calyx or calix

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Philip Hudson
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calyx or calix

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:11 pm

In defining a “cotton square” to a friend, I said that it was the “calix” of a cotton flower. Challenged by my friend, I looked up the word in several dictionaries. Most of them did not define “calix” at all. Some did. It was defined as a cup or a chalice. That made sense since the “calix” I was thinking about resembles a little green cup from which the petals and reproductive organs of the flower emerge. Finally, my friend suggested I look for the word “calyx”. I did and got the biological definition I was looking for. If I were good at spelling this would never have happened. Since it happened, I have had the serendipity of discovery. Are these two words alternate spellings of the same word? Did they diverge with divergent definitions? Because of this adventure, I recommend calyx, and calix, as a Good Word. I am interested in seeing what the Good Doctor has to say about it. By the way, I am pretty sure, Good Doctor, you know the definition of a “cotton square” even though it isn’t in the dictionary. You picked your share of cotton back in the day.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

Perry Lassiter
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Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:22 pm

Cotton square cubed = one bale?
pl

Philip Hudson
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2784
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:41 am
Location: Texas

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Aug 04, 2012 6:52 pm

Weeeel, a bale isn't exactly a cube. But the humor fits - sort of.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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