Pajamas /pəˈjäməz/ noun loose fitting clothes that are worn to bed When I was in fourth grade, a novelist came to talk to my English class…she told us that being an author meant sitting at the kitchen table in pajamas, drinking tea with the dogs at your feet. – J. Courtney Sullivan (1981 – )

Redolent /ˈredələnt/ adjective 1. strongly reminiscent Every mile was redolent of associations, which she would not have missed for the world, but each of which made her cry upon ‘the days that are no more’ with ineffable longing. – from North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell 2. fragrant, giving off a pleasant odor The flowers [in the garden] might have died, and the last... Read More

Neon /ˈnēˌän/ adjective extremely bright, fluorescent (often used to describe certain colors) Neon green is a color that demands attention…it’s bright, bold, and energizing. – Adobe noun 1. a gaseous element of the noble gas group often used in fluorescent lights and signs The largest use of neon is in making the ubiquitous ‘neon signs’ for advertising. In a vacuum discharge tube neon glows... Read More

Anathema /əˈnaTHəmə/ noun something or someone that one is extremely opposed to Over-thinking in your brain is anathema to the process of thinking on your feet. – Conan O’Brien (1963 – )

Iris /ˈīrəs/ noun 1. a group of flowering plants with over 300 species, typically with pointed, overlapping leaves and purple, white, yellow, pink, orange or white flowers Loss of habitat threatens many of our native irises as they occur in fragile, easily damaged habitats. – National Park Service 2. the ring-shaped membrane of the eye around the pupil, which is also the colored portion... Read More

Permafrost /ˈpərməˌfrôst/ noun a thick layer of underground soil that remains frozen throughout the year and which occurs mostly in the polar regions of Earth The striking quilt-like pattern of permafrost landscapes is caused by the build-up and thawing of ice in the ground, which produces pits, ponds, and landslides. – National Park Service

Ameliorate /əˈmēlyəˌrāt/ verb to improve a deplorable condition The good seeds must be planted in the minds of the citizens in order to ameliorate their lives. – Mwanandeke Kindembo (1996 – )

Rigorous /ˈriɡ(ə)rəs/ adjective strict, thorough or exhaustive, disciplined I believe that the pursuit of truth and right ideas through honest debate and rigorous argument is a noble undertaking. – Charles Krauthammer (1950 – 2018)

Jellyfish /ˈjelēˌfiSH/ noun a soft, gelatinous sea creature with stinging tentacles I’m a jellyfish glowing in the dark sea, bright and brilliant, just waiting to be discovered. – Jennifer L. Holm (1968 – )

Coalesce /ˌkōəˈles/ verb to combine, to fuse, to join together After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form…the greatest scientists are artists as well. – Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)