logolepsy means A fascination or obsession with words.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, logolepsy ranks #363 of 12,953 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #1,141 of 12,955 for Most Whimsical Words, #2,632 of 12,956 for Most Storied Words, #3,910 of 12,955 for Most Malleable Words.
Why “logolepsy” is a great word
An obsessive fascination or compulsion for the intricacies of words themselves. From the Greek-derived combining forms logo- (from logos, meaning "word, speech, reason") + -lepsy (from lepsis, meaning "a seizing, taking hold"). Unlike logophilia, which denotes a gentle fondness, or logomania, which suggests a pathological and often incoherent torrent of speech, logolepsy is the state of being rapturously captivated by lexical essence. It is tracing the migratory path of a borrowed term across centuries, savoring the silent architecture of a well-turned etymology, and feeling the peculiar weight of a perfectly obscure synonym—a quiet madness for the beautiful, inescapable cages of meaning that hold our world.
Etymology
From logo- + -lepsy.
noun
- A fascination or obsession with words.“Thanks to the magic of teleconferencing, often the format for a given show is call-in, and the phones and airwaves crackle with logolepsy.”
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