13 January 2006

Asinine Post

When I was younger I compiled a collection of -ine words, focusing on those that describe animals. Everyone knows canine and feline, but there are a million more. There is a reason for this list though, to make the user appear much more intelligent than they really are. Especially to creative writing professors.

For example:
    Before: The man looked like a bear and we were frightened. boring.
    After: Ursine, the man frightened us. still seriously bad, but enough to help your grade

I'm going to put a little list (incomplete) together here for your enjoyment with the table of definitions in the comments section. Then maybe I'll go sailing some time. Seriously, use these in conversation or your next sales report and it's like an extra 3 IQ points that you don't deserve.

    anserine
    aquiline
    asinine
    bovine
    canine
    caprine
    corvine
    equine
    feline
    glirine
    hircine
    leonine
    leporine
    lupine
    murine
    ovine
    piscine
    porcine
    ranine
    serpentine
    ursine
    vespine
    vulpine


Note: if you have found this post through Google (and many do), please take the time to read the rest of my blog, it's about sailing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thanks.

9 comments:

EVK4 said...

anserine = goose
aquiline = eagle
asinine = donkey
bovine = cow
canine = dog
caprine = goat
corvine = crow
equine = horse
feline = cat
glirine = rodent
hircine = goat (odor specifically)
leonine = lion
leporine = rabbit
lupine = wolf
murine = mouse
ovine = sheep
piscine = fish
porcine = pig
ranine = frog
serpentine = snake
ursine = bear
vespine = wasp
vulpine = fox

Anonymous said...

you need to go sailing. really.

Anonymous said...

Found this after a google search. I've been looking for a list of these for ages, thanks.

Anonymous said...

Wow... this has been rolling around in my head for ages. Yes, I AM that person who likes to work these into conversations for fun. I have a few that you don't have. I'll post them on my website:
www.RickChatham.com

Best,

Rick

Anonymous said...

Is there a -ine word for "bat"? We've taken to comparing our cats to other animals .. in other words, my big gray cat is very vulpine, while my husband's cat is more ursine. But the third cat is just batlike. We can't find an -ine word for her. Any ideas?

EVK4 said...

Closest I could find was vespertilian. Hope that helps.

Adria said...

Bat = pteropine

good list!

Anonymous said...

Thanks man.. i was looking for this list for a long time...

Especially porcine.

Next time my girl says
" All men are like pigs "..I'll wear that smuck, intellectual smile and say... " Porcine, darling.. its Porcine."

Now you can go sail, you've outlived your purpose.. SHOOO !!

Anonymous said...

Is there an "-ine" word for cockroach-like?