Lexicon

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
Ab Ac Ad Ai Al Am An Ar As Au

Anamnesis

noun

  1. the remembering of things from a supposed previous existence (often used with reference to Platonic philosophy).
  2. MEDICINE a patient’s account of a medical history
  3. CHRISTIAN CHURCH the part of the Eucharist in which the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ are recalled

[Sphinx — Anne Garétta]

 

Anfractuous

adj.

(noun: anfractuosity)

  1. full of windings and intricate turnings

[Nicholson Baker — The Mezzanine]

Anisocarpic

an·​iso·​car·​pic | \ ¦aˌnīsə¦kärpik, a¦n- \
variants: or anisocarpous \ -​pəs \
of flowers
: having fewer members in the whorl of carpels than in any of the other floral whorls— compare ISOCARPIC

Anodyne

an·​o·​dyne | \ ˈa-nə-ˌdīn  \
1: serving to alleviate painthe anodyne properties of certain drugs
2: not likely to offend or arouse tensions : INNOCUOUS … his speech contained a single anodyne reference to the man who preceded him.— John F. Burns

Architrave

noun

  1. (in classical architecture) a main beam resting across the tops of columns, specifically the lower third entablature
  2. the molded frame around a doorway or window, or a molding around the exterior of an arch

[“The Island” — Lord Byron]

Arrant

Adj.

  1. Complete, utter

[Moby-Dick; or, The Whale — Herman Melville]

Asemic

adj.

  1. having no specific semantic content
  2. without the smallest unit of meaning

Also: Asemic writing

[A Handbook of Disappointed Fate — Anne Boyer]

Askesis

n.

  1. the practice of severe self-discipline, typically for religious reasons

[The Reading Life — C. S. Lewis]

Asperity

n.

(Plural: asperities)

  1. Roughness or harshness, as of surface, sound, or climate.
  2. Severity; rigor.
  3. A slight projection from a surface; a point or bump.
  4. Harshness of manner; ill temper or irritability.

[Nicholson Baker — The Mezzanine]

Assegai

n.

  1. A light spear or lance used by Bantu peoples of southern Africa.
  2. A tall evergreen tree (Curtisia dentata) of southern Africa, having durable wood used for making weapons, furniture, and other wooden products, and bark that is used in traditional medicine.

[The Waves — Virginia Woolf]