Wondrous Words Wednesday 9.8.10

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Bermudaonion's Weblog where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun (please do!) Be sure to leave a link to your post over at Bermudaonion's Weblog.


All of my words are from Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

"To say nothing of the arresting image of the idolatrous West's most famous and self-congratulating idol, the colossal Libertine Statue, wearing some type of enormous adult-design diaper, a hilariously apposite image popular in the news photos of so many international journals." (p.33)

1. Apposite - adj.
: suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant; apt


"The sideboard is against the wall opposite the room's electronic recliner under a triptych of high-quality Byzantine erotica."." (p.36)

2. Triptych - noun.
: a work of art (usually a panel painting) which is divided into 3 sections or 3 carved panels hinged together and folded - usually the middle panel is the largest flanked by 2 smaller panels. In early Christian art it was a popular form for altar paintings from the Middle Ages; ranged from eastern Byzantine churches to English Celtic churches.


"Shy, iridescent, coltish, pelvically anfractuous, amply busted, given to diffident movements of hand brushing flaxen hair from front of dear creamy forehead, movements which drove Bruce Green up a private tree. " (p.39)

3. Anfractuous -adj.
:characterized by windings and turnings; sinuous; circuitous
:tortuous