The Autobiography of Red

The Autobiography of Red Glossary

cat's-eye

(noun) A marble with a distinct swirling "cat's-eye" pattern in the middle, made with different canes of colored glass. Usually prized by young collectors.

garrote

(noun) A weapon made of a thin piece of razor wire, used to strangle someone.

epitheton

Greek term, meaning "adjective," also translates more colloquially as "epithet." A nickname or descriptor added to a name. Example: Alexander the Great, Pliny the Elder, Geryon the Red.

tractable

(adjective) Easy to deal with, understand, follow.

dactylo-epitrite meter

(noun) A type of poetic syllable structure used in many Greek choruses.

triadic structure

(noun) A type of sentence structure where there are three main clauses, the rhythm of which are repeated for rhetorical or dramatic effect. An example is "you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think" from Winnie-the-Pooh.

proemium

(noun) A preface or introduction.

Cartonnage

(noun) Linen or papyrus covered in plaster, used in ancient Egyptian mummification.

dialectical

(adjective) Relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions.

purgation

(noun) The purification or cleansing of someone or something.

incubus

(noun) A demon or evil spirit who descends on sleeping persons, especially to have sexual intercourse with them; a nightmare; something that oppresses one like a nightmare.

Suidas

The Suda or Souda is a historically significant 10th-century encyclopedia of ancient Mediterranean history and geography, the author of which was named Soudas or Souidas. The encyclopedia's title has historically been conflated or confused with the author's name.

S.V.

Latin for “sub verbo; sub voce,” meaning under the word or heading, as in a dictionary, abbreviated as S.V.

encomium

A Latin word deriving from the Ancient Greek enkomion meaning the praise of a person or object.

intraplate

(adjective) Intraplate pertains to processes occurring within the interior of a tectonic plate. Intraplate volcanism is volcanism that takes place inside of tectonic plates, away from their margins.

vitreous

(adjective) Like glass; derived from or containing glass.

pallor

(noun) An unhealthy pale appearance.

necesariamente

Spanish for “necessarily.”

pampas

Vast treeless plains in South America.

lignifying

Converting into wood.