every word was a neologism. Someone somewhere had to be the first to use it.PATHOLOGY (puh THAHL uh jee) n the science of diseases
- Pathology is the science or study of diseases, but not necessarily in the medical sense.
- Pathological means relating to pathology, but it also means arising from a disease. So if
we say Brad is an inveterate, incorrigible, pathological (path uh LAHJ uh kul) liar, we are
saying that Brad’s lying is a sickness.
PATHOS (PA thos) n that which makes people feel pity or sorrow
- Laura’s dog gets such a look of pathos whenever he wants to go for a walk that it’s hard
for Laura to turn him down. - There was an unwitting pathos in the way the elderly shopkeeper had tried to spruce up
his window display with crude decorations cut from construction paper. - Don’t confuse pathos with bathos (BAY thahs). Bathos is trite, insincere, sentimental
pathos.
PHILANTHROPY (fi LAN thruh pee) n love of mankind, especially by doing good deeds
- His gift of one billion dollars to the local orphanage was the finest act of philanthropy I’ve
ever seen. - A charity is a philanthropic (fi lun THRAH pik) institution. An altruist is someone who cares
about other people.
SOPHOMORIC (sahf uh MOHR ik) adj juvenile; childishly goofy
- The dean of students suspended the fraternity’s privileges because its members had
streaked through the library wearing togas, soaped the windows of the administration
building, and engaged in other sophomoric antics during Parents’ Weekend. - “I expect the best man to be sophomoric—but not the groom. Now, give me that
slingshot, and leave your poor fiancée alone!” the minister scolded Andy at his wedding
rehearsal.