Sunday Word: Catkin & Wonderwall
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1word1daycat·kin [ˈkatkən]:
origin: [1570s] Dutch; katteken= "kitten"
noun
Botanical. Have you ever seen a pussy willow branch? Those fluffy, fur-like blossoms are referred to as "catkins"; oblong & cylindric growths occur in many plant families, usually have no visible petals, and contain only one sex on their branch, although not all of them are downy.
Other examples: hazel, oak, birch, mulberry.
won·der·wall [ˈwəndərˈwôl]:
origin: [1968] British; slang, invented, likely from a film directed by Richard Balducci (not a 1995 Oasis song).
adjective
1. Infatuation; someone who preoccupies all your thoughts or is your everything -- based off the song "Wonderwall", by the British band Oasis. However, Noel Matthews, guitarist & songwriter, states that to him the meaning was: "It’s a song about an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself.”
2. According to Urban Dictionary: A barrier that divides reality & the fantastical, ideally with at least one peep hole that allows the viewer to see through to the other side (to your dreams or obsession).
3. There is also a film & soundtrack with the same name, circa: 1968; alas, strangely, this did not spring up initially during research, although it clearly influenced the second definition -- as the plot revolves around a hermit-like scientist (Oscar Collins) obsessed with peeping on a couple next door, as he's become infatuated with & endlessly daydreams about the female who models.
That actually adds a rather creepy notion to the word!
origin: [1570s] Dutch; katteken= "kitten"
noun
Botanical. Have you ever seen a pussy willow branch? Those fluffy, fur-like blossoms are referred to as "catkins"; oblong & cylindric growths occur in many plant families, usually have no visible petals, and contain only one sex on their branch, although not all of them are downy.
Other examples: hazel, oak, birch, mulberry.
won·der·wall [ˈwəndərˈwôl]:
origin: [1968] British; slang, invented, likely from a film directed by Richard Balducci (not a 1995 Oasis song).
adjective
1. Infatuation; someone who preoccupies all your thoughts or is your everything -- based off the song "Wonderwall", by the British band Oasis. However, Noel Matthews, guitarist & songwriter, states that to him the meaning was: "It’s a song about an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself.”
2. According to Urban Dictionary: A barrier that divides reality & the fantastical, ideally with at least one peep hole that allows the viewer to see through to the other side (to your dreams or obsession).
3. There is also a film & soundtrack with the same name, circa: 1968; alas, strangely, this did not spring up initially during research, although it clearly influenced the second definition -- as the plot revolves around a hermit-like scientist (Oscar Collins) obsessed with peeping on a couple next door, as he's become infatuated with & endlessly daydreams about the female who models.
That actually adds a rather creepy notion to the word!
Tags:
- adjective,
- british,
- c,
- dutch,
- made-up,
- noun,
- scientific,
- slang,
- w,
- wordsmith: theidolhands
