Wednesday word: vitriol

[trellia-chan.livejournal.com]

vitriol: [vi-tree-uh l]

Noun:

1. In Chemistry: An archaic name for a sulfate.

2. Sulfuric acid.  Historically known as oil of vitriol.

3.Something highly caustic or severe in effect, as criticism. This is the definition that is most widely used nowadays.

Origin: 1350-1400; Middle English, Latin: from vitreolum meaning "glassy" (descriptive of the glassy appearance of the several metallic sulfates.)

Thursday word: herostratic

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

herostratic (hee-roh-STRA-tik) - adj., (of a person) out to be famous at any cost.


Herostratus was a man who set fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus who defended his actions as his way of becoming known throughout history. In response, not only was he executed, but mentioning his name became punishable by death. However, the historian Theopompus recorded it anyway, making herostratic fame a phrase in many languages for doing something infamous just to be famous. It can be argued that some acts of terrorism are herostratic.

Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon seeking herostratic fame.

---L.