WOTD: Penannular

(Adjective)

Pronunciation: [pê-'næn-yê-lêr] Listen

Definition: Nearly annular, forming an almost complete ring.

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Usage: Another word for "circular" is "annular," from annulus "circular configuration" such as the skirt that circumscribes some mushroom stems. The prefix pen(e)- isn't used at all widely enough; it could added to many other adjectives, e.g. "Since he was penomnipotent figure at the firm, his penefelonious book-keeping habits came as no surprise."

Suggested Usage: Penannular objects pervade our lives, so we are quite fortunate to have such a lovely word to express the concept: "Phil Anders winced involuntarily upon noticing, clipped firmly on Scarlet's wrist, a penannular bracelet with the word 'no' engraved 14 times along its silvery surface." They even appear at times on our person, "The penannular bags around his eyes spoke of a restless youth and unrestful old age."

Etymology: French "annulaire" prefixed by pen(e)- from the Latin adverb pæne "almost." "Annular" comes from a medieval misspelling of the Latin anulus "ring," also used in English (still spelled "annulus") to refer to various sorts of rings: rings of cells, the ring around the sun during an eclipse. "Anulus" is a diminutive of Latin anus "rounding, rounded form."

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