Fervor fer·vor /ˈfərvər/ Noun strong and impassioned feeling or enthusiasm “The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal.” – William James (1842 – 1910)

Miasma mi·as·ma /mīˈazmə,mēˈazmə/ Noun noxious vapor “At twenty-one or twenty-two so many things appear solid and permanent and terrible which forty sees are nothing but disappearing miasma.” – Booth Tarkington (1969 – 1946)

Threshold  thresh·old /ˈTHreSHˌ(h)ōld/ Noun 1. a limit or boundary beyond which a particular effect or process is initiated Every mystery solved brings us to the threshold of a greater one. – Rachel Carson (1907–1964) 2. a piece of timber or metal that lies beneath a door; an entrance Up to the threshold of the door there mounted a flight of twenty-seven broad stairs, hewn... Read More

Prestige pres·tige /preˈstē(d)ZH/ Noun influence derived from past success or reputation “Literature deserves its prestige for one reason above all others – because it’s a tool to help us live and die with a little bit more wisdom, goodness, and sanity.” – Alain de Botton (1969 -)

Bioluminescence bi·o·lu·mi·nes·cence /ˌbīəˌlo͞oməˈnes(ə)n(t)s,/ Noun the emission of light from a living organism as the result of a chemical reaction occurring within it “In the ocean, bioluminescence is the rule rather than the exception.” – Edith Widder (1951 – )

Priceless price·less /ˈprīsləs/ Adjective of immeasurable value “In my life I have found two things of priceless worth – learning and loving.” – Arthur C. Clarke (1917 – 2008)

Nonsense non·sense /ˈnänˌsen(t)s,ˈnän(t)s(ə)n(t)s/ Noun folly, silliness, absurdity “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” – Roald Dahl (1960 – 1990)

Gossamer gos·sa·mer /ˈɡäsəmər/ Adjective sheer, like cobwebs “The gossamer web of life, spun on the loom of sunlight from the breath of an infant Earth, is nature’s crowning achievement on this planet.” – Preston Cloud (1912 – 1991)

Obsolete ob·so·lete /ˌäbsəˈlēt/ Adjective no longer in use, outdated “What’s the difference between obsolete and cutting edge? Obsolete works.” – Nicholas Negroponte (1947 – )