'Neonate' sprang fairly quickly to mind and I've not had any medical training. I have had friends, though, whose babies have had to spend time in the neonatal ward.

9O

Thanks, Alan, for your unceasing review of suggestions.

nineoaks

 
I have been thinking about the word 'stent.' I think it is currently a 'rare' word. Back in 2009, a suggestion was made to reclassify it as 'common.' I could not find a ruling on this. I apologize if I have missed any further discussion or a decision, and would like to know what others think. 


Thanks,

nineoaks

Happy Birthday, RM!

Nineoaks

MK: I loved this game, because it reminded me of teaching prefixes and suffixes to 7th graders. Presented with a word just like 'wake,' my students would have a mad scramble to come up with all the possible (and impossible) variations. Fun!
I also loved making them groan and roll their eyes by playing 'Call Me Irresponsible,' sung by Andy Williams or some other hopelessly uncool artist, then challenging them to find all the pre- and suf- fixes in the lyrics.

nineoaks

Tom: I've often wondered the same thing. Thanks for asking.

  9Oaks

Can you see me here in my sackcloth and hair shirt, trying to atone for posting something that struck Alan as a strong statement when I was just trying to be clever with the 'common'/common thing.
 
Alan: perhaps if I crawl on my knees for a day carrying on my back a heavy load of dictionaries??  or??

Anyway, sorry.

9oaks

From the (online) World English Dictionary:

Schoolmarm:
1.    a woman schoolteacher, esp when considered to be prim, prudish, or old-fashioned
2.    ( Brit ) any woman considered to be prim, prudish, or old-fashioned
 
[C19: from school 1  + marm,  variant of ma'am . See madam ]

The only everyday usage I know of this word is the adjective schoolmarmish, meaning 'prim, prudish, or old-fashioned.' If the noun is commonly recognized, it's probably from old western movies where there often was a 'schoolmarm' in town. This word and 'marmy,' from Little Women are the only times I've encountered marm (as opposed to ma'am). ?Origin in a regional accent?

In the US teachers are addressed as Miss or Mrs./Mr. followed by the surname.

9oaks