I've been wringing my hands because I was referred to, indirectly, as a peevologist in the southern-most forum here on Wordcraft. It's one thing to be called a prescriptivist, but it's far worse to be called a peevologist. So I thought I'd look into the word. Ah, but here we go again...what is a word?

Until I come upon a definition for "word" that I can live with, my definition is that it must be found in a dictionary. And, yet...do we look at the quality of the dictionary? Peevology is in WWFTD. Is that enough? Peevology is cited only 213 times on Google and peevologist is only cited 144 times.

I do like the definition, though, as stated in WWFTD, "the collecting and public airing of language peeves." It was, as tsuwm tells us, adapted by Mr. Verb from Jan Freeman in the Boston Globe. We discussed that article here.

I think it will stick. It seems to have more of a note of indignation than prescriptivist does. I can see a scholar being a prescriptivist, but it's the pain in the culo who is the peevologist. That's why I hated being called one!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

The word is used quite often on Language Log, where I think it was that I first came across it.

So, languages without dictionaries have no words? We all have our hobbyhorses for currying and riding. It's not enough to coin a word. It has to be circulated and used. Worn and shiny, at some point, it will be retired, but not as long as it has value.

I thought it referred to men with prostate hyperplasia who wish they could urinate. "Pee," urine + "volo," Latin "I wish."