English Language & Usage

Questions tagged [is-it-a-word]

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Questions about the perceived legitimacy of would-be words.

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48 views

Is it correct to say ‘Skyping’ in a sentence

Is it correct to say to my boss ‘ I will be Skyping with you from there’
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2answers
154 views

Which spelling would be more correct: “Evictor” or “Evicter”?

Both "Evictor" and "Evicter" show up at Lexico.com. The "Evicter" page is much more substantial, though. At Dictionary.com, "Evictor" is the only accepted spelling. Google Trends shows that "Evictor"...
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What does Jane Austen mean by the word 'alloy' in Sense and Sensibility? [closed]

As dear Austen had written on page 6, volume 1, chapter 1, I quote - "But in sorrow she must be equally carried away by her fancy, and as far beyond consolation as in pleasure she was beyond alloy. "
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1answer
69 views

Word for being aware only of oneself [duplicate]

I'm looking for a word that describes an entity having only knowledge of its own existence, but no one else's. The closest I have now is autognostic, auto being "self" and gnostic being "having ...
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2answers
82 views

Glowy-Is it a new word? [closed]

And the glow of a campfire was not, well, as glowy without the darkness of night. its context I didn't get "glowy" in the dictionary. I'm guessing it's a made up word. Do you think it is acceptable？
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1k views

Is “strategization” a word, or is there something more correct/appropriate?

Is strategization a word? As in: We noticed flaws in their accounting department so the project will include a QuickBooks strategization. [EDIT] As @tchrist points out, this isn't the best ...
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3answers
439 views

is “intriguity” an actual word? [closed]

Intriguity as in "the state of being intrigued; curiosity"? I saw it being used by writers multiple times, but now that I wanted to use it myself, I tried searching it up in the dictionaries and ...
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1answer
149 views

Plural of “today”? [closed]

Does the word "today" have a plural form? I believe it is todays but the gf doesn't believe that is a word? Thanks
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1answer
3k views

What does zitch dog mean?

In "How I met your mother" they played a road game called "zitch did" (or possibly "zitchdog"). Is there such a word as "zitch" (or possibly "zitchdog")?
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1answer
3k views

Is recepted a word?

I have been saying this for years, I think. I also thought I had heard it used before. However, today I used it in a sentence, and my spell checker under lined it. The sentence(fragment) I wrote was: ...
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3answers
484 views

ORIENTEE, a word or not in Scrabble?

I am confused why I cannot use 'ORIENTEE' as a word in Scrabble. It should mean 'someone who is attending orientation, as in a new employee (and the word is formed analogously: 'someone being ...
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3answers
1k views

Usage of the word “interimly” [closed]

I have a quick question: I used the word interimly talking to someone today. It went something like - 'I give you (someone) pat on the back for interimely filling someone's else shoes'. I am strongly ...
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1answer
44 views

Is '“snapshotting” a correct word? [closed]

For example, as part of the information message of some computer script: Snapshotting the file... Can we write snapshotting instead of taking the snapshot? Is it still correct? I've found an ...
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1answer
73 views

Working Culture vs Work Culture

I've seen both usages in articles published by reputable media like NYT and the Entrepreneurs. I've seen both being used to refer to what seems to me to be the same thing. It's so puzzling to me. An ...
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1answer
92 views

Is “minus your points” a valid phrase?

Suppose that a teacher says I will minus your points if you cheat. To mean "I will deduct your points." Here, minus is apparently used as a verb. Checking out the dictionaries, it can be seen that ...
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1answer
613 views

Is 'interpretating' a word? [closed]

Is 'Interpretating' a misrepresentation? I wrote interpretating in my exam. 😭 I found some examples that using interpretating. Can I use interpretating?
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1answer
75 views

How to name collection of web links? [closed]

I have a blog and from time to time I made posts that contains only web links with some short description. Those links was not so easy to gather and they are have a value by themselves. I call this ...
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1answer
530 views

What is the correct term for a fear of breasts?

I have known this is a phobia for quite a while and remember reading the word long ago, but when I googled it today I got 2 different spellings: mastophobia and mastrophobia. Which one is right? Is ...
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2answers
238 views

Is “bumption” a word?

"Bumptious" means conceited or pompous. Does the word “bumption” exist to describe such a trait?
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4answers
180 views

what is the verb for water going past a rock?

I'm looking for a verb to describe the "Y" thing the water makes when it hits a rock, for example in the river. Here is a professional piece of art I made (view from the top): Is it simply called "...
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3answers
159 views

Word to describe people who blindly believe accusations [closed]

I can’t for the life of me remember what this word is or if it even exists. I’m thinking of a word that would describe medieval era peasants who are religious and make and believe accusations of witch ...
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1answer
80 views

Is there a word/phrase that describes someone flinching after they sip alcohol?

Even flinching isn't the best way to describe it. Example: a person will take a sip of a strong alcoholic beverage (take for instance, straight whiskey) and then will proceed to make that iconic ...
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2answers
76 views

can cattleguard be spelled as one word

i'm unable to find cattleguard listed as a single word anywhere, but I think it ought to be an acceptable spelling
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1answer
328 views

Is there such a word as repercussionless

Is there such a word as repercussionless. Or what word would mean something like that??
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2answers
640 views

Is “commerical” a valid and different word from “commercial”? [closed]

Googling, I see many places using the spelling commerical, but I don't see that spelling in any dictionaries at all. Is it a mistake for commercial, or are these two different words?
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1answer
265 views

Is hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophilia a word?

I'd like to know if hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophilia, my proposed opposite of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a real word or condition. I know -philia is the opposite of -phobia and -...
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2answers
104 views

Can witnessable become witnessably?

This is for the grammar pros out there—are there any concerns about using the potential word witnessably? Examplary context: He witnessably engages in dubious practices. It is not in a ...
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3answers
3k views

Is untasty a valid English word?

I cannot see untasty in Oxford dictionary. Also spelling checker tells it is invalid. But in dictionary.com , I see it is a related form of tasty. Please see screenshot below. So is it a valid ...
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1answer
130 views

What is wrong with the word “motorsporting”?

I was reading a book where the author is discussing the BBC buying the rights to show Formula 1. He quotes the press release by the BBC announcing the acquisition. The book's quote is "the biggest ...
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2answers
1k views

Is Key Bunch a proper word?

When you want to describe a set of keys bound to a huge metal ring, like the ones you'd see in a game of movie with medieval settings on the belt of a prison guard, what word would you use? Key bunch?...
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2answers
299 views

Status of 'hypophora' as a word

I participate in other SE forums where it's common practice for experienced or knowledgeable participants to simultaneously submit both a question and an answer. This can be very helpful in technical ...
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1answer
691 views

Meaning/Origin of word “Nixie”

In the area of which I live, there is a certain word we use to describe somebody that is naughty, or bad, in a joking/lighthearted manner. I do not know how to spell the word, and every attempt to ...
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2answers
1k views

Is “Illustrationist” a word? [closed]

Is “illustrationist” an existing word? Or should I use ‘illustrator’ instead?
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2answers
942 views

Is “deacceleratingly” a valid word?

Deaccelerate means the same as decelerate, though it seems to be a much less common alternative. I did not know this until recently, as I had used this alternative all my life. It just seemed logical ...
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2answers
1k views

Is “misreact” a word?

I am trying to describe someone's reactions in a situation. At first I used the word overreact, but then I realized it is not only the person's overreaction but also other kinds of inappropriate or ...
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1answer
252 views

Is ‘affinative’ a word?

The Microsoft .NET Framework API¹ has a curiously named interface ILogicalThreadAffinative. According to their naming standard, namely concatenating capitalized meaningful English words into a single ...
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1answer
656 views

Is multifunctionality an actual word?

After checking a few dictionaries like https://www.dictionary.com, I noticed that the only form of this word they recognize is the adjective form: multifunctional. The only noun form listed is "...
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3answers
151 views

Is “catarolysis” a word? Whether it is or not, how might it be broken down into Greek or Latin derivatives?

Some definitions I have seen are: "catarolysis - n. - cursing to let off steam" and "catarolysis: letting off steam by cursing" and "catarolysis /kat uh RALL ih sis/ n The practice of cursing to ...
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1answer
27 views

Word choice synonym for exempts/supersedes

So I'm working on a research project where I need a particular word a lot, but I'm not sure if the word I'm using is proper, or if there's a better choice. Some background, regular T cells need to ...
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4answers
1k views

If “cleanliness” is a word can I say something is “cleanly”?

As per the question, I might have spelt cleanly wrong...
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3answers
116 views

Is 'Nail(s) Spa' correct?

I wanted to know if the term “Nail Spa” or “Nails Spa” is correct? I am opening a nail salon and would like to know which one would be correct. I know that Nail salon is correct not nails salon but ...
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1answer
451 views

'Et viola' misspelling or inside joke?

Question Is et viola [sic](spelled like this intentionally) just a misspelling of et voila or is it an actual word, or perhaps an inside joke (not just a one-off thing)? Background Based on this ...
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1answer
542 views

Is “startlement” a word?

I have always thought that startlement is a word in the lexicon. But one day when I was writing in a google doc, I saw it underlined like a typo. I googled it to see if it was indeed a word, or a ...
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2answers
6k views

Is prepwork a real word? What is the proper form if so?

Is prepwork a real word? What about any of these variations: prep-work or prep work? I cannot find any of those in a dictionary.
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2answers
3k views

Is “contentual” a proper word?

Is contentual a proper word? I saw in Wiktionary that it is considered to be a proper word: contentual adjective Relating to content (as apposed to context) However, I have not seen it cited in any ...
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2answers
2k views

Is “occurence” a word?

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&filter=dictionary&query=occurence It seems that occurence is not a word, but a friend said it is because he says he found it in the OED....
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1answer
2k views

Is “modificate” an English word?

Is "modificate" a correct English word? From source: http://www.definitions.net/definition/modificate (Webster Dictionary) Modificate (verb) to qualify Origin: [See Modify.] But if I ...
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1answer
973 views

Is there a word 'uptrending'?

Exactly as the title states: Is there a word 'uptrending'? Wikipedia suggests it is, however, Word marks it as a mistake.
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4answers
2k views

Is “subjugative” a word?

I recently used the word subjugative in the following sentence: Any company that wants to be “legitimate” (raise money, hire employees, file taxes, distribute shares, etc.) puts itself in a ...
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4answers
1k views

Is “rejectance” a proper / legitimate word?

Is rejectance an actual word that is interchangeable with rejection? I have not found it in any of the dictionaries available to me. I heard this word from a startup owner, who said the phrase: "...

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