Word-of-the-Day, Difficult

The Mega Foundation
Difficult Word of the Day

6/18/2006: caliculus - (b) small cup-shaped structure

6/17/2006: moidure - (a) Portugeuse gold coin
6/16/2006: forficate - (d) deeply notched
6/15/2006: antependium - (b) altar cloth
6/14/2006: St. Agnes Eve - (b) night of January 20th, when a women will dream about her future husband
6/13/2006: barbasco - (c) poison tree
6/12/2006: degust - (a) savor
6/11/2006: habdallah - (a) Jewish sabbath
6/10/2006: hornpout - (d) freshwater catfish
6/9/2006: repoussé - (c) in raised relief
6/8/2006: fustian - (b) pretentious language
6/7/2006: epicritic - (a) pertaining to the tactile/thermal sensory nerve
6/6/2006: sacristy - (a) vestry

6/5/2006: trompe l'oiel - (d) giving the illusion of photographic reality

6/4/2006: objet trouvé - (a) found object
6/3/2006: gradin - (c) one of a series of tiered steps
6/2/2006: calipee - (a) edible part of turtle above its lower shell
6/1/2006: linsang - (b) carnivorous mammal with spotted coat
5/31/2006: moshav - (d) collection of Israeli small farms
5/30/2006: hafiz - (c) Muslim who has memorized the Koran
5/29/2006: aepyornis - (c) flightless bird of Madagascar
5/28/2006: bailie - (a) Scottish alderman
5/27/2006: table d'hôte - (a) fixed-price, full-course meal
5/26/2006: lutetium - (b) rare earth element
5/25/2006: Cochin china - (d) feathered-leg chicken

5/24/2006: talipot - (b) Asian palm tree
5/23/2006: ranula - (c) cyst on bottom of tongue
5/22/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/21/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/20/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/19/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/18/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/17/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/16/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/15/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/14/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/13/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/12/2006: Beaufort Scale - (a) wind speeds
5/11/2006: glabella - (a) smooth area between eyes

5/10/2006: Zend-Avesta - (d) Zoroastrian sacred book

5/9/2006: acciacatura - (a) discordant note
5/8/2005: quamash - (b) camas (showy plant)
5/7/2005: parastalsis - (c) digestive contractions of the stomach

5/6/2005: baize - (b) coarse, felt-napped woolen cloth
5/5/2005: palsgrave - (a) feudal lord
5/4/2005: macula lutea - (d) center of fovea
5/3/2005: Rhadamanthine - (c) strictly and uncompromisingly just
5/2/2005: una corda - (b) soft-pedaled
5/1/2005: una corda - (b) soft-pedaled
4/30/2005: gamine - (a) neglected girl with impish appeal
4/29/2005: laparotomy - (b) incision in abdominal wall
4/28/2005: nappe - (b) sheet of water flowing over a dam
4/27/2005: macaronic - (d) humorous mixture of different languages
4/26/2005: huckaback - (c) coarse cotton for toweling

4/25/2005: recension - (a) critical pre-editing revision of text, incorporating most plausible elements from other sources (as contrasted with redaction: editing for publication)
4/24/2005: ylang-ylang - (c) Asian perfume tree
4/23/2005: donjon - (d) fortified main tower of a castle
4/22/2005: grivet - (d) long-tailed African monkey
4/21/2005: fleche - (b) slender spire above the nave of a church
4/20/2005: peeler - (a) policeman
4/19/2005: rapparee - (d) oiratical 16th C. Irish soldier
4/18/2005: Lucina - (d) goddess of childbirth
4/17/2005: Morgen le Fay - (c) King Arthur's enemy

4/16/2005: larboard - (b) port (right) side
4/15/2005: tuatara- (d) New Zealand "living dinosaur"

4/14/2005: growler- (b) magnetizer/demagnetizer
4/13/2005: trave- (a) section of ceiling formed by crossbeams
4/12/2005: trigeminal- (c) facial sensory and jaw motor nerve
4/11/2005: eclosion (d) emergence of an adult from a pupa
4/10/2005: pompelmous- (c) the shaddock
4/9/2005: Lucullen- (b) lavish
4/8/2005: raki- (b) anise-flavored grape brandy
4/7/2005: Magdalenian- (a) upper Paleolithic
4/6/2005: Hypnos (d) god of sleep
4/5/2005: loment- (c) pod with seeds separated by constrictions
4/4/2005: Homoiusian- (d) Arian heresy that God and Jesus are different substances
4/3/2005: blue flag- (c) wild blue iris
4/2/2005: frith- (b) estuary
4/1/2005: impetto- (b) in secret
3/31/2005: suberose- (a) pertaining to cork
3/30/2005: aleph null- (c) the denumberably-infinite set of numbersconsisting of all the integers and all the rationals
3/29/2005: ralph- (b) to upchuck
3/28/2005: devoir- (a) expression of courtesy
3/27/2005: jess- (d) falcon's leg strap
3/26/2005: ricin- (b) deadly poison in castor bean
3/25/2005: greaser- (c) macho/Latino male
3/24/2005: potaufeu- (c) boiled meat and vegetables
3/23/2005: buckra - (a) Caucasian
3/22/2005: misology - (d) hatred of reason or enlightenment
3/21/2005: elver - (c) young eel
3/20/2005: mangonel - (b) medieval catapult
3/19/2005: toponym - (c) name derived from a place
3/18/2005: glossal - (c) pertaining to the tongue
3/17/2005: lac - (b) very large number (shell lac)
3/16/2005: quintain - (a) practice target for cavalry
3/15/2005: silique - (d) long seed pod that splits at both seams
3/14/2005: firn - (c) partially compacted snow
3/13/2005: chryselephantine - (b) made of gold and ivory

3/12/2005: ascarid - (c) nematode

3/11/2005: messuage - (c) house, outbuildings, and land
3/10/2005: brewis - (d) bread soaked in broth
3/9/2005: viaticum - (a) supplies for a journey

3/8/2005: wanderoo - (b) macaque

3/7/2005: constantan - (a) Cu-Ni alloy with constant resistance over a wide temperature range

3/6/2005: Dardanus - (c) eponymous founder of Troy
3/5/2005: tsuris - (c) trouble
3/4/2005: grith - (d) sanctuary in church or on king's highway

3/3/2005: rorqual - (b) whale

3/2/2005: maniple - (d) ecclesiastic silk band hanging from left wrist

3/1/2005: pluvial - (c) pertaining to rain

2/28/2005: silymarin - (a) milk thistle extract

2/27/2005: langan - (b) moccasin with knee-high leggings

2/26/2005: dittany - (d) plant producing burnable gas

2/25/2005: rigadoon - (d) couple's lively, jumping quickstep

2/24/2005: metalinguistics - (a) study of relationship between language and culture

2/23/2005: sorb - (c) tree

2/22/2005: diastrophism - (b) folding and faulting of bedrock

2/21/2005: kobold - (d) mischievous German household elf

2/20/2005: eutectic - (b) alloy composition yielding the lowest melting point

2/19/2005: acarus - (c) mite

2/18/2005: accouchement - (a) childbirth

2/17/2005: culverin - (c) 16th-century musket

2/16/2005: Bouvier des Flanders - (c) cattle dog

2/15/2005: rogatory - (b) requiring information

2/14/2005: sadhu - (d) holy Indian ascetic

2/13/2005: repand - (a) wavy margin

2/12/2005: borscht circuit - (d) Jewish Catskill resort hotels

2/11/2005: chef d'ouvre - (b) a masterpiece

2/10/2005: hearth money - (b) money to the expenses of the Vatican

2/9/2005: misoneism - (d) hates change
2/8/2005: greisen - (a) quartz and mica rock

2/7/2005: tilbury - (c) two-oerson, two-wheeled light carriage

2/6/2005: painted lady - (b) butterfly

2/5/2005: painted lady - (b) butterfly

2/4/2005: pocosin - (a) upland coastal marsh

2/3/2005: missal - (d) prayer book

2/2/2005: rondure - (c) gracefully rounded

2/1/2005: fazenda - (c) hacienda

1/31/2005: polysticous - (b) two or more rows

1/30/2005: lapillus - (d) solidified lava fragment

1/29/2005: theremin - (a) electronic musical instrument
1/28/2005: Louis Seize - (b) Louis XVI

1/27/2005: Hestia - (c) goddess of the hearth

1/26/2005: trilby - (c) felt hat, deeply cresed crown

1/25/2005: nosology - deals with (d) diseases

1/24/2005: rhombus - (c) equilateral parallelogram

1/23/2005: quean - (a) disreputable woman

1/22/2005: roman â clef - (a) novel portraying real people in fictional guise

1/21/2005: Sahel - (c) savannah bordering a deser

1/20/2005: entracte - (d) entertainment between acts

1/19/2005: motta - (b) clump of trees on a prairie

1/18/2005: cosh - (b) a blackjack

1/17/2005: euglena - (c) half-plant, half-animal protozoan

1/16/2005: bouzouki - (a) Greek mandolin

1/15/2005: arenaceous - (d) sandy

1/14/2005: trou-de-loup - (b) conical pit with sharpened stake

1/13/2005: haw - (b) nictitating membrane

1/12/2005: tod - (c) 28 pounds of wool

1/11/2005: neritic - (a) pertaining to the waters of a shoreline

1/10/2005: rockaway - (d) 4-wheeled, 2-seat carriage

1/9/2005: gramarye - (b) occult learning

1/8/2005: fascine - (c) bundle of sticks tied together

1/7/2005: slatch - (a) a lull in a storm or in breaking waves

1/6/2005: cocotte - (a) prostitute

1/5/2005: decussate - (d) X-shaped

1/4/2005: lustrum - (d) Roman period of purification after a five-year census

1/3/2005: rochet - (b) bishop's ceremonial vestment

1/2/2005: cabochon - (d) highly polished, uncut gem

1/1/2005: ghee - (a) semifluid clarified butter

12/31/2005: transept - (c) lateral arms of a cruciform church

12/30/2005: motla - (b) stand of trees on a prairie

12/29/2005: podzolization - (c) acidification of soil

12/28/2005: furfuraceous - (b) covered with scaly particles

12/27/2005: mamba - (b) venomous African snake

12/26/2005: ilex - (a) holly oak

12/25/2005: nom de guerre - (d) ficticious name

12/24/2005: togue - (c) lake trout

12/23/2005: conventicle - (c) secret recusant meeting

12/22/2005: extenterate - (b) eviscerate

12/21/2005: ankylosis - (c) abnormal fusion of bones

12/20/2005: fatidic - (d) prophetic

12/19/2005: portecochere - (d) roofed carriage entrance

12/18/2005: dicksissal - (b) sparrow-like bird

12/17/2005: nosh - (a) a snack

12/16/2005: arrieire pensee - (d) ulterior motive

12/15/2005: magistral - (c) prepared in accordance with a physician's prescription

12/14/2005: trommel - (c) revolving cylindrical ore screen

12/13/2005: fanion - (b) surveyor's flag

12/12/2005: variolate - (a) pock-marked

12/11/2005: della - (c) river rapids

12/10/2005: obturator - (d) something closing an opening in the body

12/9/2005: reeding - (b) convex molding

12/8/2005: ghillie - (b) low sports shoe with fringed laces.

12/7/2005: parrel - (c) sliding loop of rope to which a yard may be attached.

12/6/2005: apologue - (a) moral fable

12/5/2005: sprue - (d) tropical disease

12/4/2005: mordant - (b) caustic etching/color-fixing reagent

12/3/2005: mangabey - (b) long-muzzled African monkey

12/2/2005: sphagyric - pertaining to (c) alchemy

12/1/2005: hael - (a) chant of praise (Hael, hael, the gang's all here!)

11/30/2005: quechua - (b) member of Incon ruling caste

11/29/2005: epeirogeny - (d) continental drift

11/28/2005: unciform - (c) hook-shaped

11/27/2005: grammatology - (c) study of graphic scripts

11/26/2005: bistoury - (a) growing in poor soil

11/25/2005: ruderal - (d) growing in poor soil

11/24/2005: bacciferous - (c) berry-bearing

11/23/2005: aulic - (a) pertaining to the royal court

11/22/2005: tatami - (a) Japanese straw mat

11/21/2005: Moravian - (c) Czechoslovakian

11/20/2005: fossa - (a) hollowed-out place

11/19/2005: Guarnerius - (b) runner-up to a Stradivarius

11/18/2005: potatory - (d) bibulous

11/17/2005: sackbut - (c) trangular stringed instrument

11/16/2005: galmatis - (c) gibberish

11/15/2005: Hudbrastic - (a) mock-heroic style

11/14/2005: grotty - (d) wretched

11/13/2005: conquian. - (d) card game resembling rummy

11/12/2005: estaminet. - (b) small café

11/11/2005: rime riche. - (c) rhyme using homonyms

11/10/2005: habanera. - (d) slow dance

11/9/2005: gallus. - (c) suspender

11/8/2005: fainéant. - (a) irresponsible idler

11/7/2005: grampus - (a) killer whale

11/6/2005: troche - (b) a lozenge

11/5/2005: jaeger - (a) seabird that steals food from other birds

11/4/2005: chatelain - (d) castle keeper

11/3/2005: Falstaffian - (c) jovial

11/2/2005: paelia - (c) rice-vegetable-and-meat Spanish dish

11/1/2005: jambeau - (b) leg armor

10/31/2005: monticule - (a) secondary volcanic cone

10/30/2005: tricot - (d) ribbed wool fabric

10/29/2005: durbar - (b) Indian ruler's state banquet

10/28/2005: gorgonize - (c) have a paralyzing effect

10/27/2005: waddy - (a) Australian aborigine's throwing club

10/26/2005: doublure - (a) leather lining inside a book

10/25/2005: nene - (c) Hawaiian goose

10/24/2005: micturate - (d) urinate

10/23/2005: staddle - (b) hay platform

10/22/2005: dicrotism - (d) doubling of the heartbeat

10/21/2005: renminbi - (c) Chinese coin

10/20/2005: milliard - (c) one billion

10/19/2005: siemens - (b) conductance (one ampere per volt)

10/18/2005: elide - (a) to slur over, suppress

10/17/2005: Annie Oakley - (d) free ticket

10/16/2005: rob roy - (c) Irish whiskey cocktail

10/15/2005: traditor - (b) betrayed fellow Christians

10/14/2005: redigote - (b) man's long, double-breasted topcoat

10/13/2005: holus-bolus - (c) all-at-once

10/12/2005: tabaret - (a) moiré/satin striped upholstery cloth

10/11/2005: monotreme - (b) egg-laying Australian mammal

10/10/2005: hemisitch - (d) half a line of verse

10/9/2005: polytocous - (d) producing many offspring at a time

10/8/2005: grappa - (c) brandy made from wine residue

10/7/2005: doucer - (a) bribe

10/6/2005: blintz - (c) cottage-cheese-and-sour-cream-filled pancake

10/5/2005: caique - (a) long, narrow Mid-Eastern rowboat

10/4/2005: Reye's syndrome - (b) acute encephelopathy in children

10/3/2005: fess - (d) horizontal band on escutcheon

10/2/2005: fess - (d) horizontal band on escutcheon

10/1/2005: tisane - (c) herbal medicinal beverage

9/30/2005: equipollance - (b) fairness

9/29/2005: sagger - (b) protective coating of fire clay

9/28/2005: pandurate - (b) violin-shaped
9/27/2005: havelock - (d) cap with neck cover

9/26/2005: paladin - (c) champion
9/25/2005: primavera - (a) wood used for cabinetwork
9/24/2005: randan - (a) boat with three rowers
9/23/2005: non obstatnte - (c) notwithstanding
9/22/2005: feladese - (b) death through malicious act
9/21/2005: fastigate - (b) tapering to a point
9/20/2005: tael - (a) 1 and 1/3rd oz
9/19/2005: ratteen - (a) possessing a keel

9/18/2005: madrepore- (a) tropical reef-building coral
9/17/2005: taenia- (b) narrow band
9/16/2005: yare- (c) lively

9/15/2005: moulin- (b) vertical shaft in glacier held open by falling water

9/14/2005: sacher torte - (d) jam-filled, chocolate-iced, chocolate cake

9/13/2005: cesura - (a) pause in a song

9/12/2005: brachycephalic - (b) wide head

9/11/2005: noctule - (b) large reddish-brown Eurasian bat

9/10/2005: laissez passer - (d) pass in place of a passport

9/8/2005: Hakenkreutz - (c) swastika

9/7/2005: gallipot - (a) druggists' earthenware pot

9/6/2005: spirula - (b) mollusc

9/5/2005: nates - (c) buttocks

9/4/2005: regisseur - (c) ballet director

9/3/2005: kvetch - (d) chronic complainer

9/2/2005: calipash - (a) turtle's upper shell

9/1/2005: fomite - (a) object that transfers infection

8/31/2005: abrosia - (c) wasting away

8/30/2005: Tartarus - (b) the abtyss below Hades

8/29/2005: mina - (d) Greek, Asiatic one-tenth-penny

8/28/2005: jakes - (a) a privy

8/27/2005: painter - (a) mountain lion

8/26/2005: badderlocks - (c) edible seaweed

8/25/2005: roman â clef - (b) novel in which real people are fictionally incorporated

8/24/2005: vambrace - (d) felt-napped coarse wool cloth

8/23/2005: vambrace - (a) armor for the forearm

8/22/2005: sial - (c) layer of rock underneath the continents

8/21/2005: moulage - (c) mold used in criminal investigation

8/20/2005: Lag b'Omer - (b) Jewish holiday

8/19/2005: honan- (c) evenly colored silk fabric

8/18/2005: majuscule- (d) oversized letter

8/17/2005: pallaise- (a) thin, straw-filled mattress

8/16/2005: espadrille- (a) rope-bottomed, canvas-topped sandal

8/15/2005: paxiology - (c) study of human conduct
8/14/2005: zax - (a) hatchet for cutting roof slates

8/13/2005: geometrid - (d) moth family

8/12/2005: madras - (b) karge handkerchief used as turban

8/11/2005: faience - (c) colorfully glazed earthenware

8/10/2005: tahr - (c) Nepalese goat

8/9/2005: ides - (a) middle of month

8/8/2005: moniliform - (a) shaped like a string of beads

8/7/2005: ensiform - (d) sword-shaped

8/6/2005: cacography - (c) poor handwriting
8/5/2005: tachymeter - (b) instrument for rapid measurement of distances and elevations

8/4/2005: nix - (a) water sprite

8/3/2005: porgy - (c) menhaden

8/2/2005: transhumance - (c) seasonal change of livestock pasteurage

8/1/2005: paillaise - (a) thin straw mattress

7/31/2005: roulade - (d roll of coins)

7/30/2005: haugh - (b) low-lying river valley meadow

7/29/2005: hypogeum - (b) ancient basement

7/28/2005: analeptic - (c) restorative

7/27/2005: umbel - (a) flat-topped flower cluster

7/26/2005: cachinnation - (d) ribald laughter

7/25/2005: daphnia - (a) tiny crustaceans

7/24/2005: lixiviate - (b) to wash soluble matter from

7/23/2005: kauri - (b) New Zealand conifer

7/22/2005: remex - (c) bird's flight feather

7/21/2005: couloir - (b) deep Alpine gorge

7/20/2005: rambutan - (a) fruit tree

7/19/2005: gramineous - (d) pertaining to grasses

7/18/2005: hispid - (c) bristly

7/17/2005: pozzuolana - (c) volcanic ash used for concrete

7/16/2005: brasserie - (b) beer joint

7/15/2005: in petto - (a) in secret

7/14/2005: allantoid - (d) sausage-shaped

7/13/2005: arrant - (b) being completely such

7/12/2005: gerent - (d) manager

7/11/2005: fipple - (d) block of wood in wind instruments

7/10/2005: oenology - (a) study of wines

7/9/2005: repoussé - (c) raised in relief

7/8/2005: unaneled - (d) not having received extreme unction

7/7/2005: eloign - (b) to remove to a distance

7/6/2005: miosis - (a) pupil of the eye

7/5/2005: pencel - (a) streamer on a lance

7/4/2005: galimatis - (d) gibberish

7/3/2005: tachylyte - (d) glassy black basalt

7/2/2005: habitus - (c) (physical) constitution

7/1/2005: beche-de-mer - (b) Indonesian lingua franca

6/30/2005: larigan - (c) moccasin with knee-high leggings

6/29/2005: bract - (a) showy leaflet under flower

6/28/2005: ribband - (a) wooden strip holding ship's rib in place during construction

6/27/2005: stoat - (d) ermine, in brown phase

6/26/2005: ligan - (b) jettisoned cargo, with floats

6/25/2005: valgus - (d) knock-kneed person

6/24/2005: dosser - (a) large pack basket

6/23/2005: rivage - (a) shore

6/22/2005: galipot - (b) crude pine turpentine

6/21/2005: predicatory - (c) pertaining to preaching

6/20/2005: ratalia - (d) almond-flavored cordial

6/19/2005: quagga - (a) extinct zebra-like animal

6/18/2005: taboret - (b) a low cabinet

6/17/2005: hackamack - (c) larch tree

6/16/2005: hackamore - (c) band blinding horses during break-in

6/15/2005: Nainook - (c) soft cotton cloth with woven stripe

6/14/2005: dalmatic - (a) wide-sleaved garment worn by a bishop, cardinal or abbot

6/13/2005: malversation - (c) misconduct in public office
6/12/2005: objet trouvé- - (d) a found object

6/11/2005: pico- - (a) one trillionth

6/10/2005: fermi - (b) one femtometer

6/9/2005: guillemot - (a) northern sea bird

6/8/2005: optative - (a) expressing a wish

6/7/2005: elasmobranch - (c) sub-branch containing sharks, rays and skates

6/6/2005: faitour - (d) imposter

6/5/2005: lugger - (b) two- or three-masted fishing boat

6/4/2005: anguine - (a) snake-like

6/3/2005: salep - (a) ground orchid roots (medicinal)

6/2/2005: balmacaan - (d) full overcoat with raglan sleeves

6/1/2005: glaive - (c) broadsword

5/31/2005: balas - (b) rose-red spinel

5/30/2005: damascene - (c) wavy patterns

5/29/2005: parang - (c) Malasian knife

5/28/2005: lineament - (a) characteristic feature

5/27/2005: marescent - (d) wasting away

5/26/2005: tamarau - (c) Philippine buffalo

5/25/2005: gadwall - (b) duck

5/24/2005: nodus - (b) difficult situation

5/23/2005: uncial - (d) somewhat-rounded capital letters

5/22/2005: eremit - (a) recluse

5/21/2005: palladium - (b) safeguard

5/20/2005: rehadamanthine - (a) uncompromisingly just

5/19/2005: lagomorph - (d) gnawing animal (rabbit, beaver)

5/18/2005: monopsony - (c) several sellers, one buyer

5/17/2005: flanerie - (c) loafing

5/16/2005: rebec - (c) pear--shaped, medieval, 3-stringed lute

5/15/2005: haef - (a) a trivial amount

5/14/2005: sabra - (c) Israeli born in Israel

5/13/2005: haplology - (a) shortening of a word by contraction

5/12/2005: gollard - (b) wandering medieval student

5/11/2005: tergiversation - (d) flip-flopping back and forth

5/10/2005: tamarack - (d) larch tree

5/9/2005: rampike - (b) dead tree stump

5/8/2005: magot - (a) Barbary ape

5/7/2005: doit - (d) ¼-cent coin

5/6/2005: lubricoid - (b) resembling an earthworm

5/5/2005: cymose - (b) cluster of mini-blooms on a disk

5/4/2005: praedial - (a) attached to the land (e. g., serf)

5/3/2005: heirophant - (b) interpreter of arcane mysteries

5/2/2005: sui juris - (c) capable of managing one's own affairs

5/1/2005: ridley - (d) marine turtle

4/30/2005: decollate - (a) behead

4/29/2005: uredo - (c) burning itch

4/28/2005: parquet - (c) floor of theater

4/27/2005: culm - (b) grass stem joint

4/26/2005: effloresce- (d) to give up water of crystallization

4/25/2005: brock- (c) badger

4/24/2005: placket- (a) slit, or skirt pocket

4/23/2005: sphygmic- (b) pertaining to the pulse

4/22/2005: prodromal- (b) disease-onset symptom

4/21/2005: assentation- (d) ill-considered assent

4/20/2005: gurnard- (c) fish

4/19/2005: furlong- (a) 1/8th mile

4/18/2005: turnsole- (d) heliotrope

4/17/2005: hake- (b) cod family

4/16/2005: madelaine- (c) small, rich, shell-shaped cake

4/15/2005: subaltern- (c) between lieutenant and captain captain

4/14/2005: vis major- (a) catastrophic natural phenomenon that can sometimes override contracts

4/13/2005: hypercatalexis- (a) adding extra syllables

4/12/2005: tricoline- (d) sturdy worsted double-twilled fabric

4/11/2005: palatine- (d) woman's fur cape and hood

4/10/2005: torticolis- (b) neck muscles in spasm

4/9/2005: friseur- (b) hirdresser

4/8/2005: lubber line- (c) ship's heading

4/7/2005: steeve- (d) shipboard spar with rope and pulley

4/6/2005: hornbeam- (a) tree

4/5/2005: duiker- (b) African antelope

4/4/2005: exarch- (b) bishop below a patriarch

4/3/2005: quattrecento- (c) the 1400's

4/2/2005: cuncal- (a) wedge-shaped

4/1/2005: empressement- (b) offensive cordiality

3/31/2005: ratafia- (d) almond-flavored cordial

3/30/2005: guyot- (c) flat-topped seamount

3/29/2005: kakapo- (c) ground-dwelling New Zealand parrot

3/28/2005: dinkum- (a) genuine

3/27/2005: je ne sois quoi- (b) it is difficult to say

3/26/2005: rallentando- (a) gradually slackening

3/25/2005: hyetal- pertaining to (c) rain

3/24/2005: distiches- (c) two rows of leaves on opposite sides of a stem

3/23/2005: acarid- (a) mites and ticks

3/22/2005: lamia- (a) blood-sucking serpent

3/21/2005: fantod- (d) state of nervous irritabiility

3/20/2005: tuchin- (b) Chinese military provincial governor

3/19/2005: indusium- (c) enclosing membrane

3/18/2005: condyle- (a) bone knuckle

3/17/2005: gannet- (d) large northern seabird

3/16/2005: artemisia- (b) wormwood

3/15/2005: - (b) anbormally slow heartbeat

3/14/2005: narwhal- (c) marine mammal with a single spiral horn

3/13/2005: gaffer- (a) lighting technician

3/12/2005: lanceolate- (d) narrow and tapering at both ends

3/11/2005: fugacious- (c) evanescent

3/10/2005: macrobiotic- (c) promoting long life

3/9/2005: touraco- (c) brightly colored African bird

3/8/2005: ringhals- (a) venom-spitting African snake

3/7/2005: patelliform- (b) cup-shaped