial marsh plant having swordlike leaves and aromatic roots | Synonyms: Acorus calamus, flagroot, myrtle flag, sweet calamus, sweet flag |
(noun) the aromatic root of the sweet flag used medicinally | - |
chiasmus | (noun) inversion in the second of two parallel phrases | - |
---|
ginglymus | (noun) a freely moving joint in which the bones are so articulated as to allow extensive movement in one plane | Synonyms: ginglymoid joint, hinge joint |
---|
hippopotamus | (noun) massive thick-skinned herbivorous animal living in or around rivers of tropical Africa | Synonyms: hippo, Hippopotamus amphibius, river horse |
---|
hummus | (noun) a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; used especially as a dip for pita; originated in the Middle East | Synonyms: hommos, hoummos, humous, humus |
---|
humus | (noun) a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; used especially as a dip for pita; originated in the Middle East | Synonyms: hommos, hoummos, hummus, humous |
---|
(noun) partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil | - |
hypothalamus | (noun) a basal part of the diencephalon governing autonomic nervous system | - |
---|
ignoramus | (noun) an ignorant person | Synonyms: know nothing, uneducated person |
---|
isthmus | (noun) a cord-like tissue connecting two larger parts of an anatomical structure | Synonyms: band |
---|
(noun) a relatively narrow strip of land (with water on both sides) connecting two larger land areas | - |
laryngismus | (noun) laryngeal spasm caused by the sudden contraction of laryngeal muscles | - |
---|
litmus | (noun) a coloring material (obtained from lichens) that turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions; used as a very rough acid-base indicator | Synonyms: litmus test |
---|
mandamus | (noun) an extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion; used only when all other judicial remedies fail | Synonyms: writ of mandamus |
---|
marasmus | (noun) extreme malnutrition and emaciation (especially in children); can result from inadequate intake of food or from malabsorption or metabolic disorders | - |
---|
minimus | (noun) the fifth digit; the little finger or little toe | - |
---|
mumpsimus | (noun) a traditional notion that is obstinately held although it is unreasonable | - |
---|
nystagmus | (noun) involuntary movements of the eyeballs; its presence or absence is used to diagnose a variety of neurological and visual disorders | - |
---|
phlebotomus | (noun) a mild viral disease transmitted by the bite of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasii | Synonyms: pappataci fever, sandfly fever |
---|
primus | (noun) the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of Scotland | - |
---|
ramus | (noun) the posterior part of the mandible that is more or less vertical | - |
---|
shamus | (noun) someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information and assist in criminal investigations | Synonyms: operative, PI, private detective, private eye, private investigator, sherlock |
---|
strabismus | (noun) abnormal alignment of one or both eyes | Synonyms: squint |
---|
struthiomimus | (noun) small light-boned toothless dinosaur resembling an ostrich in size and proportions | - |
---|
subthalamus | (noun) the ventral part of the thalamus | - |
---|
sumpsimus | (noun) a correct expression that takes the place of a popular but incorrect expression | - |
---|
tenesmus | (noun) painful spasm of the anal sphincter along with an urgent desire to defecate without the significant production of feces; associated with irritable bowel syndrome | - |
---|
thalamus | (noun) large egg-shaped structures of grey matter that form the dorsal subdivision of the diencephalon | - |
---|
thymus | (noun) a ductless glandular organ at the base of the neck that produces lymphocytes and aids in producing immunity; atrophies with age | Synonyms: thymus gland |
---|
trismus | (noun) prolonged spasm of the jaw muscles | - |
---|
vaginismus | (noun) muscular contraction that causes the vagina to close; usually an anxiety reaction before coitus or pelvic examination | - |
---|
xerophthalmus | (noun) abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes; may be due to a systemic deficiency of vitamin A | Synonyms: conjunctivitis arida, xeroma, xerophthalmia |
---|