ETA glaucitate means "cry like a whelp"

[jesse_the_k]

ETA even with a transcript I got it wrong! pupillate means “cry like a peacock” glaucitate means “cry like a whelp”

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Word Matters is four Merriam-Webster lexicographers talking about English language. Catnip, right?

Episode 8 is "A Collection of Obscure Words That Are Pretty Much Useless"

Sometimes, a word falls out of use through no fault of its own. Other times, the blame lands squarely on the word's shoulders.

It's a beautifully moderated conversation between Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski, collaborating with New England Public Media.

Stream show, with full transcript

https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-matters-podcast/episode-8-useless-obscure-words

Comments

[sheafrotherdon]

I, for one, am going to work glaucitate into conversation whenever I can now!

[jesse_the_k]

If you're doing it for peacocks, I erred: the correct term for their eerie hollering is pupillate.

[chanter1944]

I thought to pupillate meant to cry like a peafowl? For all I know, both words are right.

[ng_moonmoth]

The transcript confirms your interpretation. The text shown contains a number of couplets of the form, ", ;". Which associates "pupillate" with "cry like a peacock".

[jesse_the_k]

Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for this! Will fix immediately!

[jesse_the_k]

You're right! I'm glad you put me on the right path. I used to work on the other side of the Zoo and walked by the peacocks twice a day. I developed an effective pupillatory stimulating call, and they responding with their none-creepier "no!!!!!!"

Whence did you learn this lovely word?