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surprisal

[ser-prahy-zuhl]

noun

the act of surprising.

the state of being surprised.

a surprise.

Origin:
1585–95; surprise + -al²

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Surprisal is always a great word to know.

So is quincunx. Does it mean:

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

surprise (səˈpraɪz)

—vb
1.	to cause to feel amazement or wonder
2.	to encounter or discover unexpectedly or suddenly
3.	to capture or assault suddenly and without warning
4.	to present with something unexpected, such as a gift
5.	(foll by into) to provoke (someone) to unintended action by a trick, etc: to surprise a person into an indiscretion
6.	(often foll by from) to elicit by unexpected behaviour or by a trick: to surprise information from a prisoner

—n
7.	the act or an instance of surprising; the act of taking unawares
8.	a sudden or unexpected event, gift, etc
9.	the feeling or condition of being surprised; astonishment
10.	(modifier) causing, characterized by, or relying upon surprise: a surprise move
11.	take by surprise
	a. to come upon suddenly and without warning
	b. to capture unexpectedly or catch unprepared
	c. to astonish; amaze

[C15: from Old French, from surprendre to overtake, from sur-¹ + prendre from Latin prehendere to grasp; see prehensile]

sur'prisal

—n

sur'prised

—*adj*

surprisedly

—*adv*

sur'priser

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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surprisal

sur·pris·al