Wednesday word: senescence

[trellia-chan.livejournal.com]

senescence: [si-nes-uhns]
Noun:

1. (in biology) The state or process of aging, especially in humans; old age.
2. (in cell biology) Ceasing to divide by mitosis because of shortening of telomeres or excessive DNA damage.
3. (in gerontology) Old age; accumulated damage to macromolecules, cells, tissues and organs with the passage of time.
4. (in botany) Fruit senescence, leading to ripening of fruit.



Origin:  1650-60  From Latin: senescere: to grow old.

Related form:

adjective: senescent: growing old, aging.

Thursday word: kabocha

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

kabocha (kah-BOH-chah) - n., an Asian variety of the winter squash Cucurbita maxima with a sweet flesh and tender skin.


Introduced to the west from Japan, along with the Japanese name (南瓜), but grown throughout eastern and southeastern Asia, which is reflected in the name: it was introduced to Japan by Portuguese sailors, who called it Cambodia abóbora, lit. Cambodian pumpkin, where it was shortened to kabocha -- Portuguese -dia being pronounced very closely to Japanese -cha. In Japanese, the word is also used for pumpkins in general, even though it's actually a variety of buttercup squash. Delicious stuff, too -- sweeter than a standard buttercup, with a skin that softens to edibility when cooked.

The toddler took a hesitant bite of the offered kabocha, thought a moment, then pointed to the bowl with an eager, "Moir!"

---L.