Wordy Wednesday Part 1

Wordy Wednesday is the day to use and celebrate Logophilia, the term for someone who loves words in all their forms and uses. Come along with me to discover new words, their meanings, history and uses as well as some other additions like poetry or lyrical genius set to good music.

Challenge yourself to add to your vocabulary and possibly learn something new along the way. Don't forget to include some fun as well.

She awoke - her circadian rhythms right on time. The night was not far off as she gazed at her caliginous surroundings. What was it that she felt?

Hunger.

It resonated through her body, in every fibre she could feel the call...the call to hunt. It was quotidian of her, being the crepuscular beauty she was. Where would she find her prey in such a hazy twilight? She fluffed out her feathers, shaking off the last vestiges of sleepiness. Her hearing heightened, her focus sharpened as she took flight and swooped through the pane that was formerly a stained glass window. Now simply remnants. Shards scattered on the desolate church floor below.

The diurnals were already settling down, the nocturnals were yet to wake. She knew her prey so well. The hunger drove her, incessantly forward, towards the meadow. It would be a good night for hunting RATS.

"RATS!
They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cooks' own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats....

Oh rats, rejoice!
The world is grown to one vast drysaltery!
'So - munch on, crunch on, take your nuncheon,
'Breakfast, supper, dinner, luncheon!" ¹

They'll be my luncheon, the Barn Owl mused as she spied one in the grass down yonder. Her talons a-twitched like razor claws, she tucked her wings, a pause...then dove down.

"Mmmm, they're delicious when they're warm".

Definitions

Circadian ^adj : Being, having, characterized by, or occurring in approximately 24-hour periods or cycles (as of biological activity or function)
circadian rhythms in activity

Pronunciation:
cir·​ca·​di·​an | \ sər-ˈkā-dē-ən

Caliginous ^adj : Misty, dark
a caliginous atmosphere

Pronunciation:
ca·​lig·​i·​nous | \ kə-ˈli-jə-nəs

Quotidian ^adj :

1: Occurring every day
Quotidian fever

2a: Belonging to each day : everyday
Quotidian routine

2b: Commonplace, ordinary
Quotidian drabness

Pronunciation:
quo·​tid·​i·​an | \ kwō-ˈti-dē-ən

Crepuscular ^adj :

1: Of, relating to, or resembling twilight : dim
Crepuscular light
The crepuscular sky

2: Occurring or active during twilight
Crepuscular insects
Crepuscular activity
Crepuscular birds

Pronunciation:
cre·​pus·​cu·​lar | \ kri-ˈpə-skyə-lər

Diurnal ^adj :

1a: Biology : active chiefly in the daytime
diurnal animals

1b: Of, relating to, or occurring in the daytime
the city's diurnal noises

1c: Botany : opening during the day and closing at night
Diurnal flowers

2a: Recurring every day
Diurnal tasks
b: Having a daily cycle
Diurnal tides

Pronunciation:
di·​ur·​nal | \ dī-ˈər-nᵊl

Nocturnal ^adj :

1: Of, relating to, or occurring in the night
A nocturnal journey
Nocturnal activities

2: Active at night
A nocturnal predator
Nocturnal insects, such as mosquitoes

Pronunciation:
noc·​tur·​nal | \ näk-ˈtər-nᵊl

Drysalter ^noun : British : A dealer in crude, dry chemicals and dyes

Other words from drysalter
Drysaltery

Pronunciation:
drysaltery \ ˈdrī-​ˌsȯl-​tə-​rē

How would you use one of these in a sentence? Which one of these do you like the most? Do you have a favourite word you'd like to share?

Feel free to tell me in the comments and it may be featured next week.