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Mar 1, 2007

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This week's words
misology
virga
incunabulum
omphaloskepsis
paraph

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omphaloskepsis

noun:
1. Contemplation of one's navel.
2. Complacent self-indulgent introspection.

From Greek omphalos (navel) + skepsis (act of looking, examination). Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe), which also gave us suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), despise, espionage, telescope, spectator, and spectacles. Earliest documented use: 1925.

"Readers whose main interest is literary how-to or criticism can look elsewhere, in places specifically dedicated to those matters. Doing too much of it here would smack of omphaloskepsis."
Stanley Schmidt; About Science Fiction; Analog Science Fiction & Fact (New York); Jun 2001.

See more usage examples of omphaloskepsis in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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