Being part the 11th of an irregular series selecting my favorite words and their definitions from the Word Lover’s Dictionary: Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words by Josefa Heifetz (New York: Carol Publishing, 1974, 1994, ISBN: 0806517204). For beginning entries in this series, please see Part 1 and Part 2. If you want to find all posts in the series, search on the title "Will Geek for Words" on this site. Eventually I add them to the sidebar listing. Part 11 encompasses the letter N words and their definitions. And, yes, I am using "geek" in the older carny definition of a sideshow actor who typically bit the heads off chickens during his act. I love words in a very, very special way. Don't I have a charming and sophisticated way of showing it? (No chickens were harmed in the assembly of this post.)

This is not a promotional stunt. I am not paid to plug this book yet here I am, mentioning it at the top of each of these posts and linking to the Amazon page for it. Someone should give me an award or something. (What I'll probably get is a "cease and desist" letter from their lawyers. As the saying goes: So sue me. I'm sure it's "fair use" to include excerpted selections in a non-commercial venture. And did I mention that I'm poor?)

• naos, n.: 1. a shirine or temple 2. a star of 2.3 magnitude in the constellation Argus Navis or Puppis.
• nasute, adj.: 1. having a keen sense of smell. 2. having a large nose. 3. sharp, astute.
• natterjack, n.: the common toad of western Europe.
• neanilagnia, n.: a yen for nymphets.
• necessitarianism, n.: determinism; doctrine of inevitability resulting from hereditary or environmental causes. opposite of free will.
• necrologist, n.: an obituary writer.
• necromimesis, n.: feigning death; the delusion of being dead.
• necroponent, n.: someone temporarily in charge of a household in which a death has occured.
• nefandous, adj.: unmentionable, unspeakable.
• nepenthe, n.: an opiate causing forgetfulness.
• nescient, adj.: uneducated, unaware, ignorant, and stupid.
• niminy-piminy, adj.: affected; effeminate.
• nimious, adj.: extravagant.
• nimrod, n.: a tyrannical hunter (from Nimrod. son of Cush, Genesis X:8-10)
• nithing, n.: a coward.
• nocent, adj.: 1. harmful. 2. guilty.
• noctivagation, n.: wandering around at night, once illegal.
• noctuary, n.: a diary of nighttime activities.
• noemics, n.: the science of understanding.
• noesis, n.: 1. ideational or conceptual knowledge. 2. cognision (psychology).
• noetic, adj.: reasoning only in abstract or intellectual terms. -n. such a person or her ideas.
• nomism, n.: ethical conduct; morally legal.
• noology, n.: the science of intuition.
• novilunar, adj.: pertaining to the new moon.
• Nyx, n.: a goddess, personification of night and daughter of Chaos.