Words one can get confused

Is there any evidence they made up a non-existent word as much as revive and encourage the use of a perfectly cromulent (but not in current use) word?

exult: to leap for joy
exalt: to lift up

Damned good question. My non-expert opinion was that “flamamble” didn’t exist prior to fairly recently. Maybe I’m full of it here.

Here’s a use of ‘flammable’ from 1876.

(having trouble highlighting the word in the document. But search the document for “Flammable” and you’ll find it. )

Same here.

If you really do mean “flamamble,” I agree.

Touché good Sir! Touché.

Now we just need to decide what “flamamble” means. Maybe that’s the word for “prone to spontaneous combustion” that folks upthread were wanting? :crazy_face:

Technically the term “inflame” should mean putting flame into something, the way “inflate” means to put gas or air into something. Strictly it should be “enflame” and “enflammable”. But yeah prescription vs. description, etc.

enflame is a perfectly cromulent (if obsolete in use) variant of inflame according to the OED. Note that in standard French AFAIK it’s “enflammer” yet “inflammable” (antonym: ininflammable) !

Speaking of in- words,

genius: extraordinary intelligence of skill; inspiration
ingenius: not a word
ingenious (also engenious as an obsolete spelling): characterized by genius
ingenuous: naive and trusting
engineer: one who designs, constructs, or operates works
ingeneer: obsolete spelling of engineer

genii: (singular genius) benevolent guardian spirits or minor gods in Roman mythology
genie (or djinni or djinn or jinn or jinni): a supernatural invisible creature in Arabian mythology and later in Islamic theology, sometimes but not always malevolent.
Jeanie (or Jeannie): a feminine name or nickname

ingénue: an innocent/unsophisticated young woman.

Axis: a line serving as a geometric reference for various purposes, e.g. an axis in a coordinate system, an axis of rotation, or an axis of symmetry.

brassiere: a bra (type of undergarment)
brassier: more brassy (like the alloy or impudent)
brazier (or brasier): (1) a metalworker who works in brass; (2) a container for burning coals
brazer: one who brazes (joins two pieces of metal by a specific technique involving heat)
braiser: one who braises (cooks food in a relatively small quantity of hot liquid); a type of pan used for braising

purl: inverted knitting stitch; loops or twists ornamenting the edges of lace, braid, ribbon, and the like
pirl: to twist, wind or spin; a fine curl or ripple on the surface of water
pearl: lump of nacre

brasserie: a type of restaurant

alter: to change
altar: a table or flat-topped structure used for religious rites

looser: more loose
loser: one who loses

hanger: one who hangs; a device for hanging
hangar: a large shed where aircraft are kept

cement: a binding agent made from powdered limestone and clay and other ingredients. When mixed with water and allowed to set, it forms a solid, but it is not very often used alone as a building material.

mortar: Any material that binds to and fills the spaces between bricks or stones in masonry construction. In modern usage, it is typically a mixture of cement, water, and sand that sets solid.

concrete: a mixture of cement, water, and aggregate (usually sand and gravel). It sets solid and is now the world’s most frequently used building material.

A couple of lifetimes ago, I worked in construction. I gave up trying to educate others on the difference between concrete and cement.

Concrete is also a term for a very thick frozen custard dessert. Which makes a very bad building material.

And a mortar is also the bowl used along with a pestle to crush or grind materials into (usually) powders.

One can use a mortar and pestle to break up nuts to add as an aggregate to your edible concrete. :grin:

Just so long as those others are not in construction…

An expatriate is not necessarily an ex-patriot

One lives outside their country, the other no longer loves it.