Sunday, 13 September 2015

OBSCURE WORDS K

kaddish
n. - Jewish prayers for the dead.
  kairin
n. - a fever reducing drug, named after a Greek word meaning in-the-nick-of-time
  kakemono
n. - Japanese vertical wall-picture or inscription mounted on a roller.
  kakidrosis
n. - secretion of malodorous perspiration.
  kakistocracy
n. - government by the worst citizens
  kakorrhaphiophobia
n. - fear of failure
  kalokagathia
n. - a combination of the good and the beautiful in a person
  kalon
n. - the kind of beauty that is more than skin deep
  kalopsia
n. - condition where things appear more beautiful thanthey really are
  kampong
n. - Malay village.
  kaolin
n. - china clay, used in porcelain manufacture and in medicine.
  kaon
n. - Physics, elementary particle of the meson family.
  karaka
n. - tree with edible seeds and fruit.
  karakul
n. - sheep of Central Asia; curled black fleece of its lambs.
  karimption
n. - a crowd; a mass
  karyokinesis
n. - cell division, especially of nucleus. karyoplasm, n. protoplasm
of cell nucleus. karyotin, n. sustainable matter of nucleus.
  kashruth
n. - the state of being kosher
  katabasis
n. - military retreat. katabatic a. moving downhill, sinking (of winds).
  kathakali
n. - highly stylized form of S Indian drama, using dance and mime.
  katharometer
n. - instrument measuring alterations in composition of gas mixture.
  kathenotheism
n. - polytheism with a head god
  katowse
n. - a ruckus, tumult, din
  kauri
n. - gum- and timber-yielding tree of New Zealand; its white timber;
its resin found in lumps in ground.
  keckle
n. - nautical term meaning "to wind something with a rope"
  keddah
n. - elephant trap.
  kedge
n. - small anchor; v.t. move (ship) by hauling on anchor dropped ahead
from boat.
  kedogenous
adj. - produced by worry
  keelivine
n. - lead pencil
  keelson
n. - wooden or steel structure lengthwise within ship's frame to bear
and distribute stress.
  kef
n. - sleepiness, caused by drugs; hashish, etc.
  kelim
n. - woven rug, made in W Asia.
  keloid
n. - fibrous skin tumour, especially over scar; raised scars forming
pattern on body, in certain African tribes.
  kelt
n. - salmon after spawning.
  kenophobia
n. - fear of empty or open spaces
  kerasine
adj. - horny.
  keratogenic
adj. - able to cause growth of horn, skin, hair, etc. keratogenous,
adj. horn-producing. keratoid, adj. horny. keratode, n. keratose
substance. keratose, n. & a. (substance) of horny fibres. keratosis,
n. excessive growth of horny tissue of skin.
  keraunograph
n. - instrument detecting distant thunderstorm; pattern made by
lightning on struck object. keraunoscopia, keraunoscopy, n. divination
by thunder.
  keraunophobia
n. - fear of thunder and lightning
  keraunoscopia
n. - fortunetelling by thunder
  kerdomeletia
n. - excessive attention to material wealth
  kerlerap
v. - to cavort; to play
  kermes
n. - red cochineal-like dye made from dried bodies of certain female
insects of Mediterranean; evergreen oak on which these insects feed.
  kerogen
n. - kind of bitumen found in oil shale. kerosene, n. fuel oil also
called paraffin.
  kerygma
n. - christian preaching
  kerygmatic
adj. - pertaining to preaching, especially of gospel.
  ketch
n. - two-masted fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel.
  ketone
n. - chemical compound of carbon, obtained by distilling salts of
organic acids. ketonaemia, n. presence of ketone, especially acetone,
in blood. ketonic, adj. ketonize, v. convert into ketone. ketogenesis,
n. production of ketone, especially in diabetes. ketosis, n. presence
of excess of ketone in body.
  khamsin, khamseen
n. - hot wind of Egypt blowing from Sahara; dust storm.
  khoja(h)
n. - title of respect for teacher or wise man.
  kia ora
phr. - 'be well'; good health!
  kibe
n. - chapped place on skin; ulcerated chilblain.
  kickshaw
n. - a tidbit or delicacy
  kieselguhr
n. - fine powder once used in dynamite
  kieselguhr
n. - powdery substance, mainly silica, used in filters, explosives, etc.
  kilderkin
n. - measure of capacity, about 18 gallons; cask holding that amount.
  kinesalgia
n. - muscular pain. kinesiatrics, n. medical treatments by muscular movements.
  kinin
n. - hormone causing contraction of smooth muscle; hormone that
promotes cell division and development in plants.
  kino
n. - red gum containing tannin, obtained from several tropical trees.
  kippage
n. - commotion, confusion, excitement
  kitmegur
n. - butler
  kitthoge
adj. & n. - left-handed or awkward; or a left-handed orawkward person
  klepht
n. - brigand. klephtic, adj. klephtism, n.
  klong
n. - canal.
  kloof
n. - ravine.
  knissomancy
n. - fortunetelling by incense-burning
  knout
n. - whip with leather and wire thongs; v.t. flog with a knout.
  knuller
n. - chimney sweep who solicits his services door to door
  knur
n. - knob; knot in wood.
  koftgari
n. - inlaying of gold on steel.
  kohl
n. - dark eye make-up used in Asia.
  kokum
n. - pretending to be sympathetic
  kompology
n. - braggadocio
  koniology
n. - study of dust and germs in atmosphere. koniometer, koniscope, n.
instrument measuring amount of dust in air.
  kopje
n. - hillock.
  kopophobia
n. - fear of physical or mental exhaustion
  korfball
n. - basketball-like game played between two teams of six men and six
women each.
  kosmokrator
n. - the ruler of the world
  kourbash
n. - whip of hide; v.t. flog with a kourbash.
  krasis
n. - addition of water to Communion wine.
  kreatophagia
n. - the eating of raw meat
  kris
n. - Malay dagger with scalloped blade.
  kukri
n. - broad curved Gurkha knife.
  kumiss
n. - fermented camel's milk, used as a beverage by Asian nomads
  kwistgoed
n. - a spendthrift
  kymatology
n. - study of wave motion.
  kymatology
n. - the science of waves
  kymograph
n. - instrument recording pressure curves, etc. kymographic, adj.
  kyphosis
n. - inward curvature of the spine. kyphotic, adj.
  kyphotic
n. - a person who has a hump on his back

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