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Names of things that you might not have known had names.
(Thread)
(Thread)
GLABELLA
The space between your eyebrows is a glabella. That's also the name of the bone underneath that space that connects your brow ridges.
The space between your eyebrows is a glabella. That's also the name of the bone underneath that space that connects your brow ridges.
PETRICHOR
Do you love the smell of rain? That clean, greenish aroma when rain drops hit dry ground? That's petrichor from the Greek Petra, meaning stone, and ichor, meaning the blood of the gods and goddesses.
Do you love the smell of rain? That clean, greenish aroma when rain drops hit dry ground? That's petrichor from the Greek Petra, meaning stone, and ichor, meaning the blood of the gods and goddesses.
PARESTHESIA
Pins and needles. Crawling skin. The tingling sensation you get when your foot's asleep is known as paresthesia (you knew it had to have a -thesia in it) and there are dozens of causes.
Pins and needles. Crawling skin. The tingling sensation you get when your foot's asleep is known as paresthesia (you knew it had to have a -thesia in it) and there are dozens of causes.
DYSANIA
Dysania means having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning‚ and not just in the way that makes you want to crawl back under the covers. Though it's not officially recognized as a medical condition, and can impact people's lives in a variety of negative ways.
Dysania means having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning‚ and not just in the way that makes you want to crawl back under the covers. Though it's not officially recognized as a medical condition, and can impact people's lives in a variety of negative ways.
GRIFFONAGE
Illegible handwriting is called griffonage. (Take note, doctors.)
Illegible handwriting is called griffonage. (Take note, doctors.)
ACNESTIS
The unreachable spot between your shoulder blades is your acnestis. Next time you can't reach an itch, ask a loved one to scratch your acnestis and see what they say.
The unreachable spot between your shoulder blades is your acnestis. Next time you can't reach an itch, ask a loved one to scratch your acnestis and see what they say.
SEMORDNILAP
You might be familiar with palindromes, but you're probably less familiar with semordnilaps: a word that means one thing forward and another backward. Like stressed and desserts.
You might be familiar with palindromes, but you're probably less familiar with semordnilaps: a word that means one thing forward and another backward. Like stressed and desserts.
APHTHONGS
Silent letters, like in knight, fight, or Django, are aphthongs. This might be something that you already knew. (See what I did there?)
Silent letters, like in knight, fight, or Django, are aphthongs. This might be something that you already knew. (See what I did there?)
LAWN MULLET
When you keep your front lawn neatly cut but your back lawn is an absolute disgrace.
When you keep your front lawn neatly cut but your back lawn is an absolute disgrace.
GOOGLEGANGER
The person with your name who shows up in your Google search results is your Googleganger. Try not to be too annoyed that there's someone more internet famous than you. Instead, reach out politely to potentially gain a super surreal pen pal.
The person with your name who shows up in your Google search results is your Googleganger. Try not to be too annoyed that there's someone more internet famous than you. Instead, reach out politely to potentially gain a super surreal pen pal.
AGLETS
The bits at the ends of shoelaces are called aglets.
The bits at the ends of shoelaces are called aglets.
FERRULE
The bit at the end of the pencil that holds the eraser in place is a ferrule—though it's not just for pencils. Ferrules are any thin bracelet that fastens or reinforces a tube or pole that might split.
The bit at the end of the pencil that holds the eraser in place is a ferrule—though it's not just for pencils. Ferrules are any thin bracelet that fastens or reinforces a tube or pole that might split.
ZUGZWANG
When every move you can make in chess hurts you, you're in zugzwang. Which by the way, sometimes also happens when you're playing Connect Four. And in real life.
When every move you can make in chess hurts you, you're in zugzwang. Which by the way, sometimes also happens when you're playing Connect Four. And in real life.
SCROOP
Scroop is the swooshy sound ballgowns make. More generally, it's the sound produced by the movement of silk.
Scroop is the swooshy sound ballgowns make. More generally, it's the sound produced by the movement of silk.
TITTLE
That thing you use to dot a lower case i is called a tittle.
That thing you use to dot a lower case i is called a tittle.
KUMMERSPECK
This is the excess weight you gain from emotional eating. Its literal translation? Grief bacon.
This is the excess weight you gain from emotional eating. Its literal translation? Grief bacon.
CRAPULOUS
Though it sounds like a word invented by a teenager in the 1990s, crapulous dates back to the 1530s when it was used to describe that gross nauseated feeling that you get from drinking too much.
Though it sounds like a word invented by a teenager in the 1990s, crapulous dates back to the 1530s when it was used to describe that gross nauseated feeling that you get from drinking too much.
CARUNCLE
The triangular bump on the inside corner of your eye is the caruncule. It's just skin covering sweat glands, which is why it, too, can get itchy.
The triangular bump on the inside corner of your eye is the caruncule. It's just skin covering sweat glands, which is why it, too, can get itchy.
PHILTRUM
The fold of skin between your nose and upper lip is the philtrum. It's also called the medial cleft, but it comes from the ancient Greek for love charm.
The fold of skin between your nose and upper lip is the philtrum. It's also called the medial cleft, but it comes from the ancient Greek for love charm.
NIDDICK
The technical term for the nape of your neck is the niddick. If you're following this thread closely, niddick has two tittles.
The technical term for the nape of your neck is the niddick. If you're following this thread closely, niddick has two tittles.
RHINOTILLEXOMANIA
Obsessive nose-picking is called rhinotillexomania. How much counts as obsessive?
Obsessive nose-picking is called rhinotillexomania. How much counts as obsessive?
PELADOPHOBIA
The fear of bald people. It's also the fear of becoming bald, which means it's most frequently suffered by balding people who are turning into the thing they fear the most
The fear of bald people. It's also the fear of becoming bald, which means it's most frequently suffered by balding people who are turning into the thing they fear the most
PENTHERAPHOBIA
Pentheraphobia is the fear of your mother-in-law. And soceraphobia is the fear of your father-in-law.
Pentheraphobia is the fear of your mother-in-law. And soceraphobia is the fear of your father-in-law.
ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA
The fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. It's most likely related to pseudodysphagia, the fear of choking, so it's not as silly as it sounds.
The fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. It's most likely related to pseudodysphagia, the fear of choking, so it's not as silly as it sounds.
