Word for today: chimera – a fanciful mental illusion

Posted By on March 2, 2013

Although one would think that after my years of reading, editing, writing, printing and chimerapublishing words on paper, I would know the appropriate usage of the word chimera. Embarrassingly I did not.

I came across it today and questioned the author of an article while reading copy. A little digging had me realize that the word was not only the “fire-breathing she-monster” usually represented as a composite of a lion, goat, and serpent, but it is also used as a noun to describe a “grotesque product of the imagination.” (TheFreeDictionary)

It is also an an actual fish … a Chimera (photo below). Hmm … who knew?

Hydrolagus_colliei

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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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