Sunday, February 26, 2006

Word of the Day: fissiparous

Word of the Day

fissiparous (adj)

tending to break apart; divisive

"Carr: Is there anything of interest?
Bennett: There is a revolution in Russia, sir.
Carr: Really? What sort of revolution?
Bennett: A social revolution, sir.
Carr: A social revolution? Unaccompanied women smoking at the Opera, that sort of thing?...
Bennett: Not precisely that, sir. It is more in the nature of a revolution of classes contraposed by the fissiparous disequilibrium of Russian society.
Carr: What do you mean, classes?
Bennett: Masters and servants. As it were. Sir."
--Tom Stoppard, from Travesties

No comments:

Post a Comment

What's on your mind?