algarroba - [Sp, fr. Ar al-kharru-bah the carob] 1: carob 2: mesquite; also its pods

amelus (Speak, Memory) - a fetus born without limbs

ament (Speak, Memory) - a catkin, a flowering spike of trees such as willow or hazel

anastomosis (Speak, Memory) - a cross-connection between adjacent channels, tubes, fibers, or other parts of a network. In this case, a collision between different train lines.

atlantes (Speak, Memory) - a stone carving of a male figure, used as a column to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building

bhang - [Hindi] 1a: hemp 1b: the leaves and flowering tips of hemp : cannabis 2: any of several narcotic and intoxicant products obtained from bhang

cachou (Speak, Memory) - a pleasant-smelling lozenge sucked to mask bad breath. from French, from Portuguese cachu, from Malay kacu.

charabanc (Speak, Memory) - an early kind of bus or carriage with benches, used for pleasure trips

charshaf (Lolita) - veil worn by Turkish women

chrestomathy [NL chrestomathia, fr. Gk chre-stomatheia] 1: a selection of passages compiled to aid in learning a language 2: a volume of selections from an author

cocotte or cocottes [F] pl : prostitute

cordate (Speak, Memory) - heart-shaped

crepuscular (Speak, Memory) - of, resembling, or relating to twilight

cucumicolor (Ada) - colored like a cucumber (not in Webster, but cucumiform is)

damozel (Ada) - archaic spelling of demoiselle or damsel - a young woman

demency - dementia

desman (Speak, Memory) : an aquatic insectivorous mammal (Desmana moschata) of Russia that resembles a mole

eglantine - [ME eglentyn, fr. MF aiglent, fr. (assumed) VL aculentum, fr.] sweetbrier, a Eurasian wild rose with fragrant leaves and flowers

embrasure [F, fr. obs. embraser to widen an opening] 1: a recess of a door or window 2: an opening with sides flaring outward in a wall or parapet of a fortification usu. for allowing the firing of cannon

epistolary 1: of, relating to, or suitable to a letter 2: contained in or carried on by letters 3: written in the form of a series of letters {~ novel} (ok, so I should have known this one.)

epithelium 1: a membranous cellular tissue that covers a free surface or lines a tube or cavity of an animal body and serves esp. to enclose and protect the other parts of the body, to produce secretions and excretions, and to function in assimilation 2: a usu. thin layer of parenchyma that lines a cavity or tube of a plant

fatidic (Ada) L fatidicus, fr. fatum fate + dicere to say] : of or relating to prophecy

favonian (Lolita) [L favonianus, fr. Favonius, the west wind] : of or relating to the west wind : mild

fauteuil (Ada) - a comfortable type of chair; by extension, a "chair" as a position, like a professorship

fichu - a woman's light triangular scarf that is draped over the shoulders and fastened in front or worn to fill in a low neckline

fritillary (Speak, Memory) - a butterfly with orange-brown wings checkered with black

fuchsined, from fuchsine or fuchsin: a dye that is produced by oxidation of a mixture of aniline and toluidines and yields a brilliant bluish red

funest (Ada) - lamentable, doleful

geminate (Speak, Memory) - twinned, doubled

geometrid (Speak, Memory) - a moth of a large family ( Geometridae), distinguished by having twiglike caterpillars that move by arching and straightening the body

ghyll (Speak, Memory) - deep, wooded ravine

gueridon (Ada) - alternate spelling of guerdon, a reward or recompense

hiemal (Speak, Memory) - of or relating to winter hiren (Ada) - hired siren (pun)

isba (Speak, Memory) - a Russian log hut

laciniate (Speak, Memory) - botanical, divided into deep, narrow irregular segments, like a fringe of a garment

macule (Speak, Memory - a distinct spot, such as a discolored spot on the skin

melilot (Speak, Memory) - a fragrant herbaceous plant of the pea family, native to Eurasia and north Africa, now widespread and sometimes grown as forage or green manure. Also called sweet clover.

nacreous (Lolita) - pearly

ondula (Ada) - coined by V.N.: a little wave or ripple

otiose - 1: being at leisure : idle 2: sterile, futile 3: lacking use or effect : functionless

peri : [Per peri- fairy, genius, modif. of Av pairika- witch] 1: a supernatural being in Persian folklore descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is accomplished 2: a beautiful and graceful girl or woman

pinnace - 1: a light sailing ship used largely as a tender 2: any of various ship's boats

phocine (Lolita) - relating to, or like, seals

prasine (Ada) - green like a leek in color

predormient (Ada) - before sleeping

retiary (Speak, Memory) - of or resembling a net or web (in this case, a butterfly net)

samara (Speak, Memory) - a winged nut or achene containing one seed, as in ash and maple.

splenius - a flat oblique muscle of each side of the back of the neck

strapontin (Real Life of Sebastian Knight) French, a seat at a theater or on a subway which swings up when not in use

tarlatan (Speak, Memory) - a thin, starched, open-weave muslin fabric, used for stiffening evening gowns (or butterfly nets)

thesialist (Ada) an expert, devotee, or practitioner of theses

tzigan - alt. spelling of tzigane [Hung cigany] : gypsy

umbellifer (Speak, Memory) - a plant of the parsley family

viatic - journeying (as in viaticum, a stipend given to journeying priests)

volute - [L voluta, fr. fem. of volutus, pp. of volvere to roll] 1: a spiral or scroll-shaped form 2a: a spiral scroll-shaped ornament forming the chief feature of the Ionic captial 2b: a turn of a spiral shell 3: any of numerous marine gastropod mollusks (family Volutidae) with a thick short-spired shell