Publish or perish in the ivory tower of learning outcomes.
A fancy word for "new word," typically used by linguists, writers, and people who want to sound smarter at parties. It's the official term for when someone invents a word and it actually catches on, rather than just dying in the group chat where it was born. Ironically, using "neologism" instead of "new word" is peak intellectual showing off.
Either Robert Frost's melancholic poem about the fleeting nature of beauty and innocence, or New Found Glory's 2001 album that soundtracked every emo kid's teenage angst. Both remind you that good things don't last, but at least one has sick guitar riffs.
Non-Tenure-Track—faculty positions without the possibility of tenure, including lecturers, instructors, and long-term contracts. It's academic employment's consolation prize: you have a real job, just not job security.
A moody, dark aesthetic genre featuring cynical protagonists, shadowy cinematography, and morally ambiguous characters—basically what your life looks like at 2 AM when you're doom-scrolling. Often used to describe anything with brooding, mysterious vibes.
In grammar, relating to the nominative case—the grammatical case that typically marks the subject of a sentence or clause in languages with case systems. Used as an adverb to describe how something functions or is considered in that case.
A musical symbol (♮) that annoys music students everywhere by showing up to say 'psych, forget that sharp or flat we mentioned three bars ago.' It's the reset button of musical notation, canceling out accidentals and confusing everyone who hasn't memorized every rule of music theory.
A large insectivorous bat (Nyctalus noctula) found across Europe and Asia, known for its reddish-brown fur and rapid, erratic flight pattern. It is one of the few bat species that hunts in open air rather than among trees.
The state or quality of being nascent; the beginning or early stage of existence or development.
The learning phase a beginner goes through when entering a new skill or field; basically the trial-by-fire initiation before competence actually kicks in.
Occurring or referring to the day before yesterday; a rare and humorous English word used to describe something that happened two days prior. This obscure term is primarily found in historical texts and is beloved by word enthusiasts for its specificity and whimsical nature.
A state of frenzy or emotional transport inspired by nymphs in classical mythology; more broadly, an overwhelming desire or frenzy for something unattainable.
Active, occurring, or done during the night rather than the day; of or relating to the night.
A person who walks or wanders about at night; a sleepwalker, or more commonly, someone who is habitually active during nighttime hours. Often used to describe night owls or those with nocturnal lifestyles.
A rare or non-standard term; potentially related to 'nominal' in linguistics, referring to elements that function like nouns or have noun-like grammatical properties.
A system of symbols or signs used to represent numbers, quantities, or ideas, commonly seen in music, mathematics, and chemistry. It allows complex information to be communicated concisely and precisely.
Shining brightly at night; specifically referring to luminous clouds in the upper atmosphere visible after sunset or before sunrise, made visible by reflected sunlight from above the horizon. These rare clouds appear silvery-blue or pearly white.
An inescapable agent of downfall or retribution; an arch-rival or persistent source of defeat for a person or organization. Originally, the Greek goddess of retribution and vengeance against hubris.
A musical composition, typically romantic in character, inspired by the night or its moods; or a service of prayer in the Christian church traditionally said at night.
A nocturnal bird with cryptic plumage, found across the world, that hunts insects in flight during twilight and night hours. The birds are known for their distinctive churring calls and their habit of roosting lengthwise on tree branches during the day.
Characteristic of or relating to nomads—people who move from place to place rather than settling permanently in one location. Applied to peoples, lifestyles, or animals that practice seasonal migration or wandering.
A sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy associations. It's often tinged with melancholy and a recognition that the past cannot be reclaimed.
The act of covertly exchanging written messages between students, typically during class, without teacher knowledge. Note passing was a ubiquitous form of classroom communication before texting and digital devices.
The practice of divination or magic based on communication with the dead, or more broadly, any form of sorcery or dark magic. Historically associated with witchcraft and supernatural practices forbidden in many religious traditions.
A large, flightless New Zealand rail bird with blue and green plumage, thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1948; also called a takahe.