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Words used in the writing of “weird fiction” author Clark Ashton Smith

Abbadon the angel of the "bottomless pit" of Rev. ix. 11; hell (see Gehenna)

abdominous big-bellied ("an abdominous jar of uncolored glass")

abjuration a renunciation under oath; a formal rejection or denial

abrogation a nullifying; a doing away with something [L. normal'>abrogare- to repeal]

acidulous sour; bitter; painstaking [L.- acidulus- slightly sour]

adamant

a stone imagined by some to be of impenetrable hardness; the hardest iron or steel 2. Poetic: unbreakable hardness (adj.-adamantine)

addorsed Her.- placed back-to-back, as two animals or figures

adipocere a soft or waxy substance of a light-brown color into which the flesh of dead animals is converted under certain conditions of temperature and humidity

adits entrances or passageways

adumbration

a faint sketch or outline 2. foreshadowing; advance indication 3. overshadowing

adytum an inner or secret shrine; sanctum [L. from Gk. normal'>adyton]

agate a waxy quartz in which the colors are in bands, or are blended in clouds

aigretted tufted as with feathers or gems

alabastrine of a pure white color, like alabaster

alembic a chemical vessel formerly used in distillation, usually of glass or copper (see cucurbit)

aliment food for body or mind

almandine n. a transparent deep red or violet garnet, a precious crystallized stone

aludel a pear-shaped vessel of glass

amaranth n. 1. a plant of the genus Amaranthus, with colorful leaves and, in some instances, showy, tassellike heads of flowers, as the love-lies-bleeding, pigweed, etc. 2. Poetic: an imaginary flower that never fades

amaranthine never-fading, or, of a deep-purple or purplish-red color

ambergris a solid, opaque, ash-colored substance used in perfumery

amethysts purple sapphires.

amphora a tall, two-handled jar for wine or oil, with a narrow neck [L. from Gk. amphoreus]

ana n. a collection of notes or scraps of literature bearing on a particular person, place, or subject

anaglyph an ornament in low relief; a cameo [Gk.- normal'>anaglyphon, from ana, up, & glyphein, to cut out]

Anakim a race of giants in Palestine

anchorite a hermit; a recluse (see eremite)

androsphinx a sphinx with a human head (distinguished from ram-headed or hawk-headed sphinxes)

animadversions disparaging comments; censure (see objurgations)

ankylose abnormal stiffening of a joint; a consolidation of two bones or parts of bones

anlace a broad two-edged dagger or short sword

annulated furnished with or surrounded by rings

antemundane unearthly

anthropophagic cannibalistic

antimony a silver-white, hard, crystalline metallic element, related to arsenic and tin

antinomian related to the doctrine that faith frees the Christian from the obligations of the moral law

antipodes a place or region on the opposite side of the earth, or its inhabitants

aphelion the point in orbit farthest from the sun

apotheosis

deification; exaltation to divine honors 2. a glorification of any kind

appanage an allowance to the younger branches of a sovereign house from revenues of the country; hence, whatever falls to one from rank or station in life [F.- apanage]

apperception Psychol.- perception that reflects upon the act of perceiving; spontaneous insight

apterous lacking wings

arabesque n. 1. a complex, elaborate design of intertwined flowers, foliage, geometrical patterns, etc. painted or carved in low relief 2. adj.- fanciful, ornamental

araucarias large cone-bearing evergreen trees

arcane known to only a few; esoteric [L.- normal'>arcanus- hidden] (see holocryptic & recondite)

archaeopteryx a bird of the Jurassic period which had teeth, a lizard-like tail, and well-developed wings

archimage a chief magician; great wizard [L. from Gk. normal'>archimagos- chief of the magi]

architrave

Archit.- a chief beam, resting on columns 2. an ornament arching over a door or window

armillary Astron.- an ancient instrument consisting of concentric rings in the form of a skeleton sphere, representing the relative positions of the ecliptic and other celestial circles

arrack a strong Oriental liquor

arras a hanging for the walls of a room, esp. a tapestry

aspergillum the brush used for sprinkling holy water on the people

asphodels a lily plant, bearing white or yellow flowers

astrolabe formerly an instrument for obtaining the altitude of planets and stars

ataxia disturbance of bodily functions, as in the paroxysms of disease

atelier a workshop, especially of an artist; studio

athanor a digesting furnace, formerly used in alchemy, so constructed as to maintain a uniform and constant heat

attar the fragrant oil extracted from the petals of flowers, esp. from roses

augury a portent or omen; the foretelling of events by signs or omens

aureate

golden; guilded 2. splendid (see next entry)

auroral dawning; roseate

auriphrygiate ornamented with embroidery in gold ("auriphrygiate domes") [L.]

austral southern

auto-da-fe the public pronouncement and execution of the sentence of the Inquisition, with attendant ceremonies, such as the burning of heretics at the stake

bagatelle a trifle; a thing of no importance

baleful

hurtful; malignant. 2. Archaic: sorrowful, miserable (see malefic)

banyan an East Indian fig-bearing tree which sends down from its branches roots that develop into new trunks, thus producing a thick and shady grove

barbican an outer fortification; rampart

baroque

irregularly shaped, as a baroque pearl 2. fantastically overdecorated; theatrical

basilisk fabled reptile of the Arabian desert whose breath and look were fatal (see cockatrice)

bastinado mode of punishment in Oriental countries, esp. Mohammedan, by beating the feet

bayadere a dancing-girl, especially one serving in an Indian temple

beryl aquamarine or emerald variety of beryllium, used as gems

besoms brooms; bundles of twigs

bezel the part of a ring which surrounds and holds the stone

bifurcation a division into two branches

bituminous containing bitumen; volatile

blandishments flattering speech or actions (see inveigle)

blazonries

Her.- artfully depicted coats of arms 2. brilliant displays

boreal northern; pertaining to the north, esp. the north wind

boscage a mass of growing trees or shrubs; a thicket [OF., OHG- busc- a thicket.]

bourn

Archaic: a limit or boundary: the bourn of man’s life 2. Poetic: realm or region

burgeoning budding; sprouting forth

burnoose a woolen cloak with hood, worn by Arabs and Moors

buskin a high shoe or half-boot (see cothurn)

byssus among the ancients, a linen, silk, or cotton cloth of exceedingly fine texture (used by the Egyptians in mummy-wrapping)

cabalistic containing an occult meaning; mystical

cachinnation immoderate laughter

cacodaemon a devil or evil spirit [Gk.- kakodaimon, from kakos- bad, evil + daimon- spirit]

caftan a long, wide-sleeved robe fastened by a belt or a sash

cairn a mound or heap of stones for a memorial

calamite a fossil plant of the Paleozoic era, growing to a height of 100 feet or more

calenture

a tropical fever with delirium 2. Poetic: to have illusions

calyx Bot.- the outermost series of leaf-like parts of a flower, usually green but frequently colored, which encloses and supports the corolla

cantraips incantations or charms; pieces of witchcraft (Scot., from cantrip)

caparisoned fitted with decorative trappings; decked out

capriole an upward leap made by a trained horse while standing [F., from Ital.- capriola]

capstan an apparatus for hoisting anchors

captious difficult to please; apt to find fault

carapace the bony outer case on turtles, lobsters and other animals

carmine red or purplish-red; crimson

carnelian n. a clear red chalchedony, often cut as a gem

cartouche on Egyptian monuments or papyri, a group of hieroglyphics in a small oblong area

caryatid Archit.- a figure of a woman dressed in long robes, serving to support an entablature

cassava

a tropical American shrub with thick roots from which an edible starch is obtained 2. bread made from this starch

cassia

a genus of plants, from some species of which is extracted the cathartic drug senna 2. Chinese cinnamon, a variety made by using cassia bark as an adulterating agent

castradoes eunuchs ("the fat castradoes diddered in their cloth-of-gold")

catafalque a temporary raised structure that supports a coffin [F.]

catatonia a state of muscular rigidity; stupor

causey a paved pathway or street [F. caucie, from L. calciare- to make a road]

celerity quickness of motion

centurial occurring once in a century

ceremented wearing grave-clothes; covered in cere-cloth

cerulean of a deep, clear blue; azure [L.- caelum, heaven, caeruleus, dark blue]

chaffer v. 1. to bargain; to haggle or negotiate 2. to talk much and idly

chalcedony a cryptocrystalline, translucent quartz, having a wax-like luster, and comprising onyx, agate, sard, cat’s eye, jasper and carnelian

chalices Botany: cup-shaped flowers

charpoy bedstead or cot of India, with a bamboo frame

chasmal gaping

chatelaine the mistress of a chateau

chatoyant adj. 1. possessing a changeable luster, like that of a cat’s eye in the dark 2. Cat’s Eye, a chrysoberyl gemstone displaying an undulating or wavy light

chimera- Myth.

a fire-breathing monster, depicted as part lion, part goat, and part dragon 2. a vain fancy; a mere phantasm of the imagination

chiton gown or tunic worn by men and women in ancient Greece

chryselephantine made or covered with gold or ivory, as certain Greek statues

chrysolite an olive-green, translucent mineral, called peridot when used as a semiprecious stone

chrysoprase an apple-green variety of quartz

Cimmerian dark; gloomy (from the Cimmerii, a people whose land Homer described as a region of perpetual mist and darkness)

cinnabar

cystallized red mercuric sulfide, artificially used a red pigment. 2. brilliant red

Circean fascinating but poisonous; magical (from Circe, a sorceress in Greek myth)

circumambient extending around, or being on all sides; encompassing

circumpolar revolving around the poles without setting, as circumpolar stars

claymore a double-edged Scottish broadsword

clepsydra Anciently: a water-clock

cockatrice a basilisk; a fabulous monster whose breath and glance were believed to be fatal, said to have been hatched by a serpent from a cock’s egg

coeval of the same age

coign Archaic: a projecting angle or stone; a corner

coir a type of yarn made from the husk of cocoanuts

colonnades Archit.- a range of columns connected by an entablature

colossi statues of gigantic size, such as the statue of Apollo which anciently stood at the entrance to the port of Rhodes

comestation Obs.- reveling or feasting [L.- comessatio, a Bacchanalian procession]

comestibles food; edibles (see viands)

commensal one who eats at the same table

comminatory threatening punishment or vengeance (minatory- menacing)

condign well-deserved

confrere a fraternity brother

consanguinity

blood relationship; common ancestry 2. close relationship; affinity

contumely scornful or insulting language; haughtiness ("contumelies")

coracle a small fishing boat of hide on a wicker frame [Welsh normal'>corwgl, from corwg- a frame, boat]

corollas the inner circle of flower leaves, usually colored

corposant a ball of electric light observed on dark tempestuous nights about the rigging of a ship; St. Elmo’s light

corundum aluminum oxide, second only to the diamond in hardness. Pure, transparent varieties are the ruby, sapphire, Oriental amethyst, and Oriental topaz.

coruscating giving out sparkles of light (coruscations- sudden flashes)

cothurn a high, thick-soled boot worn by actors in ancient Greek tragedies

couchant lying down; reclining (see recumbent)

courtier a member of the court circle

crenelations battlements; fortifications

crepuscular

pertaining to twilight; glimmering 2. becoming active or flying in the twilight

cresset a kind of iron basket holding a beacon light

cromlech an ancient mortuary monument consisting of two or more large unhewn stones fixed upright in the ground, supporting a flat horizontal stone (see dolmen)

crotali snakes of a genus like that of the rattlesnake (crotalus)

crozier a staff, about 5 feet in length, surmounted by an ornamental cross

cucurbit

a gourd-shaped chemical vessel 2. the body of an alembic 3. any plant of the gourd family

cuneiform wedge-shaped, as in some ancient Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian inscriptions

cupel a shallow, absorbent vessel, used in refining gold and silver ores

cupola a dome; hemispherical roof

cutaneous on or affecting the skin

cycad a tropical plant of fern-like appearance

damascened decorated with wavy or variegated patterns

damask n. a silk fabric, having some parts raised in the form of flowers and other figures

damaskeen v. to ornament with wavy markings produced by inlaying or incrusting with metal ("damaskeening the slopes beyond the city with bright flowers of azure and vermilion")

decoction an extract or essence made by boiling animal or vegetable matter

decrescent

decreasing; waning, as a decrescent moon 2. Her.- the declining moon, used as a bearing

delimitable capable of being gauged, marked, or decided upon (from delimit)

deliquescent liquifying in the air

demiurge

in Plato’s philosophy, a secondary deity, the creative spirit who made the world 2. in Gnostic philosophy, a subordinate god, often considered the originator of evil 3. in Greek history, a magistrate in certain Peloponnesian states (adj.- demiurgic- godlike)

desuetude disuse; a state of being no longer practiced or customary

dewlaps the fold of skin hanging from the throat of oxen or cattle

diablerie demonology; sorcery [OF. diablerie, from diable- devil]

diadem a crown; a symbol of royalty

diaphanous transparent or translucent; pellucid [Med. L.- normal'>diaphanus- transparent]

diaphragmic dividing; partitioning (from diaphragm)

diluvial pertaining to a flood or deluge

dissolution decomposition; death [L. dissolutio, from dissolutus, pp. of normal'>dissolvere, to loosen]

diurnal relating to the daytime; daily (opposed to nocturnal)

divagate to wander or stray aimlessly; to digress (n.- divagation, "divagance")

divertissements diversions; amusements

divestiture the removal of rights or honors; the act of removing something

divination the act or art of foretelling the future or unknown

doleful

expressing grief, as, a doleful cry 2. melancholy (see dolorous, funereal, lugubrious)

dolmen a prehistoric, sepulchral monumuent of large uncut stones, set on end and covered with a single huge stone, so as to form a chamber, and often covered with earth; cromlech

dolomite a calcium magnesium carbonate occurring in white to pale-pink crystals; limestone or marble with much magnesium carbonate in it

dolorous sorrowful; mournful; pathetic [ME.- dolerous, L.- dolorosus- painful, mournful]

drupe a soft, fleshy fruit enclosing a hard-shelled seed, as in the peach or cherry

ebullition

the condition of any liquid when bubbles are rapidly forming in its mass and rising to the surface 2. a violent outburst (ebullience- a boiling over; agitation; exuberance)

effluence a flowing out; emanation [L.- effluens]

effluvium a noxious or evil-smelling exhalation from decaying matter

effulgence a shining forth brilliantly; brightness; splendor

eider the soft, fine breast feathers of a large eider duck

eidolon an unreal or spectral form; an image

eldritch ghastly; hideous; weird

electrum

an amber-colored alloy of gold and silver, used by the ancient Greeks for coins 2. Obs.- amber

eloignment removal to a distance; a carrying off [OF esloignier- carry off ]

embrasure an opening in a wall or parapet, through which cannon are pointed

empery Poetic: sovereignty; dominion

Empusa Botany: a genus of prehistoric fungi ("empusae")

empyreal celestial; pertaining to the highest heaven, where the pure element of fire was supposed by the ancients to exist [Gk. empyros- in the fire]

energumen a person supposedly possessed by evil spirits; a demoniac

entablature a platform supported by columns

epiphany a bodily manifestation, as of a deity

epiphytic growing non-parasitically on another plant, as certain orchids, mosses, and lichens

equerry an officer having charge of the horses of a dignitary

equivocal of doubtful significance; capable of a double interpretation; purposely vague

eremite one who lives in a wilderness or in retirement; a hermit ("eremitic")

erigible capable of being erected [Rare]

erubescent reddish; blushing (see rubescent)

estrade an elevated part of the floor of a room; platform

esurient hungry; needy

ethereous seeming to pervade all space

etiolated whitened; blanched

evanescent passing away gradually or imperceptibly (evanescence)

eventide Poetic: evening time

exanimate deprived of life; inanimate

excoriate to denounce scathingly

exigent demanding; pressing or urgent

exiguous small; minute; slender [L. exiguus- scanty, small ]

fakir a Moslem itinerant beggar, often one claiming to perform miracles (also sp. faquir)

fane a sanctuary; temple

feculent foul with impure substances; muddy

fecundity fertility; richness of invention

femora thigh-bones

fen marsh; bog

ferine relating to or resembling a wild beast; savage (feral)

ferruginous of the color of iron rust; dusky

Fescennine ribald; licentious (from town of Fescennium in Etruria, known for its wild festivals)

fetid emitting an offensive odor (see noisome)

filagree delicate ornamental work formed of intertwisted gold or silver wire

filiated threadlike

firkins wooden vessels ("vermilion fungoid blossoms large as firkins")

flagitious deeply criminal; grossly wicked (see nefandous & nefarious)

flambeaux burning torches

flange a spreading or flaring part; a projecting rim or edge

fleur-de-lis a heraldic figure representing either a lily or the head of a lance

flibbertigibbet an impulsive, flighty, or garrulous person

floe a mass of floating ice

florescence a blooming; the state of being in blossom

fortalice a fortified place; a stronghold [Med. L normal'>fortalitia]

foulder Obs.- to thunder or flash like lightning ("fouldered" ... see fulgor & levin)

frangipanni a perfume prepared from, or imitating the odor of a West Indian tree

franzanita a shrub of the genus Arctosa Phylos; the fruit of one of these shrubs

fretted ornamented with angular or interlocked lines

friable easily crumbled

frore Archaic or Poetic: frozen; frosty

fulgor Archaic: dazzling brightness (fulguration- a sudden brightening … adj.- fulgurant, fulgurating)

fulminating

exploding 2. shouting accusations 3. thundering and lightening [Rare]

fulsome offensively flattering or insincere; excessive (see unctuous)

fulvous reddish-yellow; tawny

fumitory a climbing plant with clusters of pink or purple flowers

funereal mournful; depressingly sad or gloomy

fust a strong musty smell

gamboge a reddish-yellow Oriental gum-resin from certain tropical trees, used as a yellow pigment

garnet

a glasslike mineral of various colors, sometimes cut as a gem 2. deep red

garniture , trimming; embellishment

garth Archaic: a yard; garden [ME.]

Gehenna hell-fire; the place of future punishment

genuflection a bending of the knee, as in worship

geomancy divination by figures or lines formed by a handful of earth cast on the ground

ghazal

a piece of Arabic music with a frequent refrain 2. a form of Persian verse

glabrous smooth

glaucous yellowish-green ("glaucous twilight")

glutinous gluey; sticky

gibbous irregularly rounded or bulging, as the moon when in a phase between half-moon and full

gnomon the style or pin of a sun dial

gossamers fine threads or webs of silk

gracile slender

gramary Archaic: occult lore; magic ("gramaries")

grandiloquence the use of pompous, bombastic words and expressions (see magniloquent & orotund)

greaves dregs of melted tallow

grimalkin an old female cat

guerdon an earned privilege or reward

gules Her.- the tincture red: in a blazon without color, indicated by parallel vertical lines [OF. from L. gula, the throat] ("the leaping of flames that flung their bloody gules")

gymnosophic pertaining to a Hindu sect of ascetics who wore little or no clothing; nude

halcyon calm; peaceful

hamadryad a wood nymph whose life is connected with that of the tree she inhabits

harrow

to tear; to wound 2. to make uncomfortable; to distress

haruspication divination by a normal'>haruspex, a lesser priest or soothsayer in ancient Rome whose business was to inspect the entrails of animals killed in sacrifice [L., lit., an inspector of entrails]

hebetude dullness; stupidity

hecatomb Anciently: a sacrifice of a hundred oxen as an offering to the gods; hence, any great slaughter

Hesperian

western 2. Poetic: of the Hesperides, daughters of Hesperus, guardians of the fabulous garden of golden apples, watched over by an enchanted dragon, at the earth’s western extremity

hesternal pertaining to yesterday ("my own memories grow dim like the fires of hesternal wanderings")

heteroclitic deviating from the ordinary form ("heteroclitic runes")

hieratic consecrated to sacred uses (see sacerdotal)

hierophant Anciently: an expounder of religious mysteries or rites

hippodrome Anciently: a place in which chariot races were performed

holocryptic wholly concealed; arcanic

hornbeam a small variety of the birch tree

houri a nymph of the Moslem Paradise

hummocks small elevations; piles or ridges of ice

hyaline resembling glass; transparent (hyalescence- the state of being glassy)

hydromancy divination by the observation of water

hyperborean frigid; of the far north

hyssop a fragrant, bushy plant of the mint family

ichor Myth.- the ethereal fluid supposed to flow in the veins of the gods

ignescent bursting into flame; emitting sparks of fire [L. normal'>ignescens, ppr. of ignescere- to take fire]

imbricated overlapping, like tiles on a roof, scales of fish, or leaves in a bud ("imbricated leafage")

immedicable incurable (see irremediable)

immemorial beyond memory; originating beyond the reach of records or tradition

immensurable not to be measured; immeasurable (see incommensurable)

immitigable severe or extreme; incapable of appeasement

immomentous unimportant [Rare]

immortelles flowers that retain their color long after they are harvested

immured enclosed or imprisoned (immurement)

impalpable intangible; unreal

incalescent increasing in heat [L.- incalescens, entis, ppr. of incalescere, grow hot... Rare]

incarnadined tinged with the color of flesh; reddened

inchoate begun, but existing in only a rudimentary form [L.- normal'>inchoatus, pp. of inchoare- to begin]

incognizable not capable of being recognized ("incognizably distorted stars")

incommensurable lacking a common measure or standard of comparison; greatly out of proportion

incubus

nightmare 2. an imaginary demon, formerly supposed to cause nightmare, or to have sexual intercourse with the sleeper 3. anything that oppresses

incunablia the earliest traces of an art, race, or development; early specimens of printing and engraving

indepictable indescribable

indesecrate never visited by man; unexplored ("her indesecrate horizons")

indissoluble

incapable of being dissolved, melted, or liquefied 2. firm; lasting (adv.-indissolubly)

indurate hardened; made callous or stubborn (see obdurate)

ineffable inexpressible

ineluctable inescapable; irresistable

inenarrable that cannot be narrated or told

infoliate v. to cover or overspread with leaves [Rare]

infrangible unbreakable [F.] ("the infrangible solitude of remote places")

innominable not to be named (innominate- nameless)

inscrutable incomprehensible; unfathomable

insuperable insurmountable; not to be overcome

integument any natural outer covering, as the skin of an animal, coat of a seed, etc.

interlocutor an interpreter or questioner

interlunar at the time when the moon is invisible; between the old and the new moon

inveigle to lead on with deception; to entice (see wheedling… n.- inveiglement)

investiture a formal investing with authority (Obs.- vestiture...in Zool., a covering of scales or hair)

inveterate

firmly established; of long standing 2. Obs.- bitter; also, ancient (adv.- inveterately)

invidious envious; provoking evil

involitient not capable of exercising the will; mindless [Rare] (volitient- exercising volition)

involuted

intricate; confusingly mingled 2. Botany: rolled inward at the edges

invultuation an evil spell

iridescent having rainbow-like colors; shimmering [Gk. iris, a rainbow, and escent- prismatic]

irrefragable incapable of being refuted; unanswerable

irremeable admitting of no return

irremediable

not to be remedied 2. not to be corrected or redressed

irresoluble

that cannot be resolved; insoluble 2. that cannot be relieved

isoteric having the same number and arrangement of electrons ("isoteric luster")

ithyphallic relating to the phallus used in the festivals of Bacchus; hence, obscene or lewd

jacinth a reddish-orange precious stone; a hyacinth

jasper an opaque variety of quartz, of red, yellow, or brown, and admitting of high polish

jetty black

ka in Egyptian myth, the spiritual self, believed to dwell in images, and to survive in the tomb

kava a Polynesian shrub of the pepper family, and beverage made from it

lacunae gaps; blank spaces

lambent softly radiant (n.- lambency…"lambence")

lamia Myth.- a female vampire preying upon infants; witch ("lamiae")

lancinating piercing, as a shooting pain

Laocoon Myth.- the priest of Apollo at Troy, who warned the Trojans against the wooden horse, and was killed with his two sons, by two serpents sent by Athena

lapidaries those who cut, engrave and set precious stones

lazuli blue spar; lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone used by the ancients for decoration

legerdemain

sleight of hand; tricks of a stage magician 2. trickery of any sort

leman Archaic: a sweetheart or lover; esp. a mistress

lentor

tenacity [Rare] 2. slowness of movement; sluggishness ("the lentor of Lethe")

leonine pertaining to a lion; fierce

Lethean imparting forgetfulness, or, the anxious foreboding of oblivion

levin Archaic: lightning [ME.- levene]

Liassic Geol: pertaining to the Lias, bluish rocks which are the oldest strata of the Jurassic Period

littoral the shore; the region on the shore of the sea or a large lake

locution a mode of speech; a phrase

loess Geol: a pale, yellowish clay or loam

lubricious lascivious (see salacious)

lubricity slipperiness; hence, shiftiness; instability

lucent shining; luminous

lucubration laborious study or writing [often in pl.] (humorous usage suggesting pedantry)

lugubrious expressing sorrow

luminary any body that gives light, or, a famous intellectual, as, normal'>luminaries of Europe

lunation Astron.- the interval between two returns of the new moon

lune a geometrical figure in the shape of a crescent or half-moon

lustrum a period of five years

machicolation a vertical opening in the floor of a projecting gallery or parapet for hurling missiles or pouring boiling lead onto the enemy

machinations plots; artful schemes

madder

a climbing plant; esp. Rubia tinctorum, a vine with small yellow flowers and berries 2. the red root of this plant, or a red dye made from it 3. bright red; crimson

magistral n. 1. a sovereign remedy [Obs.] 2. adj.- Phar.- specially prepared; not kept on hand

magniloquent lofty, pompous, or grandiose in speech or style of expression (adv.-magniloquently)

malachite a green mineral, found in massive encrustations, that can be polished for ornamental uses

malefic harmful; evil (maleficent- causing injury; maleficial... "malefical"... see next entry)

malign of an evil nature or character

malisons Archaic: maledictions; curses; invocations of evil

Mandragora a genus of herbaceous plants of the nightshade family, which have narcotic properties

mandrake

a poisonous plant, genus mandragora, found in the Mediterranean regions: it has a short stem, purple or white flowers, and a thick root, often forked; deadly nightshade 2. the root, formerly thought to resemble the human shape

mangonel a military apparatus formerly used for throwing stones [OF]

mantle n. 1. a cloak or loose, sleeveless garment 2. anything that covers or conceals

manumission emancipation; being released from bondage (v.- manumit- to release from slavery)

marah bitter water

marcescent withered; wizened

marish marshy; boggy

marmoreal made of or resembling marble

matutinal pertaining to or occurring in the morning [L. from normal'>Matuta, the goddess of morning]

mauve a purple dye and pigment; any of several delicate shades of purple

melange an unsorted medley of things; a literary miscellany

melanite a velvet-black variety of garnet

Memnon a gigantic statue of an Egyptian king at Thebes, said to emit a musical note at first dawn

menhir a tall, rude or sculptured stone of unknown antiquity

mephitic noxious; pestilential

mere a pond or pool

meretricious

pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute 2. alluring by false, showy charms; tawdry

meridian noontime; the highest point of anything

miasmal poisonous; vaporous (also miasmatic-- "miasmata")

midge

a common name for gnats 2. a dwarf

migniard Obs.- delicate; frail

minaret a high slender tower, with one or more projecting balconies

missal a black-letter or manuscript book of early date resembling the old Mass books

moiety a half; a small portion

monads Biol.- any simple, single-celled organisms; atoms (atomies)

moraine Geol.- a ridge or heap of earth, stones, sand, or other debris carried by a glacier

morbidezza in painting, delicacy or softness of flesh tints

mordant caustic; cynical

moribund at the point of death; dying

mortuary pertaining to the burial of the dead; relating to or reminiscent of the dead

moted containing fine floating dust or specks

mottlings blotches or spots of different color or shades of color (see variegated)

multifarious having great diversity or variety

multitudinous vast in number

murrain a malignant fever affecting domestic animals; any plague or pestilence

must wine or juice pressed from the grape but not fermented

myrmidon a faithful adherent; an unscrupulous follower

myrrh aromatic gum resin, from several trees and shrubs of Arabia and Abyssinia

nacarat bright orange-red color

nacre mother-of-pearl; the brilliant internal layer of oysters or other shells ("minarets of nacre")

nebulous cloudy; hazy [L.- nebulosus, from nebula- a cloud, mist, vapor] (n.- nebulosity)

necromancy divination by means of communication with the dead; the black art

necrophagous subsisting on carrion [Gk.- nekrophagos- eating dead bodies] ("necrophagism")

necrophore a burying beetle

necropolis an extensive cemetery that is ornamentally laid out

nefandous blasphemous in character; not to be named

nefarious abominable; atrociously sinful or villainous

neophyte a new convert; novice (see novitiate & proselytes)

nescience ignorance; esp. that due either to the nature of the human mind or of external things

nethermost deepest

noctambulistic like a sleepwalker; somnambulist ("her noctambulistic paces")

noctiluca

anything which shines in the darkness; phosphorous 2. small phosphorescent marine organisms that cause parts of the sea to appear luminous

noctilucent luminous by night

noctuary an account of what passes in the night: the converse of normal'>diary [Rare]

noisome offensive to the smell or other senses

novitiate the period of probation of a novice in a religious order; a novice

nyctalopia the faculty or defect of seeing only in darkness

nympholepsy an ecstatic frenzy, said to have taken possession of one who looked upon a nymph; hence, an emotional state caused by unrealizable desire ("satyrs mad with nympholepsy")

obdurate unmoved by feelings of humanity or pity

obeisance a bow of reverence or respect

obelisk a monument of rectangular form, generally forming a low pyramid structure

objurgations rebukes; scoldings

obliquely indirectly; evasively (adj.- obliquitous)

obloquy censorious speech; vilification; also, the state of one who is spoken ill of

obsequial cringing; servile

obsequies funeral services or preparations

obsidian a glossy, black volcanic rock

obstreporous boisterous or unruly; vociferous

occlude to obstruct; to shut in or out

occultation Astron.- concealment of one celestial body by another interposed in the line of vision

ocher an earthy clay, colored with iron oxides and varying in color from pale yellow to deep orange or brownish-red (adj.- ocherous- of a yellow or red color)

odalisques female slaves; concubines

offal carrion; rubbish of any kind

oleaginous pertaining to oil; oily

olibanum Oriental frankincense

omnivalent (omniscient- all-knowing, + omniverous- taking in everything, as an omniverous reader)

opalescent resembling an opal in play of colors; iridescent

ophidian snakelike; pertaining to serpents

orchidaceous like an orchid in showiness, beauty, etc.

orichalch in ancient Greece, an alloy of copper and zinc, resembling gold (orichalchum…see similor)

orlop the lowest deck of a ship; esp. a warship

orotund

full; mellow; resonant; strong: said of the voice 2. pompous: said of a style of writing

oscitancy the act of gaping or yawning; drowsiness

osier any of various related species of willow, whose twigs are used in making baskets

ossuary a charnel house

ostent

Obs.- appearance; manner 2. manifestation; portent [Rare]

oubliette a secret dungeon with an entrance only through the top

pandanus Asiatic shrublike trees of the screw pine family

pandemonium

the abode of all demons; the infernal regions 2. extreme disorder or uproar

pannakins small pans or cups

parapegms in ancient Greece, a table, usually of brass, fixed to a pillar, on which laws and proclamations were engraved; also, a table set in a public place, containing an account of the rising and setting of the stars, eclipses, seasons, etc. ("the brazen tablets of astronomical parapegms")

pards Archaic: leopards

parhelia mock-suns, sometimes white and sometimes tinted with prismatic colors

parterre a flower garden having beds arranged in a pattern [F- normal'>par- by + L.- terra- earth]

pell Obs.- a roll of parchment

pentacle a figure of five straight lines, making a star; in magic, a circle with figures and symbols

penumbra a partial shadow; a margin of shadow caused by the partial interception of light from an illuminating body, as in an eclipse (adj.- penumbral- incompletely illuminated)

perambulations traveling surveys or inspections (see peregrinate)

perdurable very durable; lasting

peregrinate to travel from place to place; to wander (n.- peregrinations)

pernoctation the act of passing the whole night ("saintly pernoctations of prayer and austerity")

peroration the concluding part of a speech

perspicatious quick-sighted; seeing through or understanding something promptly

phantasmagoria a changing, incoherent series of apparitions or phantasms

philtres magical drafts supposed to excite sexual love

Phlegethonian Myth.- fiery, like Phlegethon, one of the five rivers of Hades ("without sound or other ostent than the Phlegethonian luster that surrounds its body and members")

phylactery

an amulet worn as a preservative from danger or disease among the Jews 2. a strip of parchment inscribed with religious texts and enclosed in a leather case

pilaster a square pillar projecting from a wall to a short distance

pinnate Bot: having the shape or arrangement of a feather; said of compound leaves

pismires ants

planturous abundant ("planturous lyricism")

plenilune Poetic: the full moon [L.- plenus- full + luna- moon]

plenipotentiary n. an ambassador

plexus an interwoven arrangement of parts; a network

plummet a piece of lead or other metal attached to a line, used for sounding the water’s depth

porphyry an Egyptian rock with red and white feldspar crystals embedded in a fine-grained, dark-red or purplish ground mass [Gk.- porphyros- purple] ("porphyritic")

porrected projecting; extending horizontally

postern a back gate; a private entrance

poulaine a medieval shoe with a long pointed toe

preciptancy extreme haste; falling or rushing headlong

prescience knowledge of events before they happen

preternatural beyond what is natural, as opposed to supernatural (above nature)

primordial from the earliest time; original

profulgent Poetic: gleaming; brilliant

promontory a high point of land extending into the sea beyond the line of coast; headland

proselytes new converts to a religion

psammite fine-grained, clayey sandstone

puissant powerful; mighty

pullulation germination; breeding

purlieus environs; the part lying adjacent to a property [F.- normal'>lieu- a place]

purpureal purplish (see violescent)

purulent containing or discharging pus; suppurating

pusillanimous cowardly; faint-hearted

pylon Archit.- a truncated pyramid, or two of these, forming a gateway to an Egyptian temple

pythonomorph one of the Pythonomorpha, a group of extinct marine reptiles from the Cretaceous rocks of America and Europe. Some species were more than 50 feet long. ("huge pythonomorphs with fabulous golden coils")

quadrireme ancient Greek or Roman warship with four banks of oars

quinquangular having five angles or corners [Obs.] ("paven with immense quinquangular flags")

quintessential having in concentrated form the essential part; purest

quotidian occurring or returning every day; daily

raddling patterns formed by weaving or twisting together ("fantastic raddlings of ebony")

ramified divided or branched out

rattans the long, tough, flexible stems of a palm tree; the palm trees themselves

ravelled Archaic: tangled; confused

recherche choice; rare

recondite remote from easy perception; secret; hidden [L.- normal'>reconditus, pp. of recondere, put away]

recrudescence a breaking out afresh, as of a disease or wound

recumbent reclining or leaning; idle

regnant reigning; dominant, as a queen regnant

renascent reborn; showing new life and strength [L.]

retiarii n. pl. in ancient Rome, gladiators furnished with a net and a trident; hence, spiders or marine organisms with netlike meshes [L- rete- a net]

reticulation a network of crisscrossed lines or veins, as in leaves

revenant one who or that which returns; a ghost

rime congealed dew or vapor; hoarfrost

roc Myth.- in Arabian and Persian legend, a fabulous bird of prey, so huge and strong that it could carry off the largest of animals

roseate

rose-colored; rosy 2. cheerful; bright

rubescent reddened or becoming red

rubicund inclining to redness; reddish; ruddy

ruddled marked or colored with red ocher

rufous of a reddish or brownish-red color; rust-colored

runlet

a small brook or stream 2. A small barrel, or the measure of wine it contains, about 18 gallons (alternate spelling of rundlet)

runneled interspersed with rivulets or small brooks

russet reddish-brown [L.- russus- reddish]

rutilant of a shining red color [L- rutilare- to have a reddish glow] ("Like Satan’s rutilant hair, trailing on the wind of Gehenna…")

sacerdotal pertaining to priests or the priesthood

sacrosanct considered holy; inviolable

salacious lustful; lecherous

saltant leaping; jumping; dancing [L.]

salubriousness healthfulness

samite an old rich silk, interwoven with gold and embroidered

sang-froid calmness in trying circumstances

sanguinary accompanied by much bloodshed; bloodthirsty; or, characterized by vigorous activity

sanguine having the color of blood; ruddy; said esp. of complexions

sanies a thin, reddish discharge from wounds or sores; bloody matter

sapience wisdom; sageness

saraband a stately Spanish dance in triple time, of the 17th century

sarcophagous carniverous

sard the deep brownish-red variety of chalchedony

saturnine of a grave or morose disposition

savant a man of learning who is eminent in his acquirements

scatheful harmful; injurious

scaurs cliffs or rocky places on the sides of a hill

scintillant sparkling [L. scintillans, ppr. of scintillare- to sparkle]

scoriac adj.- littered with fragmentary lava [Rare] (from scoriaceous)

sedge grasslike growths, usually in tufts or clumps, near marshes or swamps (adj.- sedgy)

sedulously in a diligent manner

seines large nets for catching fish

selenic lunar [Gk. selene, the moon… Selene, the goddess of the moon]

sempervirent evergreen; always fresh [L.- semper- always + normal'>virens, ppr. of virere- to be green or verdant]

sendal a light, thin, silken fabric

senescence the process or state of growing old

sententious full of judicious observations; having brevity and weight of meaning

sepia

a dark-brown pigment prepared from the inky fluid secreted by cuttlefish 2. a dark reddish-brown color

septagonal having seven angles and seven sides (coinage- a combination of septangular and heptagonal)

sepulchral suggestive of the grave; low or hollow in tone; dismal in aspect

seraglio a harem

sere withered; dried up

serried compacted in rows or ranks

shagreen an Oriental leather or parchment, usually dyed green

shoal

a shallow place in a river, sea, etc. 2. a sandbank or sandbar

sibilant making a hissing sound (n.- sibilation)

sibyl a prophetess; a sorceress (adj.- sibylline)

sidereal

pertaining to the stars or constellations; starry 2. measured by means of the stars ("intersidereal," "transidereal")

similor an alloy of copper and zinc, resembling gold and used in making jewelry

simoom a hot, dry, dust-laden wind of the desert (also sp. simoon)

simulacra an image, made in the likeness of a being; a shadowy semblance

sinuous winding; undulating

sistrum a jingling instrument used by the ancient Egyptians in religious ceremonies ("sistra")

somnolent drowsy

sonority high-soundedness; resonance

sortilege the act of drawing lots; divination by lots

spar any of various crystalline minerals which easily break into fragments with polished surfaces

spindrift the blinding spray of salt water blown from the surface of the sea in hurricanes

sternutations sneezings

stertorous characterized by a deep snoring sound or labored breathing

stridors a shrill, creaking, screechy or grating noise

stridulations small, harsh creaking noises, as made by some insects

succubus a female demon, fabled to have intercourse with men in their sleep

sultana a sultan’s wife, daughter or sister

supernal related to things above us; celestial

supplicative gesturing with entreaty; humbly begging

susurrous whispering; a soft, murmuring sound ("the dry, susurrous voice")

suzerain a ruler, esp. a feudal lord or baron (suzerainty) [F.]

sward land thickly covered with grass

swart of a dark hue; moderately black; tawny (see umber)

sybaritic devoted to pleasure and luxurious ease [Gk [from Sybaris, a town proverbial for its luxury]

Sybarites an inhabitant of Sybaris; voluptuary

sycophant a servile flatterer

syenite a granitic rock of grayish color, found near Syene in Upper Egypt

sylvan pertaining to a wood or forest

syncope sudden faintness, with loss of sensation

tabouret a stool or small seat, without arms or back

tamarack black variety of the coniferous larch tree, remarkable for its elegant form

tarboosh a red woolen skullcap; fez

telluric pertaining to the earth (see terrene)

tenebrific making dark or gloomy (tenebrous)

teratology Biol.- that branch of science which deals with monsters or malformations

terebinth the turpentine tree; also, a name for various resinous exudations

termagant a brawling, turbulent woman (see virago)

terraqueous consisting of land and water, as the earth

terrene

earthy; terrestrial 2. worldly; mundane

thallophytes members of the lowest phylum of plants (algae, bacteria, lichens, and fungi)

thaumaturgy the act of performing something wonderful; magic [Gk.- normal'>thaumatourgia]

thrall bondage; figuratively: one controlled by a passion or a vice

thuribles censers in the shape of a covered vase

tocsin an alarm bell ("tocsin of doom")

tonsure the round, bare place on the heads of Roman Catholic monks ("tonsured")

topaz the yellow sapphire

topiarized shaped by clipping or pruning

torrefaction the act of torrefying or the state of being torrefied (roasted or scorched) [F]

tourmaline a semiprecious mineral with a resinous luster, used as gem [F]

translucent transmitting light, but not rendering objects beyond distinctly visible

trellising

structures of thin wooden or metal strips crossing each other in a pattern of squares, diamonds, etc., on which vines or other creeping plants are trained 2. a bower or archway of this 3. Her.- latticework

tremulous trembling

trilithon a monument of two upright stones topped by a projecting block or arch

trivet a three-legged stand for holding vessels in a fireplace

trouvere one of a class of poets in northern France from the 11th to 14th centuries, distinguished from the troubadours of southern France by the narrative and epic character of their works

tumescence a swelling; a swollen part (adj.- tumid… see turgescence)

tureen a deep, covered dish, as for a soup

turgescence a swollen or enlarged condition

tutelary adj.- guardian; protecting

ultramundane beyond the world, the solar system, or the present life

ultrastellar from beyond the stars

ululation a howling, as of a wolf or dog; a wailing

umber of a dusky hue; brownish

umbrageous

shady or shaded 2. easily offended 3. Obs.- obscure (umbrageously)

unctuous characterized by a smug pretence of spiritual feeling or fervor; unduly suave

undine Myth.- a female water spirit, corresponding to the naiads

unforelimnable (a coinage)

usufruct the right of using another’s property for profit, without spoiling its substance

vacilant fluctuating; wavering (v.- vacilate)

valediction a bidding of farewell

variegated

Marked with various colors or tints 2. Exhibiting different forms, styles, or varieties

verdigris the green or bluish patina formed on copper, bronze or brass surfaces long exposed

veridical veracious; truth-telling [L.- veridicus- speaking the truth]

verisimilitude a semblance of truth or reality

vermiculated adorned with traceries resembling the tracks of worms

vermilion

bright-red mercuric sulfide, used as a pigment 2. scarlet; brilliantly red

vertiginous dizzying; affected by vertigo

vestment clothing or covering, esp. a garment or robe of office

viands articles of food; choice dishes

vicinal neighboring; adjoining

villanelle a short poem of several stanzas (usually 5) of three lines each, and a final stanza of 4 lines: it has only two rhymes throughout

violescent tending to a violet color

virago

a bold, shrewish woman 2. Archaic: a strong, large, manlike woman; an amazon

viscid semi-fluid and sticky

vitriolene (coinage… describes spacesuits; see next entry)

vitriolic extremely biting or caustic; sharp and bitter (from vitriol)…[L.- vitreus- glassy]

vizier the title of high political officers in Turkish and other Mohammedan states

vocable a word considered as a unit of sounds or letters, without regard to meaning

volitation the act of flying; flight

volumen a roll of manuscript

volute Archit.- a spiral scroll used as an ornament in Ionic and Corinthian capitals

wafture something conveyed through water or air, as an odor

wattling a fleshy process, often brightly colored, hanging from the neck of a bird

weft a woven fabric; web

weir an obstruction placed in a stream to raise or divert the water

welkin Archaic or Poetic: the vault of the sky; the heavens

wheedling persuading by flattery or gentle pleading; coaxing

wilderment Poetic: bewilderment; confusion

Will-o’-the-wisp

Ignis fatuus; a phosphorescent light seen in the air over marshy places 2. Figuratively: a delusion; deceptive attraction

windlass a mechanism for lifting by rope, usually with a cranking attachment

withes willow or osier twigs; vines [ME.- wythes]

wraith an apparition of a person, believed to be alive, seen shortly before or after his death; specter

wried (coinage... "wried and twisted constellations")

wyvern Her.- a monster with two wings, two legs, a tapering body and a barbed tail

yoke Figuratively: enslavement

zircon a mineral occurring in lustrous brown or grey prisms, used as a gem

PRIMARY SOURCES

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary. 2nd Ed., 1983. Brittanica World Language Ed. of Funk & Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary. 2 Vols., 1960.

SECONDARY SOURCES

The American Heritage Dictionary, 1994. Funk & Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary, 1993.

Many thanks to Ralph Grasso for sharing this!

#clark ashton smith #vocab #vocabulary #english vocabulary #expand your vocabulary #words #fancy words #elegant language #english language #word of the day #weird fiction #HP Lovecraft #science fiction #fantasy literature #english literature

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