Pretenders and Dabblers

Pretenders and Dabblers
This small set of 21 obscure words consists of nouns used to define minor, inferior, or petty members of various professions. The words end with '-aster', a Latin pejorative suffix indicating incomplete resemblance or lesser status. These words are little used today, but in another age were devices of scorn used by the intelligentsia to deride their lesser fellows. With a little creativity, practically any name for a profession can be altered in this way, should you find a desirable object for your contempt. Let's hope I don't see too many of them in your e-mails to me!
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Phrontistery dictionary. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • usageaster — self appointed and conservative language usage expert Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • astrologaster — a foolish or petty astrologer Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • criticaster — inferior or petty critic Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • grammaticaster — a piddling grammarian Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • hereticaster — a petty or contemptible heretic Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • latinitaster — a petty scholar of Latin Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • logicaster — a petty logician Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • mathematicaster — minor or inferior mathematician Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • medicaster — quack; charlatan Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • militaster — soldier without skill or ability Pretenders and Dabblers …   Phrontistery dictionary

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