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"The term cryptophthora (secret degradation) is sometimes used to express the degradation of secret key material resulting from side channel leakage."

Side channel attack - Wikipedia

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"Whatever its origin, the term pons asinorum is used as a metaphor for a problem or challenge which will separate the sure of mind from the simple, the fleet thinker from the slow, the determined from the dallier; to represent a critical test of ability or understanding."

Pons asinorum - Wikipedia

It means “bridge of asses” in Latin.

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via nyomklyu, dunes, coldterror
Tags: words
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"autolatry: The worship of one’s self"

Unusual Words

*slow clap*

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wotd
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petitchou:

Really sad this affectionate term of derision has fallen out of fashion. I mean, how would great would it feel to say “wassup my lil’ numps” and be truly understood.

petitchou:

Really sad this affectionate term of derision has fallen out of fashion. I mean, how would great would it feel to say “wassup my lil’ numps” and be truly understood.

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close enough
Tags: words
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FYI: …and ‘google’ is American Dialect Society’s word of the decade

It beat out ‘9/11’, ‘blog’, ‘green’, ‘text’, and ‘war on terror’.

Tags: words google
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FYI: ‘tweet’ is American Dialect Society’s word of the year for 2009

Or so my sources have tweeted from LSA2010…

Tags: words twitter
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Empty

wordporn:

Karaoke - “empty orchestra”

Karate - “empty hand”

Yes, but Wikipedia says ‘karate’ is a bit more nuanced:

In this era of escalating Japanese militarism [circa 1932], the name was changed from 唐手 (“Chinese hand”) to 空手 (“empty hand”) – both of which are pronounced karate – to indicate that the Japanese wished to develop the combat form in Japanese style.

Tags: words