ptarmic

[prettygoodword]

ptarmic ('TAR-mik) - adj., inducing sneezing, sternutatory. n., a substance that causes sneezing.


Such as pepper or snuff. From Greek (natch) ptarmikos, causing to sneeze, from ptarmos, sneeze.

---L.

Comments

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

You cannot post this and not tell us what this has to do with ptarmigan.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Of course I can. Bwahhahahaha!

*rubs hands*

Heh, actually, nothing whatsoever: ptarmigan comes from Gaelic tàrmachan, and somewhere along the way someone added the p- to Greek it up a little.

---L.

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

I hadn't noticed them being particularly sneezy, though it could explain the outstanding camouflage plumage.