The More Unusual Words

Question 1

Biometry

Answer 1

Life + Measure. Biostatistics (a portmanteau of biology and statistics; sometimes referred to as biometry or biometrics) is the application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology. The science of biostatistics encompasses the design of biological experiments, especially in medicine and agriculture; the collection, summarization, and analysis of data from those experiments; and the interpretation of, and inference from, the results.

Question 2

Biota

Answer 2

The plant and animal life of a region, usually not including humans.

Question 3

Chiropodist

Answer 3

Podiatry. Branch of medicine devoted to the study of diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity.

Question 4

Dimorphous

Answer 4

Di “two” + Morph “shape.” Having two body types. Sexual dimorphism, differences in the physiology of a species based only on sex.

Question 5

Dyspepsia

Answer 5

dys- “bad” + pepsis “digestion.” Upset stomach or indigestion

Question 6

Dysphagia

Answer 6

Dys- “bad” + phago “eat.” Medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing.

Question 7

Dystrophy

Answer 7

Dys- “bad” + Trophos “growth.” Condition of abnormal development, often denoting the degeneration of muscles

Question 8

Ectoparasite

Answer 8

Parasites that live on the surface of the host, like head lice.

Question 9

Exoteric

Answer 9

Knowledge that is outside of and independent from anyone’s experience and can be ascertained by anyone; cf. common sense. Public knowledge.

Question 10

Geodetic

Answer 10

Geo “earth.” Pertaining to the science of measurement of the earth.

Question 11

Heterochromatic

Answer 11

Heteros “different” + chromo “color.” Pertaining to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. An example is having eyes of different colors.