Kay in Sparks, Nevada, wonders how to pronounce the term for the ringing in one’s ears known as tinnitus. Some people rhyme it with arthritis, while others stress the first syllable instead. Either is acceptable. Tinnitus derives from Latin tinnire...
Johnny or johnny gown, meaning hospital gown, is a term most associated with New England. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Johnny Gown” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Marianne calling from Jackson, Wyoming. Marianne...
What’s the right way to pronounce gyros? Have you ever heard of feeling poozley? Called something great a blinger? Use the expression one-off to mean a “one-time thing”?
Here’s a handy word: fomite. It means “an inanimate object that can transmit an infectious agent” like a doorknob handle or a comb infested with head lice. It also has a picturesque Latin origin. Martha explains, and shares a related word: Dracula...
In medical terminology, the abbreviation GTTS means “drops” or “drips.” But why? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “GTTS” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, my name is Susan. I’m normally in Madison, Wisconsin, but I’m calling...
sickler n.— «On a matter of semantics, the use of nomenclature derived from the names of diseases, such as “diabetics,” “epileptics” and, in this case, “sicklers,” may be viewed as pejorative and emphasise the disease rather than the humanity of...
