This blog is for everyone who uses words.

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



Friday 29 December 2017

Word To Use Today: pellicle.

A pellicle is a thin skin or film of the sort found on a mushroom:

File:Kaldari coprinoid mushrooms.jpg
photo by Kaldari

or on any printed-out photograph:

File:Eichhörnchen Düsseldorf Hofgarten edit.jpg
photo by Ray eye. (This photograph is, obviously, not printed-out, but it's lovely, anyway.)

Pellicle is a word both ridiculous and lovely. TS Eliot famously called his black and white cats jellicle cats I think it's fair to assume that he would have been charmed by the word pellicle, too. 

And if it's good enough for him...

Word To Use Today: pellicle. This word comes from the Latin pellicula, from pellis, skin.

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