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John has added 1281 words, 29 lists, 1622 comments, and 768 tags.

Definitions without words

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There's a word I used to know, which I've forgotten, and it's driving me crazy trying to think of it. If anyone knows it, I'd be grateful if you would share.
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5 months ago Prolagus said:

It doesn't exist, but xenologism would be great.

11 months ago sarra said:

Wonderfully (by which I mean—self-referentially!), Gastwörte also describes these — German for "guest-words" (singular Gastwort). Or Fremdwort, or Lehnwort depending on exactly how they're used: this article from the Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language is enlightening, if to be believed.

calque is also brilliant: what happens when a foreign phrase is translated and used literally.

11 months ago sarra said:

loanword?

11 months ago seanahan said:

I feel like I've heard this one too, but it's on the tip of my tongue.

11 months ago reesetee said:

Hmm...naturalized?

11 months ago John said:

A friend and I used to have a game, collecting lists of words (this is in ye olde days; we used a notebook) that are used in English, but are obviously foreign, like de rigeur and coup d'etat (and, you know... that other word). And one of us discovered at one point, to our mutual delight, that there's a word for foreign imports like that. What is it?

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