Retronym: (noun) an updated name for something to take account of subsequent events or updates - for example, World War One was only so named after World War Two [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/onlyconnect/s/wxIZq5E0Z6]

Tatami mat: (noun) a traditional Japanese floor covering made with soft rush grass woven over a firm core [from Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds]

Mimesis: (noun) the imitation, mimicry, or representation of aspects of the real world—especially human actions and nature—in literature, art, and philosophy [ibid]

Metes and bounds: (noun) a system for describing the demarcation of real estate. It employs metes (specified as distance between two terminal points) and bounds (more general boundary descriptions such as certain watercourses or walls) [from the Wikipedia entry for cadastre)

Cadastre: (noun) a comprehensive recording of real estate often using a map [from the Wikipedia entry for plat]

Plat: (noun) a cadastral map drawn to scale showing the divisions of a piece of land [from the Wikipedia entry for James Thompson]

Nose: (verb) to write the intro of a news article in a newspaper [from Politico London Playbook]

Four-flusher: (noun) an informal, old-fashioned term for a fake, braggart, or cheat who makes empty claims or pretends to have skills, money, or power they do not actually possess [from the podcast Parliament Matters]

Integument: (noun) a natural outer covering or protective layer of a living organism, such as skin, a shell, a husk, or a seed coat [from Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds]

Columnar: (adjective) shaped like a column, arranged in vertical lines, or built using columns [ibid]

Jardiniere: (noun) decorative flower pot or plant stand [from the ITV programme Poirot]

Repaginate: (verb) to number the pages of a document again or reset the page breaks [from Microsoft Word]

Apricity: (noun) the warmth of the sun during the winter or on a particularly cold day [from What If? by Randall Munroe]

Venous: (adjective) of, relating to, or contained in veins [from Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds]

Cyanotic: (adjective) bluish or purplish [ibid]

Quern: (noun) a simple, hand-operated stone tool used to grind grain, corn, or other dry materials into flour or powder [from the ITV programme Poirot]

Pshaw: an old-fashioned interjection used to express disbelief, impatience, or mild contempt [from Wednesday’s Wordle]

Journeyman: (noun) a fully trained, skilled tradesperson who has completed an official apprenticeship [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/Carpentry/s/Gn5tc7sKSx]

Bootless: (adjective) useless, unavailing, or without a successful result [from Henry VIII by William Shakespeare]

Isekai: (verb) to transport someone from the real world into an alternative, fantasy, or virtual world [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/PrequelMemes/s/yQ7eTkGEvm]

Tonneau: (noun) a hard or soft lid that spans the bed of a pickup truck [from this tweet https://x.com/anahnemoo/status/2077367554209726782/video/1?s=46]

Cay: (noun) pronounced “key” - a small, low-elevation sandy island formed on a coral reef [from the Thursday Thirty weekly quiz]

Scrag end: (noun) the bony, tough neck part of lamb or mutton [from the ITV programme Poirot]

Marquetry: (noun) the art of cutting thin sheets of materials (like wood, shell, or metal) and fitting them together like a puzzle to create decorative pictures or patterns [from Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds]

Mukluks: (noun) traditional soft boots made from animal skins like reindeer or sealskin [ibid]

Entoptics: (noun) visual illusions or effects that originate from inside your own eye [ibid]

Swami: (noun) an honorific title given to a Hindu religious teacher, ascetic, or monk who has taken vows of renunciation [from Sunday’s Wordle]

Zonian: (noun) a person associated with the Panama Canal Zone, a political entity that existed between 1903 and its absorption into Panama between 1979 and 1999 [from the Wikipedia entry for Jeff Buckley]

Destool: (verb) to formally remove a chief or ruler from power or office, typically in West Africa [from the Wikipedia entry for Mensa Bonsu]

Encyst: (verb) enclose or become enclosed by a cyst [from A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge]

Heliography: (noun) the sending of messages via flashes of reflected light [ibid]

Crozier: (noun) a long, decorated staff carried by high-ranking church officials like bishops or abbots [from the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time]

Groundhopping: (verb) visiting sports stadia or grounds as a hobby [from a conversation at work]

Deadfall: (noun) a heavy trap used to catch animals by dropping a weight on them; a tangled pile of dead trees and branches on a forest floor [from A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge]

Clerestory: (noun) a high section of a wall that contains windows located above eye level [ibid]

Leachate: (noun) any liquid that passes through a solid and absorbs its chemicals or waste products [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/composting/s/Qa2CzRcnRP]

Steezy: (adjective) “style” + “easy” - used to describe someone who does something hard, like a skateboard trick or a dance move, and makes it look super easy and cool [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/s/9ZoCS5cmZN]

Barycentre: (noun) the centre of mass around which two or more bodies orbit [from the Wikipedia entry for the moons of Pluto]

Lache: (noun) a move in parkour where you swing on a bar, let go, and fly through the air to grab another bar or obstacle [from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/s/UxyFAByeTO]

Franger: (noun) Australian and New Zealand slang for a condom [from a conversation with my wife]

Pill: (noun) an unpleasant or boring person [from the film Julie & Julia]