From time to time, we just must throw in a word that we know no one will have ever heard of, and ombrophobia is certainly one of those. As a matter of fact, if you know what ombrophobia is and how to spell it you could probably win any spelling bee or have no fear of losing it.
You see ombrophobia is defined as having an irrational or abnormal fear of rain. This is a real condition where people can react fearfully to even the threat of rain with anxiety attacks and breathing problems.
Spelling it is hard enough, how in the world do you pronounce it? The Free Dictionary breaks it down this way: OM-BRO-PHOBIA. The “phobia” on the end of the word gives away that it is the fear of something, so that gives you a start. The first part of the word comes from Greek (like a lot of medical terms) and refers to the Greek word “ombros” which means “rain.”
Ombrophobia is closely related to “astraphobia,” a fear of thunder or lighting, “aquaphobia,” a fear of drowning, and “homichlophobia,” a fear of fog.
“Joe’s ombrophobia caused him to just forget applying for the job in Seattle.”
“Mary is an ombrophobic and has problems writing articles about storms.”
This is one that if you can drop it in casual conversation, we have the utmost respect for your mastery of language.
Depending on which dictionary you use, “truthiness” may come up as a real word or as slang. We have problems believing it is a real word and place it more in the colloquialism category. The reason we have problems with truthiness is that it seems to have originated with Stephen Colbert in 2005 on his late-night show The Colbert Report and has a definition that is dubious at best.
According to Webster’s Dictionary truthiness refers to anything that seems to be true but is not true according to known facts. This would be the logic that:
Whatever I say is true and there is nothing anyone else says that could therefore be true. If I believe it is emotionally true, then it is true no matter what facts might speak to an opposing opinion.
It has that Climate Change feel to it as we explained in our article on Willie, Al, Gretta, and the Butterfly. All scientists agree and therefore it is true even if facts to the contrary should come forward. Starting with the answer and then finding facts to support the conclusion; or starting with the answer and sticking with it even if there are no underlying facts.
