Word of the Day
mind-pop
noun
Psychology Informal. a word, phrase, image, or sound that comes into the mind suddenly and involuntarily and is usually related to a recent experience.
More about mind-pop
Mind-pop was coined by Austrian psychologist George Mandler (1924–2016). It was first recorded in 2000–05.
how is mind-pop used?
Mind-pops are more often words or phrases than images or sounds and they usually happen when someone is in the middle of a habitual activity that does not demand much concentration—perhaps when they are brushing their teeth or tying their shoes.
… researchers can now see that having a mind pop activates the same region of the brain that’s engaged when you’re open to experience. … Even when they are mixed and conflicted, they are signs of your creative brain in action.
armamentarium
noun
the aggregate of equipment, methods, and techniques available to one for carrying out one's duties: The stethoscope is still an essential part of the physician's armamentarium.
More about armamentarium
English armamentarium is taken straight from the Latin noun armāmentārium “armory, arsenal, storehouse for military equipment.” The base of the Latin compound noun is the neuter plural noun arma “arms, weapons,” from which the verb armāre “to fit or equip with weapons” derives. From the verb armāre and the suffix -mentum, used to form concrete objects, the noun armāmentum is formed. The resulting armāmentum is completed by the very common adjective and noun suffix -ārium (from -arius), showing location. Armamentarium entered English in the 17th century in the sense “arsenal.” The broader sense of armamentarium dates from the 19th century.
how is armamentarium used?
By identifying a fresh target for therapy—the TB bacterium’s waxy outer jacket—the new research lays the groundwork for adding to the armamentarium against TB …
With such powerful tastes and bold sauces in the chef’s armamentarium, one has to expect that not every dish will work.
flexitarian
noun
a person whose diet is mostly vegetarian but sometimes includes meat, fish, or poultry.
More about flexitarian
Flexitarian was first recorded in 1990-95. It’s a portemanteau of the words flexible and vegetarian.
how is flexitarian used?
A flexitarian is someone who rarely, though occasionally, consumes meat, including red meat, poultry, and seafood. A climatarian is someone who eats less meat—especially the most energy-consuming meats, like beef and lamb—specifically for environmental reasons.
The moderate, conscious eater—the flexitarian—knows where the goal lies: a diet that’s higher in plants and lower in both animal products and hyperprocessed foods, the stuff that makes up something like three-quarters of what’s sold in supermarkets.