“Six-month anniversary.” Something is just linguistically WRONG about that. Anni- refers to the year. Now, semi-anniversary, or some variation would be OK.
You may have read about the studies dealing with the “swooning magic of head-over-heels love.” Researchers “found high amounts of activity in a ‘reward’ part of the brain when the smitten subjects were shown photos of their honeys. That part of the brain has previously been linked to the desire for cocaine, chocolate, and money.
“It shows us exactly why love looks so crazy. It’s activating these circuits that are associated with very intense desire,” said SUNY Stony Brook psychologist Arthur Aron,” who helped lead one study.
Well, luna- is the prefix, not just for moon-based objects, from which the word “month” comes, but for “lunatics” and “lunacy,” all the things “early-stage intense romantic love” is. Lunaversary (loon’ a ver’ sah ree) is the monthly recurrence of a notable event. It is far more accurate than “one-month anniversary”, and far shorter to boot.
You never heard of lunaversary before? That’s because I created it. Or so I believe. When I wrote about this previously, some other guy claims HE invented it, and he probably did, and around the same time; the logic is rather rudimentary.
Nevertheless, I had sent this word to the late William Safire’s “On Language” column in the New York Times about twenty years ago. Safire thought it was interesting construction, and he did type me a response suggesting that the idea had merit. He said he considered using it in his column, but never did. I still have that blue postcard somewhere in the attic.
Use “lunaversary” at will. Tell them when they say “fifth month anniversary” that the PREFERRED term is “fifth lunaversary.” Impress your friends, and confound those who aren’t familiar with this word.
(Based on a post from June 15, 2005.)
…and a wise man spoke 😉
Have a nice abc-week / day
Lunaversary – what an awesome therm!
Greetings from Germany
Cool…I learned a new word, even if it isn’t in the dictionary! Thanks, Rog!
Leslie
abcw team
Really impressive.
That is the perfect word.
Maybe you will be entered into a new Webster’s Dictionary now..
What a fun word you created. I think of Lunaversary as the “Bad-Moon Rising” each month.
Very informative post; enjoyed it.
Like you humorous post! I concur – sometimes love acts or looks like lunacy:)
I agree with you!Great post. Thanks for your food for thought and have a great week.
I’m always ready for a looney versary. But seriously thanks for the lunaversary education…
Nice to be reminded that anniversary is indeed for year, not monthsary!
I love wordplay, so this is perfect. You invented a word, Rog, and I shall attempt to use LUNAVERSARY at some point. I am an accomplished loon, after all, hee hee. Amy
That is just brilliant! Loved the concept of the the word you coined. It does make more sense that way!
Oh indeed, I will ldo all I can to spread the word – lunaversity. Brilliant!
Well happy lunaversary to you. I like that word. I now await your entry into the dictionary and earliest known use attribution.
Perfect, I really like to confound people!
Great post! Thanks for stopping by mine. I plan to use lunaversary!
Sounds like a perfectly good term to me. I’ll stick it into my vocabulary and see what happens. – Margy
Lunaversary. I like it. For a lunaversary, I might serve Cocoa Puffs. If it’s still around.
This seems perfect! A perfect word to mark the event!
Happy ABCW!
Lunaversary makes sense to me. I will credit you when I use it 🙂
Hmm… Lunaversary – interesting thought.
That’s a skillful answer to a dilfucift question