This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Monday, 12 March 2018

Spot the Frippet: something crinite.

You won't have to look far to find something crinite.

Crinite is a biological term meaning covered with soft hairs or tufts...

...a child's arm, perhaps, or a lady's cheek.

A leaf, a flower:

Calochortus coxii (Cox's mariposa lily) (32871534640).jpg
The critically endangered crinite marposa lily, found only in a single country of Oregon. And so beautiful!

A seed pod:


gorse seed pods, photo by 


a moth:

File:(1995) Puss Moth (Cerura vinula) (5731102080).jpg
photo of a puss moth by Ben Sale.


On the other hand, crinite can be a rock made up of the skeletons of sea lilies and feather stars:

File:Isocrinus nicoleti Encrinite Mt Carmel.jpg
photo by Wilson44691

But I must admit you're not likely to have any of that to hand.

Spot the Frippet: something crinite. The hair word comes from the Latin crīnītus, which means hairy. The rock word comes from the Greek krinon, which means lily.

Any connection is probably coincidental.



No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.