# Dammit, what's that word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761 "2001-02-09T06:55:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pismonque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@Pismonque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pismonque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/1 "2001-02-09T06:55:36Z")
_Anachronism_ refers to something that is out of place chronologically, such as a wristwatch in a gladiator movie. But what is the word for something that is out of place _spatially_ or _geographically_, such as an elephant in the dining room? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/2 "2001-02-09T07:11:30Z")
I guess just plain _anomalous_ wouldn’t cut it, eh? ---
**Author:** ![jeyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a4c791/32.png) [@jeyen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeyen)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/3 "2001-02-09T07:14:35Z")
Incongruous? Dissonant? Misplaced? Out of its element? [sub]Gotta love those online thesauruses.[/sub] Jeyen ---
**Author:** ![Pismonque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@Pismonque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pismonque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/4 "2001-02-09T07:29:31Z")
Thanks, **SmackFu** and **jeyen** , but I don’t think they’re quite specific enough. _Anomaly_ pretty much refers to anything that deviates from the norm. _Incongruity_ somehow seems closer, but still not quite on the money. I could have sworn there’s a word that describes this specific situation, like a spatial equivalent of _anachronism_. I’ve been wracking my brain over it all day. ---
**Author:** ![Fatwater\_Fewl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@Fatwater\_Fewl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatwater_Fewl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/5 "2001-02-09T08:48:32Z")
Dislocated? Displaced? Astray? ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/6 "2001-02-09T09:01:00Z")
I’ll add “alien” to the almost-theres. None of the words so far make me go “THAT’S IT.” Well, **Pismonque** this does seem to be a good question! Lately people ask questions that get answered as fast as it takes to do a google search! This is now driving _me_ nuts! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/7 "2001-02-09T12:19:16Z")
The best I could come up with is the Latin phrase: ex locus ictus, or out of proper place ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/8 "2001-02-09T13:08:38Z")
Not sure it’s actually a word, but…. As “chronos” is the Greek for time “topos” is the Greek for place Anatopism? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/9 "2001-02-09T13:30:24Z")
I would definitely go with **displaced**. I mean, if an object is displaced, it’s not where it’s supposed to be… ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/10 "2001-02-09T14:09:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by longjohn \* > \*\*Not sure it’s actually a word, but…. > > As “chronos” is the Greek for time > “topos” is the Greek for place > > Anatopism? > \*\* Correct, I guess… from [http://web.nwe.ufl.edu/~jbess/sp00/sp001131/reference/vocab1.htm](http://web.nwe.ufl.edu/~jbess/sp00/sp001131/reference/vocab1.htm) anatopism- misplacement, faulty or inharmonious arrangement ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/11 "2001-02-09T17:31:10Z")
The aforementioned web site also has the following: anachorism- foreign to a certain locality, geographically impossible ---
**Author:** ![Pismonque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@Pismonque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pismonque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-whats-that-word/53761/12 "2001-02-09T18:57:25Z")
ANACHORISM! That’s the one! It seemed vaguely familiar when I saw it (probably fooling myself there) so I threw it into Google and there are definitions, usages, etc., that cemented it for me. Great sleuthing, **pulykamell** , **dylan\_73** and all! Thanks for the help!