SYZYGY: Word of the Day #5 - October 30, 2005 - 1st Sunday Root Word

syzygy (n.)

Pronunciation:"si-zê-jee"; "SI-zuh-jee"

Definition: This word was made for a physics/English double major.

1) The alignment of two (or more) celestial bodies, as the Moon and Sun are in alignment vis-a-vis Earth during an eclipse; by extension, any two distinct objects or ideas in alignment or conjunction with each other. It originated to describe the Moon, Sun, and Earth aligned.

2) The combining of two feet into a single metrical unit in classical prosody (as in "ever" to "e'er," "isn't" to "in't," and many others).

3) The association of gregarine protozoa end-to-end or in lateral pairing without sexual fusion; the pairing of chromosomes in meiosis.

NOTE:

This is the first entry of the ostensible roots game. I will post a word every Sunday without explanation of the roots of the word. All those reading this journal are welcome to play. The rules and guidelines are:

1) This is an honor-coded game.

2) Players are to use no resources. Only their encyclopedic knowledge of words.

3) The first participant to e-mail me with a full account of the roots (note the plural) and 7 related (at least one for each of the roots) words will receive a prize in the mail.

4) Particpants who e-mail me should send also their addresses. I will mail out the prize the Saturday following the previous Sunday's roots game.

5) As sole arbiter of the winner, originality in examples is a key factor in winning. The more original (read, perhaps, "unexpected"), the more likely your chance at winning...whatever it is I'm going to mail to you.

6) Let the games begin!

*I reserve the right to ammend the rules here, as I have not thought this through entirely.

Note to self: need entries related to elision, epenthesis, etc.