Word of the Day Archive
Saturday July 28, 2012

banausic \buh-NAW-sik\ , adjective:
Serving utilitarian purposes only; mechanical; practical: architecture that was more banausic than inspired.

Banausic to the point of drudgery? Sometimes. Often tedious? Perhaps.
-- David Foster Wallace, The Pale King

To me, the Venetians whom I have met, seem to be merely inadequate, incondite, banausic, and perfectly complacent about it.
-- Frederick Rolfe, The Armed Hands

Banausic comes from the Greek word bánaus meaning "artisan, mere mechanical." It entered English in the 1820s.

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for banausic

 

Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help