Hypochondria derives from the Greek preposition hypo, meaning “under,” as in the hypodermic that goes under the skin, and hypothermia, the condition of being insufficient heat. The -chondria in hypochondria comes from Greek chondros...
Molly in San Diego grew up hearing her mother say someone daydreaming was in a brown study. The phrase goes back in English to the 1500s and means deep in thought, often with a gloomy or melancholy cast. Here brown reflects an older sense of dark or...
We’ve talked before about needing a word for the disappointment you feel when your favorite restaurant closes for good. A listener suggests a pun on melancholy, meal-ancholy. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
The word plangent, which means “loud” and sometimes has a melancholy ring to it, is an apt descriptor for movie soundtracks. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Plangent” I wish I could remember the movie that...