superciliousness

Continuing the discussion from The Godmakers:

Sometimes sci-fi words sound just real enough to trick me, hence diligence! And so…

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/superciliousness

superciliousness ( uncountable )

  1. The state or quality of being supercilious.

:roll_eyes:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/supercilious

supercilious ( comparative more supercilious , superlative most supercilious )

  1. Arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty. quotations ▼

Oh snap! Now I need to go look up the passage, because I’m almost sure I didn’t get that from the context!

He was big-headed, gangling and with overlarge features, a leathery skin. His hair was dark and straggling. The eyelids drooped. They gave to his face that look of haughty superciliousness that was like a brand mark of the I-A.

“Gangling”, “leathery”, “straggling”, and “drooped”… I never stood a chance at guessing superciliousness! Lots of textured things can be haughty! :slight_smile:

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For words I’ve never read the dictionary definition of, but have a sense of what they mean, I usually form a visual image that conveys the meaning to me when I read the word.

Supercilious has always been the image of a sneering Draco Malfoy type running his hands through slicked-back hair. 'Cause cilia are like hair, and in his vanity this Malfoy archetype must have some super cilia.

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