Thinking out loud (in writing)

[TRex]

In the MOMENTARY puzzle, the word etymon was uncommon, but isn't that a word most wordies would know? 
(No, not a request for changing an uncommon word to common ... never!)

In the CHAMOMILE puzzle, the word used to describe a silent actor who is a counterpart to those who typically work in whiteface with white gloves acting out a story through body motions — but this actor works underground and uses blackface. I'm referring, of course, to a coalmime!     

[birdy]

Etymon. Yet another word I didn't know.  I suppose I could think of it as the ancestor of a derivative.

My high school Latin teacher assigned us the project of compiling a derivative notebook, where we had to find words in newspapers or magazines, and look up the Latin words they were derived from.  I think that may be almost the only high school assignment I remember, and it's probably where I learned the pleasure of and curiosity about words.  Thank you, Miss Bortz!

[mkenuk]

the word etymon ........ isn't that a word most wordies would know?  

Apparently not. It was played by only 20 of that game's participants, some of whom were probably just copying it from a wordlist anyway.

More, however, than played meronym (10) but fewer than played metonym (31), two other 'wordie' words!

 

MK

[TRex]

Apparently not. It was played by only 20 of that game's participants, some of whom were probably just copying it from a wordlist anyway.

I know.     (Perhaps they were avoiding it because they didn't expect it to be a common word!)