I heart Words

I love words. I love tiny words that are anything but diminutive; and gargantuan words that are, in fact, minute. I adore knowing the meaning of an obscure word only because I recognize its Spanish cousin. I cherish professors like Dr. Fries who, although a history professor, started each class by scrawling a word-of-the-day on Misericordia's chalkboards. I own the word plethora because it made frequent appearances on his board - though I am, somewhat, sadden that few people ever use it. I envy languages that have 37 words to describe snow; I revel in Latin music with its declaration of love absent of the actual word. I stop reading an intriguing paragraph to jot down 'peripatetic - moving or traveling from place to place' and marvel at the sound of the word - its rhythm hinting at its meaning.

In thanks to both words and those who have shared them with me, I will pay homage to as many as possible. Stop by for a visit: Words I Love.

Words I Love: Leonine

Everything about him was leonine. Even without his work boots on, he stood well over six feet tall and, as his age progressed, his lean body had given way to a hale and heartier stock. His inherited wide shoulders, having grown wider through a lifetime spent on sports, had always prevented lovers from wrapping their arms completely around him. Careless in his upkeep, his golden blond hair was allowed to grow long and danced irreverently in the wind; his facial hair, equally disheveled, was thick, coarse and enveloped the majority of his beautiful face – keenly camouflaging the predatory hazel eyes.


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Main Entry: le·o·nine
Pronunciation: \ˈlē-ə-ˌnīn\
Function: adjective
: of, relating to, suggestive of, or resembling a lion


"leonine." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2008.
Merriam-Webster Online. 18 November 2008