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Thursday 14 June 2012

Entry: microcephalic (adj.)

In context: "Five megatons of heavy-hydrogen fusion yields at least 1,400,000 curie worth of strontium-90, meaning microcephalic kids in Montreal for roughly twenty-two generatins, and yes wiseacre McKenna of AMNAT will probably notice the difference."

Definition: 1. Med. and Physical Anthropol. Characterized by or relating to microcephaly.

microcephaly (n.):  The condition of having a small head; spec.  (a) Physical Anthropol. the condition of having a cranial capacity of less than 1350 cubic centimetres (now rare);  (b) Med. the condition of having an abnormally small brain and head.

Other: Here's a freebie: 


wiseacre (n.):  One who thinks himself, or wishes to be thought, wise; a pretender to wisdom; a foolish person with an air or affectation of wisdom.


Etymology:  < (with unexplained assimilation to acre ) Middle Dutch wijsseggher /ˈwaɪsˌzɛɡər/ soothsayer, apparently < Old High German wîȥago , Middle High German wîȥage (= Old English wítega witie n.), with assimilation to wijs wise adj. and seggher sayer n

SNOOT score: 1
 
Page: 329

Source: Oxford English Dictionary   


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