Words I Learned from Doctor Who.

List #137

This list was started in March of 1985. By that time I had been watching Doctor Who for eleven years, from when I was nine years old. Thank you, TVOntario, for being the first North American network to show Doctor Who, the greatest tv show ever made!

Without checking a very fat dictionary it was sometimes difficult to know whether a new word on Doctor Who was indeed a real word or one invented by the writers. Robert Holmes, in particular, invented new words which not only sounded like real words but could effortlessly be understood from context. These are so noted. I emphasize: these words I learned from the show; the show has always had lots of great words I might have learned, too, but even as a youngster I had a darn good vocabulary to start with.

Each word here is followed by the title of the Doctor Who serial I learned it from—assuming I can recall which one it was—and the name of the writer(s) credited with that script.

addled. crazy; scrambled. Masque of Mandragora. Louis Marks

adumbrate. ADD-um-brate. to present a slight representation of something. Trial of a Time Lord. Robert Holmes, Philip Martin, Pip & Jane Baker

anthropomorphic. an-throh-poh-MOR-fik. having the qualities of a human; for example, something that “walks and talks and thinks.” Robot. Terrance Dicks

apotheosis. ah-poth-ee-OH-sis. the elevation of a mortal to godhood. Armageddon Factor. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

archimandrite. ark-ee-MAN-drite. a leader in the Orthodox Eastern Church. (On DW, a high priest on Tara, a planet at a medieval-culture stage of development but with highly sophisticated android technology.) Androids of Tara. David Fisher

attrition. gradual diminution or wearing down. Genesis of the Daleks. Terry Nation

bafflegab. nonsense.

bouillabaisse. BWEE-ya-base. (French) a type of soup. City of Death. David Agnew (BBC house name: pseudonym for Graham Williams and Douglas Adams, based on a script by David Fisher)

brinkmanship. the political art of pushing a situation as close to war as possible, without actually going to war. Sontaran Experiment. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

Cailleach. CAL-ee-ack. a Druid deity. Stones of Blood. David Fisher

castellan. CAS-tell-an. an official in charge of castle security. (On DW, the head of security for the citadel of Gallifrey, the Doctor's home planet.) Deadly Assassin. Robert Holmes

chav. lower-class person with gaudy fashion sense. English slang. New Earth. Russell T Davies

circumspection. great care.

cloister. covered walkway, a common architectural feature of monasteries. (On DW, the “cloister bell” in the Tardis rings in a dire emergency.) Logopolis. Christopher H. Bidmead

collusion. conspiracy.

condine action. harsh punishment; execution. (Not a real word.) Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

creeping barrage. a technique of warfare. Genesis of the Daleks. Terry Nation

crinoid / crynoid. KRIN-oyd. an extinct form of early plant life, commonly found in fossils. (On DW, the Krynoid is a giant, hostile, meat-eating plant that can send its pods into space.) Seeds of Doom. Robert Banks Stewart

cutaneous. cue-TANE-ee-us. of the skin or outer crust. Seeds of Doom. Robert Banks Stewart

cyanogen. sy-AN-oh-jin. a deadly gas composed mainly of cyanide. Brain of Morbius. Robin Bland (pseudonym of Terrance Dicks)

dawn-timer. member of a low-tech or early-established offworld human colony. (Not a real word.) Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

efficacy. EFF-ik-a-see. being a good imitation. Invisible Enemy. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

elixir. ee-LICK-sir. a magical substance that imparts special powers, usually immortality, when one drinks it. Brain of Morbius. Robin Bland (pseudonym of Terrance Dicks)

enervated. drained of energy. from a piece of fan fiction by Cecile Mermelstein

epistopic. ep-ih-STOP-ik. either means germane or chronological. (Not a real word.) Trial of a Time Lord. Robert Holmes, Philip Martin, Pip & Jane Baker

eugenics. you-JEN-iks. selective breeding of humans by humans, usually proposed in order to create a superior breed or master race, and to be carried out by ethnic segregation, sterilization, or genocide of those deemed sub-human. Face of Evil. Chris Boucher

evoe / evohe. EV-oh-ay. invocation used in demonic worship or Bacchanalian revelry. Daemons. Guy Leopold (pseudonym of Barry Letts)

flapdoodle. nonsense. Face of Evil. Chris Boucher

furore. fyoo-ROAR-ay. furor; huge hubbub; public outcry. City of Death. David Agnew (BBC house name: script written by Graham Williams and Douglas Adams, based on a script by David Fisher)

gelignite. JELL-ig-nite. a type of explosive. Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

gestalt. GESS-talt. a great mind composed of many individuals minds linked together. Image of the Fendahl. Chris Boucher

Goth. a barbaric tribe of central Europe. (On DW, the character name of a Time Lord who happens to be Chancellor of Gallifrey during the "gothic" era of the show.) Deadly Assassin. Robert Holmes

grass (n. and v.). snitch; two-timer. British slang. Remembrance of the Daleks. Ben Aaronovitch

hirsute. HEER-soot. hairy. Creature from the Pit. David Fisher

horse brass. a decorative metal disk displayed on the bridle or harness of one’s horse; now seen primarily as decorations on the walls of local pubs. Android Invasion. Terry Nation

hubris. HYOO-bris. false pride. Trial of a Time Lord. Robert Holmes

hypoid. (sounds like “high-point”). to study or to be an expert in a particular topic. (Not a real word.) Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

imago. IM-a-go. the adult form of an insect. Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

inimical. in-IM-ik-al. tending to cause a negative effect. Seeds of Doom. Robert Banks Stewart

kedgeree. KEJ-er-ee. a dish made of fish, boiled rice, and eggs. Ghost Light. Marc Platt

kraal. an African village built in a circle; origin of the word corral. (On DW, it is the name of a technologically advanced rhinoceros-looking race from the planet Oseidon.) Android Invasion. Terry Nation

lolly sticks. lollipop or ice lolly (Popsicle) sticks. Sontaran Experiment. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

mandragora. man-DRAG-oh-ra. mandrake; a plant whose root is prized for its magical healing properties. (On DW, it is the name of a hostile alien energy-being bent on taking over the Earth.) Masque of Mandragora. Louis Marks

magneto. mag-NEE-toh. a small motor having a magnet inside a rotating copper coil. Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

mastaba. MASS-ta-ba. an ancient Egyptian underground burial chamber. Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

naff. boring; lame; stupid. English slang. “Well naff” means very boring. Dragonfire. Ian Briggs

neutron star. an ancient star that has collapsed after spending all its fuel. Creature from the Pit. David Fisher

noetic. no-ET-ik. said of symptoms or characteristics only detectable during consciousness. Invisible Enemy. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

Om. the universe; the divine; the all; also a syllable chanted during meditation. Planet of the Spiders. Robert Sloman

Om mani padme hum. OHM mah-nee pahd-may hom. a mantra or prayer chanted during meditation. Planet of the Spiders. Robert Sloman

palare. pa-LAH-ray. carnival jargon. Alternate spellings include polari, parlaree, parlari, parlary, parlarey, parlyaree. Carnival of Monsters. Robert Holmes (The episode includes a brief conversation in palare but you will need the DVD extras to understand it.)

panopticon. pan-OP-tik-on. a type of circular prison in which guards can observe all prisoners at all times. (On DW, it is the name of the citadel of Gallifrey, the Doctor’s home planet.) Deadly Assassin. Robert Holmes

pedantic. peh-DAN-tik. being overbearing in teaching or describing something. Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

Pharos. FAIR-os. an ancient Greek lighthouse. (On DW, the name of a UK radio telescope project.) Logopolis. Christopher H. Bidmead

physiognomy. fizz-ee-ON-oh-mee. physical appearance; external anatomy. Robot. Terrance Dicks

pike. an infantry weapon consisting of a metal blade at the end of a long wooden pole, used like a sword, not like a javelin. Masque of Mandragora. Louis Marks

poleax. POLE-aks. to render unconscious. Invisible Enemy. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

Popocatepetl. pop-a-cat-a-PET-ull. a famous volcano in Mexico. Brain of Morbius. Robin Bland (pseudonym of Terrance Dicks)

portreeve. PORT-reev. a city official; a port official. Castrovalva. Christopher H. Bidmead

priest hole. a secret room built into a mansion for hiding the local priest from the authorities. (From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly; wealthy Catholics built these hiding places into their homes for hiding their priests from the law.) Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

punt. a long, narrow, small boat, driven by a pole, mainly used for river boating. Shada. Douglas Adams (The word is heard in a clip from Shada used in the Five Doctors.)

rani. RAH-nee. an East Indian princess. (On DW, it is the title of the villain of the episode; she is called the Rani in the same way that the Doctor and the Master have titles instead of names.) Mark of the Rani. Pip & Jane Baker

Roundheads. soldiers of Oliver Cromwell; English Revolution era. Time Monster. Robert Sloman

Saint Elmo’s fire. images of flashing lights sometimes seen around the masts of ships at sea. Invisible Enemy. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

Satsuma. sat-SOO-ma. a type of tangerine. Christmas Invasion. Russell T Davies

serendipity. sair-en-DIP-ih-tee. a happy accident; a useful discovery made by accident. Green Death. Robert Sloman

spanner. monkey wrench. Pirate Planet. Douglas Adams

a spanner in the works. a problem; something that gums up the works; literally “a wrench in the machine.” Pirate Planet. Robert Sloman

subsidence. sub-SY-dense. low area in the ground caused by a settling or sliding away of the underlying soil. Sontaran Experiment. Bob Baker & Dave Martin

symbiotic. sim-bee-OTT-ik. said of a relationship between a parasite and its host that is beneficial to both organisms. Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

symbiotic atavism. sim-bee-OTT-ik AT-ih-viz-um. a symbiotic relationship which results in long-dormant traits re-emerging. Ark in Space. Robert Holmes

tachyon. TACK-ee-on. a subatomic particle. Leisure Hive. David Fisher

twaddle. nonsense. Terror of the Zygons. Robert Banks Stewart

valeyard. VAL-ee-ard. a court official; a prosecutor. Trial of a Time Lord. Robert Holmes, Philip Martin, Pip & Jane Baker

a Victorian Gothic folly. a mansion built in the Victorian era (mid to late 1800s) in imitation of the Gothic era, but with far too much ornamentation. Pyramids of Mars. Stephen Harris, based on a script by Louis Griefer, with much rewriting by Robert Holmes

volatilized. voh-LAT-ill-eyezd. evaporated. Sun Makers. Robert Holmes

waffle. nonsense. Seeds of Doom. Robert Banks Stewart

whacked. exhausted. English slang.

Whovian. HOO-vee-an. fan of Doctor Who.

Xoanon. zoh-AN-on. an African deity; a small wooden statue of same. (On DW, it is the name of the local deity on a distant planet.) Face of Evil. Chris Boucher