Today’s Wacky Word Wednesday is a blast from the past. We will journey back to the Stone Age and go inside modern-day cave dwellings found in many regions of the world.
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troglodyte
[tro-glo-dait]-noun Someone who lives in a cave. |
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Troglodyte, derived from the Greek trogle, “hole, cave,” and dyein, “to enter,” literally means one who creeps into holes. First used in the 1550s, troglodyte refers to a person who lives in caves, dens or even in holes. You can also use troglodyte to describe someone who is reclusive, out of date or outish.
In historical times, living in cave was more a matter of necessity than choice. In fact, only a small portion of humanity has ever dwelt in caves—primarily because most caves are dark, cold, and damp. However, many people today are choosing to live in caves because they offer protection against hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires, and they offer relief from extreme heat and cold. It is estimated that 25 thousand people live in caves and rock dwellings in France, and there are large numbers of communities built into caves in Spain, Turkey, and Tunisia. In China, there are at least 30 million people who live in cave homes, called yaodongs.
Some modern troglodytes even go one step further by transforming their dwellings into something even more luxurious than a mansion. Check out the image below of a cave ‘hole’ in Bisbee, Arizona, which occupies 37 acres inside a canyon and comes with natural pools and fresh, drinkable water that seeps from a natural spring.
To see how the troglodytes can live, click here to view other grandiose lived-in caves in other parts of the world.
As usual, we’ve provided you with a few sentence examples:
- Will you remember Jack Abramoff calling his clients “troglodytes” as he bilked them for millions of dollars? (OpEdNews)
- But I think if enough of these big-name troglodytes step up to declare their opposition to McCain, it could cumulatively have a dispiriting effect on conservative voters.
There are certainly pros and cons to living in a cave. If you choose to stick to civilization but want to try the underground life for a couple of days, you can stay in one of these cave hotels in the Southern Spanish city of Granada for $100 a night to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Anyway, that’s all for today’s edition of Wacky Word Wednesday. Enjoy the rest of the week and we’ll see you soon!
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