A.Word.A.Day --psychrolute

A.Word.A.Day

Home

Jan 27, 2025

This week’s theme
There’s a word for it

This week’s words
psychrolute
empleomania
rupestrian
abulia
siderodromophobia

Some intrepid psychrolutes

Photo: Nathan Raupach

Mr Blobby, a specimen of Psychrolutes microporos

Photo: Kerryn Parkinson / Wikimedia

Previous week’s theme
Words to describe people

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Ever had that moment where a word so specific, so utterly perfect to describe something that it makes you say: Whoa! You pause, maybe laugh, and think: Who came up with this?

Welcome to the world of linguistic unicorns, where every odd feeling, peculiar habit, and indescribable quirk has a secret name waiting to surprise you.

This week we’ll feature five words that might make you go: I didn’t know there was a word for it!

What words have you come up with? Share below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Include your location (city, state). Important: Google your word first to make sure it doesn’t already exist.

psychrolute

PRONUNCIATION:

(SY-kroh-loot)

MEANING:

noun: One who likes to bathe in cold water, especially outdoors in natural bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, and oceans.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin psychrolutes (bather in cold water), from Ancient Greek psychrolouteín (to bathe in cold water), from psychro- (cold) + louein (to bathe). Earliest documented use: 1872.

NOTES:

In the 1800s, British college campuses had psychrolutic societies that promoted taking a bath outdoors in the winter. This apparently helped keep impure thoughts away. A once-a-year polar bear plunge was insufficient to maintain membership. It had to be every single f***ing (freezing) day during the winter months.
Blobfish belong to the fish family Psychrolutidae, so called because they live in deep cold water. Biologists are still working to ascertain the purity of their thoughts.

USAGE:

“So if you’re out on the island and you spy a human figure swimming amid the swans and mallards and the odd chunk of ice, don’t be alarmed. It’s just me, your friendly neighbourhood psychrolute.”
Kathleen McDonnell; Greetings From a Chilly Beach; The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Mar 22, 2006.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

I will remember that what has brought us up from savagery is a loyalty to truth, and truth cannot emerge unless it is subjected to the utmost scrutiny -- will you not agree that a society which has lost sight of that, cannot survive? -Learned Hand, jurist (27 Jan 1872-1961)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise