The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words

From the creator of the popular A.Word.A.Day e-mail newsletter A collection of some of the most interesting stories and fascinating origins behind more than 300 words, names, and terms by the founder of WordSmith.org. Did you know: Theres a word for the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell?Petrichor, combiningpetros(Greek forstone) andichor(the fluid that flows in the veins of Greek gods). Anilleistis one who refers to oneself in the third person. Theres a word for feigning lack of interest in something while actually desiring it:accismus. For any aspiringdeipnosophist(a good conversationalist at meals) or devotedPhilomath(a lover of learning), this anthology of entertaining etymology is an ideal way to have fun while getting smarter.