Another new word
11/06/03
floccinaucinihilipilification (FLAHK-si-NAW-si-NY-hil-i-PIL-i-fi-KAY-shin) – the categorization of something as trivial or worthless.
In case you were wondering about the new title of my journal (esprit de l’escalier) – it’s the perfect riposte that comes to mind later, and far too late to do you any good. The term comes from French and means literally the “spirit of the staircase” – in other words, inspiration gained upon ascending the stairs to retire to bed, long after the opportunity for a retort has passed. The English equivalent is “stairwit.”
The end.
