-ism, -ismus

Sleep walking; obviously, when there is some form of the shining moon.

An excessive size of one or more fingers or toes.

A major earthquake.

The phenomenon by which materials will have either an attracting or repelling force with respect to other materials.

This occurs when electrically charged particles are in motion, either from their movement in an electric current or from their presence in a permanent magnet (a substance or object that retains its own magnetic properties).

Certain metals are observed to have a strong property of magnetism.

1. A significant misuse of words by mixing them up with other words that have similar pronunciations; often with an unintentionally amusing result: Mrs. Highhead often used malapropisms when speaking to her friends, trying to sound very refined but getting her words mixed up and causing a great deal of laughter.

A radio psychologist was heard to say, "If everybody does their job, they will be happier."

Why can't people realize that "everybody" is singular and so should take a singular pronoun reference (his/her) instead of "their"? The same is true for "everyone"! Why not say: "If everyone does his or her job then he or she will be happier."

2. The unintentional misuse of words by confusing them with other elements of speech or writing by using similar pronunciations: Joe expressed a malapropism when he told his friends that he was not under the "affluence" of alcohol. © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index

Communication between individuals who can't hear: The system of maniloquism is used by the deaf who use symbols made with the hands and fingers.

A particular way a person has of talking or moving: The actor in the play could mimic the politician's mannerisms perfectly.

Little Billy had a particular mannerism of putting his finger on his cheek when he wanted something from his mother.

© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

The art of divination and prophecy: Leah took a course in manticism at the local college in order to learn about the history of different systems and methods of predicting the future.

1. A desire for wealth and material possessions with little interest in ethical or spiritual matters.
2. Devotion to material wealth and possessions at the expense of spiritual or intellectual values.
3. The philosophical theory that physical matter is the only reality and that psychological states; such as, emotions, reason, thought, and desire will eventually be explained as physical functions.

Eating opium.

Relating to an excessive size of one or more fingers and/or toes.