Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Words for a rainy day

My daughter posted this photo on Facebook, saying:  "I am a 'pluviophile'…… a lover of rain."  I responded with a link to my recent post about flooding inside my apartment from the 7.68-inches of rain in six hours in St. Louis, which was about 25% of our normal yearly rainfall total in just 12 hours.  That rainy day made history.  I left this comment on her post:  "Some rain (like the history-making rainfall that hit St. Louis this week) makes us tend to lean in the opposite direction."

Word of the Day #1

pluviophile = The word pluviophile comes from the Latin word "pluvial," which means rain, and "phile," which denotes a thing or a person.  Therefore, a pluviophile is a lover of rain, or someone who finds joy and peace of mind during the rainy days.  Example:  My daughter is a pluviophile.

Word of the Day #2

pluviophobia = fear of weather related to rain, including storms, wind, thunder, and lightning.  This is a neologism, but there's already a word for fear of rain:  ombrophobia (see definitions below).

Word of the Day #3

ne·ol·o·gism /nēˈäləˌjizəm/ noun = a newly coined word or expression.

Word of the Day #4

Ombrophobia is an intense fear of rain, from intense weather to a drizzle.  An ombrophobe might worry about acid rain, germs in rain, floods, or other dangers.  Ombrophobia is a type of anxiety disorder that can cause symptoms and emotions that affect daily life.

No comments: