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abderian

 
Dictionary: Ab·de·ri·an

a.

[From Abdera, a town in Thrace, of which place Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher, was a native.]
Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.


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Wordsmith Words: abderian
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(AB-dir-ee-uhn)

adjective
Given to excessive or incessant laughter.

Etymology
After Abdera, in ancient Thrace (present day Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece), the birth place of Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher. Location on the map: wordsmith.org/awad/toponyms.html ]
It's not certain why Democritus was nicknamed the Laughing Philosopher. It may be owing to his stress on the value of cheerfulness. It's also said that he often appeared in public laughing while expressing his contempt of human follies. Paintings frequently show him laughing: images.google.com/images?q=Democritus+painting. The opposite of an abderian person is an agelast, someone who never laughs.

Usage
"The latest interview with Errol Flynn on the subject of his marriage affairs doesn't inspire me to pat my hands in behalf of abderian actor and bistro brawler." — Wood Soanes; Curtain Calls: Maybe Flynn is Fooling Himself!; Oakland Tribune (California); Oct 28, 1941.


Obscure Words: abderian
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[fr. Abdera, a town in Thrace, the home of Democritus, see next]  often. capitalized
1) given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment
2) foolish
 
 

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. Webster 1913 Dictionary edited by Patrick J. Cassidy  Read more
Wordsmith Words. © 2009 Wordsmith.org. All rights reserved.  Read more
Obscure Words. © 2008 by Michael A. Fischer http://home.comcast.net/~wwftd Read more