Showing posts with label mumpsimus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mumpsimus. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Fun Stuff Shamelessly Pilfered from Twitter

Bryan Garner, author of "Garner's Modern American Usage," tweeted this morning:

Two of my favorite words: "ultracrepidarian" and "mumpsimus." They're closely related.

ultracrepidarian = one who pretends to greater knowledge than he or she actually possesses; esp., a know-nothing know-it-all.

mumpsimus = one who persists in error despite irrefutable correction. President. G.W. Bush was a mumpsimus when it came to saying "nuclear."


Neither Webster's New World College Dictionary nor Merriam-Webster contained either word. But Dictionary.com had 'em: ultracrepidarian

mumpsimus

Bookmark and Share

Share

Bookmark and Share