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In Episode 82, the hosts take a listener suggestion and spotlight the word fetid—a recent Wordle answer—and trace its meaning, origins, and less obvious relatives. The hosts discuss both their Wordle strategies, starter words, and the minor heartbreaks and little victories that come with daily word games, before diving into vocabulary.

They explain that fetid means “having a heavy, offensive smell”—think stinky swamps, unwashed gear, or foul breath. Drawing on its Latin roots (fetidus from fetere, "to stink"), they clarify that it’s not related to words like fetish, despite some surface resemblance. They also discuss how fetid differs from putrid (which typically refers to rotting organic matter).

The conversation then shifts to Japanese slang for “uncool,” teaching listeners how ‘dasai’ or ‘janai kakoi’ offers a softer alternative to “dumb” or “gross”—and marveling at the nuance of language learning versus the bluntness of “that’s disgusting.”

Stories from a recent camping trip bring “fetid” to life—one host found the campground delightfully pristine, while the other (downwind of the septic tank) insists pockets of air were truly fetid, especially mixed with campfire smoke. A tangent about showering, towels, and sentimental childhood toys pivots the episode toward nostalgia—a mood they plan to tackle deeply next time, closing with a debate about whether nostalgia is about survival or moments of thriving.

Keywords: fetid, etymology, Wordle, Japanese slang, language learning, camping, nostalgia, vocabulary, parenting, word history.

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Any views expressed on this podcast are those solely of the hosts and is for entertainment purposes only. None of the content is medical advice or financial advice.
Special thanks to Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE for his permission to use the song Operatique.