# Words you misunderstood, until perhaps quite recently **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 24, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774 "2006-03-24T20:30:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/21 "2006-03-26T20:42:44Z")
I have always thought superlatives were a class of descriptive comic book adjectives like Fantastic! Astounding! Incredible! Uncanny! Amazing! Stupefying! etc. That may be broadly true of adverbs and adjectives in the elative sense, but not how I was using the term. Oh, well. I still maintain I am not wrong, just ahead of my time. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/22 "2006-03-26T22:15:59Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Nemesis is my latest discovery. I used to think it meant something like “arch-enemy”, and of course, there was the running joke on BtVS, Season 6, where the Evil Three referred to themselves as Buffy’s Arch-Nemesis…es, Nemeses…you know. > > No, turns out that a nemesis is an agent of divine justice. So, depending on what kind of justice you deserve, your nemesis could offer you a nice hot cup of tea with some lemon. And, as an agent of divine justice, there really is only the singular. There is no plural form of nemesis. My dictionary does say that a nemesis is an enemy or opponent, esp. one not easily overcome. ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/23 "2006-03-26T23:05:35Z")
Not quite on topic, but I used to have a Husky / German Shepard mix. When we got him I wanted his initals to be UW as I am a big U. of Washington fan, and their mascot is a Husky. Well our last name already starts with a W so no problem. Thinking of something to name him I came up with Yukon as it was a cold place, and Huskies are known for being in cold places. I just changed the spelling to Ukon. I had this dog for 7 or 8 years before he passed away 4 years ago. I just found out this week watching basketball that U of Washington is not the only team with a Husky as a mascot. In fact U. of Conneticut also uses a Husky. Of course U of Conneticut is abbriviated UConn, pronouced the same way as my dog’s name. I had that dog for over 5 years, and never knew he was named after the wrong school. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/24 "2006-03-27T00:10:44Z")
I just recently learned that “several” means “a few.” I thought it meant “a whole lot.” Yes, I’m that dense. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/25 "2006-03-27T00:37:54Z")
When I was a little kid, maybe 8 or so, I called my mom a _whore_. My little brain somehow made the connection thinking that whore meant something similar to horrible. Kinda a hijack since it’s by no means a recent or adult misconcpetion, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/26 "2006-03-27T01:36:03Z")
You should have claimed to have said “hoary” tho this may not have gotten a much better responce 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774/27 "2006-03-27T01:40:15Z")
> [@pokey](#): > > Up until last year or so I thought shallots were a type of fish, that actual shallots were called scallions, and that actual scallions were just called green onions. It’s a good thing I never do recipies. > > I also thought penultimate and ultimate meant the exact same thing until I was about 30. I also have the shallot/scallion problem! I have to ask my SO which are which whenever we’re at a restaurant. My word is “tautology.” I used it incorrectly several times in my M.A. thesis to mean something akin to “strong bond.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-misunderstood-until-perhaps-quite-recently/349774.md?page=1)