Kirk-garth (kɜːrk ɡɑːrθ) Type: noun Definition: A Scottish term for a churchyard. Etymological origin: From Scottish kirk “church,” from Old Norse kirkja + garth “enclosure, yard,” from Old Norse garðr (from PIE root *gher- (1) “to grasp, enclose”). Laity (ˈleɪ.ɪ.ti) Type: noun Definition: Non-clergy members of a religious faith. Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin laitas, from Latin laicus “of the people,” from Greek laikos “of the people,” from laos “the people.” Languid (ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd) Type: adjective Definition: Slow-moving or fatigued. Etymological origin: From Latin languidus “faint, weary, sluggish,” from languere “to be faint or weary,” from PIE root *slāg- “to be slack.” Languor (ˈlæŋ.ɡər) Type: noun Definition: A state of pronounced fatigue. Etymological origin: From Old French languor, from Latin languor “faintness, weariness,” from languere “to be faint or weary” (see languid). Lassitude (ˈlæs.ɪ.tjuːd) Type: noun Definition: A state of pronounced fatigue. Etymological origin: From French lassitude, from Latin lassitudo “weariness,” from lassus “faint, weary,” from PIE root *led- “to be tired.” Lattice (ˈlæt.ɪs) Type: noun Definition: A structure of crossed strips that forms a series of diamond-shaped gaps. Etymological origin: From Old French lattis “lathwork,” from latte “lath,” from Frankish *latta, from Proto-Germanic *latton “lath.” Laudanum (ˈlɔː.də.nəm) Type: noun Definition: An opium tincture. Etymological origin: Coined by Paracelsus in the 16th century, probably an alteration of Latin ladanum “a resinous gum,” from Greek ladanon, from ledon “mastic shrub.” Lay (leɪ) Type: adjective Definition: Non-clergy members of a religious faith. Etymological origin: From Old French lai “non-clerical,” from Late Latin laicus, from Greek laikos “of the people” (see laity). Ledger stone (ˈledʒ.ər stoʊn) Type: noun Definition: A flat slab that covers a grave. Etymological origin: From ledger in its architectural sense “a flat horizontal stone,” from Middle Dutch legger or ligger “something that lies flat,” from liggen “to lie.” Lithe (laɪð) Type: adjective Definition: A body that is slender and graceful, or movements of a similar attitude. Etymological origin: From Old English liðe “soft, mild, gentle, meek,” from Proto-Germanic *linþijaz (source also of Old High German lindi, German lind). Lividity (lɪˈvɪd.ɪ.ti) Type: noun Definition: The settling of blood in a corpse after death, leaving purplish discolouration. Etymological origin: From Latin lividitas “bluish colour,” from lividus “bluish, black and blue,” from livere “to be bluish,” from PIE root *sliwo- “bluish.” Low-Latency (loʊ ˈleɪ.tən.si) Type: adjective Definition: Software that responds swiftly to user inputs. A website that loads quickly can be classed as Low Latency. Etymological origin: From low + latency, with latency from Latin latentia “a lying hidden,” from latere “to lie hidden” (from PIE root *la- “to be hidden”). Lurid (ˈlʊər.ɪd) Type: adjective Definition: Vivid in a shocking or unpleasant manner. Etymological origin: From Latin luridus “pale yellow, sallow, ghastly,” from luror “pallor, ghastliness,” of uncertain origin. Lych-gate (lɪtʃ ɡeɪt) Type: noun Definition: A British term for a roofed gateway to a churchyard. Etymological origin: From Old English lic “body, corpse” (from Proto-Germanic *likon, source also of German Leiche “corpse”) + gate. Lycanthropy (laɪˈkæn.θrə.pi) Type: noun Definition: The state of being a werewolf. Etymological origin: From Greek lykanthropía, from lykos “wolf” + anthropos “human being.” Lyceum (laɪˈsiː.əm) Type: noun Definition: A hall for public lectures or concerts or a literary institution. Etymological origin: From Latin Lyceum, from Greek Lykeion, the name of the garden near Athens where Aristotle taught, named for the nearby temple of Apollo Lykeios “Apollo of the wolves.” Maelstrom (ˈmeɪl.strəm) Type: noun Definition: A powerful whirlpool or a situation of confused movement. Etymological origin: From Dutch maelstroom, from malen “to grind, whirl” + stroom “stream.” Maiden strewnments (ˈmeɪ.dən struːn.mənts) Type: noun (plural) Definition: Funeral tributes made for deceased virgins, held by the mourners for scattering over the bier. Etymological origin: From maiden + strewnments, from strewn, past participle of strew “to scatter,” from Old English strewian, from Proto-Germanic *strawjan (from PIE root *stere- “to spread”). Malarial (məˈleər.i.əl) Type: adjective Definition: Relating to malaria. Etymological origin: From malaria + -al, with malaria from Italian mala aria “bad air,” from mala “bad” + aria “air.” Malefic (məˈlef.ɪk) Type: adjective Definition: An archaic version of malevolent. Etymological origin: From Latin maleficus “wicked, criminal,” from male “badly” + facere “to do.” Memoranda (ˌmem.əˈræn.də) Type: noun (plural) Definition: Plural of memorandum. Etymological origin: Latin plural of memorandum (see memorandum). Memorandum (ˌmem.əˈræn.dəm) Type: noun Definition: A note intended for future reference. Etymological origin: From Latin memorandum “thing to be remembered,” neuter gerundive of memorare “to bring to mind,” from memor “mindful” (from PIE root *smer- “to remember”). Mesmeric (mezˈmer.ɪk) Type: adjective Definition: Relating to hypnotism or a hypnotic quality. Etymological origin: From Mesmer + -ic, named after Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), the Austrian physician who developed the theory of animal magnetism. Mews (mjuːz) Type: noun (plural) Definition: A row of stables, or houses converted from stables. Etymological origin: From the plural of mew “a cage for hawks,” from Old French mue “a cage,” from muer “to moult,” from Latin mutare “to change.” Miasma (maɪˈæz.mə) Type: noun Definition: A foul smell, rumoured to bring disease. Etymological origin: From Greek miasma “stain, pollution, defilement,” from miainein “to pollute.” Milch (mɪlk) Type: noun (German/Old English) Definition: The German word for milk and an Old English word for a dairy cow. Etymological origin: From Old English milce, related to meolc “milk,” from Proto-Germanic *meluks (from PIE root *melg- “to wipe, rub; to milk”). Missal (ˈmɪs.əl) Type: noun Definition: A book containing the prayers and rites for celebrating Mass. Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin missale “of the Mass,” neuter of missalis, from missa “Mass,” from Late Latin missa “dismissal,” from mittere “to send, dismiss.” Monomaniac (ˌmɒn.əˈmeɪ.ni.æk) Type: noun Definition: A person obsessed with one idea or subject. Etymological origin: From monomania + -ac, with monomania from Greek mono- “single, alone” + mania “madness, frenzy.” Moors (mɔːrz) Type: noun (plural) Definition: Open, uncultivated land, frequently desolate or atmospheric. Etymological origin: From Old English mor “moor, marsh,” from Proto-Germanic *mora- (source also of Dutch moer, German Moor “bog”). Morningstar (ˈmɔːr.nɪŋ.stɑːr) Type: noun Definition: A medieval European club weapon ending in a spiked ball; when the ball is attached by a chain, it becomes a flail. Etymological origin: A compound of morning + star, so named for the radiating spikes of the weapon’s head resembling the rays of a star. Mortsafe (ˈmɔːrt.seɪf) Type: noun Definition: A device or structure designed to prevent grave robbing. Etymological origin: From mort “death,” from Old French mort, from Latin mortem (nominative mors) “death” + safe. Mouldering (ˈməʊl.dər.ɪŋ) Type: verb (present participle) Definition: To slowly decay. Etymological origin: From moulder, probably from mould “loose earth,” from Old Norse mold “earth, soil,” from Proto-Germanic *mulda (from PIE root *mele- “to crush, grind”). Mourning Ring (ˈmɔːr.nɪŋ rɪŋ) Type: noun Definition: A ring worn to commemorate someone who has died. Etymological origin: From mourning + ring, with mourning from Old English murnung “grief, anxiety,” from murnan “to mourn” (from PIE root *smer- “to remember, care for”). Myrmecophilous (ˌmɜːr.mɪˈkɒf.ɪ.ləs) Type: adjective Definition: Relating to ants. Etymological origin: From Greek myrmex (genitive myrmekos) “ant” + philos “loving,” from phileein “to love.” Narcotic (nɑːrˈkɒt.ɪk) Type: noun / adjective Definition: A drug that dulls the senses and induces sleep. Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin narcoticus, from Greek narkotikos “making numb,” from narkoun “to benumb,” from narke “numbness, stupor,” of uncertain origin. Negro (ˈniː.ɡrəʊ) Type: noun (archaic slur) Definition: An archaic slur for a Black person, commonly a man. The female equivalent is “Negress”. Etymological origin: From Spanish and Portuguese negro “black,” from Latin nigrum (nominative niger) “black,” of uncertain origin. Nosferatu (ˌnɒs.fəˈrɑː.tuː) Type: noun (Romanian/Slavic) Definition: Romanian/Slavic term for vampire or undead creature. Etymological origin: Of disputed origin; possibly from Greek nosophoros “plague-carrier,” from nosos “disease” + phoros “bearing,” or from Old Slavonic sources meaning “unclean spirit.” Novitiate (nəˈvɪʃ.i.ət) Type: noun Definition: The period of being a novice, especially in a religious order. Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin novitiatus, from novicius “newly arrived,” from novus “new” (from PIE root *newo- “new”). Obelisk (ˈɒb.ə.lɪsk) Type: noun Definition: A tapered stone pillar with a pointed top. Etymological origin: From Latin obeliscus, from Greek obeliskos “small spit,” diminutive of obelos “a spit, pointed pillar.” Obsequies (ˈɒb.sɪ.kwiz) Type: noun (plural) Definition: Funeral rites. Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin obsequiae, a blend of Latin obsequium “compliance, dutiful service” and exsequiae “funeral rites.” Obstinate (ˈɒb.stɪ.nət) Type: adjective Definition: Stubbornly refusing to alter an opinion or action, regardless of results. Etymological origin: From Latin obstinatus “resolute, determined,” past participle of obstinare “to persist,” from ob “against” + stanare, related to stare “to stand” (from PIE root *sta- “to stand”). Offish (ˈɒf.ɪʃ) Type: adjective Definition: An aloof disposition. Etymological origin: From off + -ish, first recorded in the mid-19th century. Ordnance Survey (ˈɔːrd.nəns ˈsɜːr.veɪ) Type: proper noun Definition: The national mapping agency of Great Britain. Etymological origin: From ordnance “military supplies and equipment,” from Old French ordenance “arrangement, order,” and survey from Old French surveoir “to look over,” from Latin super “over” + videre “to see.” Ouroboros (ˌjʊ.rəˈbɒr.əs) Type: noun Definition: A serpent or dragon eating its own tail, symbolising immortality. Etymological origin: From Greek oura “tail” + boros “eating,” from bibroskein “to eat” (from PIE root *gwere- (2) “to swallow”).