Top definition
A more complete rule is:
"i" before "e" except
- after "c",
- in words where it sounds like long "a", or
- in words that are weird or foreign,
- and scientific words often do not follow the rules.
"i" goes before "e" in words like the following: believe, chief, field, niece, relief, sieve, and yield.
Some exceptions containing the long "a" are the usually-noted neighbor and weigh. Some more are: freight, vein, veil, geisha, sheik, and dreidel. The last three fall under the "foreign" clause even if you like to pronounce them with a long "e" sound.
The word weird is weird. 'nuff said.
The word foreign is, well, foreign. So are recent arrivals to the language, such as leisure and its ilk, from French*, and sheila, an Aussie slang word for "girl".
The word science doesn't follow the original "except after-c" rule. And caffeine, codeine, protein, and other words with the "-eine" or "-ein" ending and a long "e" sound are other scientific exceptions in the other direction.
* TheFreeDictionary notes that leisure comes from Middle English, from Norman French leisour, from Old French leisir meaning "to be permitted", from Latin licre. In terms of language, this is recent. At least, it is recent enough that the spelling has not changed to match the rule. Of course, you might be rightfully getting the impression that this rule is not much of a rule, given the hefty list of exceptions.
But then again, this is the English language. 'nuff said.
"i" before "e" except
- after "c",
- in words where it sounds like long "a", or
- in words that are weird or foreign,
- and scientific words often do not follow the rules.
"i" goes before "e" in words like the following: believe, chief, field, niece, relief, sieve, and yield.
Some exceptions containing the long "a" are the usually-noted neighbor and weigh. Some more are: freight, vein, veil, geisha, sheik, and dreidel. The last three fall under the "foreign" clause even if you like to pronounce them with a long "e" sound.
The word weird is weird. 'nuff said.
The word foreign is, well, foreign. So are recent arrivals to the language, such as leisure and its ilk, from French*, and sheila, an Aussie slang word for "girl".
The word science doesn't follow the original "except after-c" rule. And caffeine, codeine, protein, and other words with the "-eine" or "-ein" ending and a long "e" sound are other scientific exceptions in the other direction.
* TheFreeDictionary notes that leisure comes from Middle English, from Norman French leisour, from Old French leisir meaning "to be permitted", from Latin licre. In terms of language, this is recent. At least, it is recent enough that the spelling has not changed to match the rule. Of course, you might be rightfully getting the impression that this rule is not much of a rule, given the hefty list of exceptions.
But then again, this is the English language. 'nuff said.
by LaWeezel November 13, 2006
Jul 15 Word of the Day
The safeguarding of Earth and other worlds from biological cross-contamination (i.e. billionaires with too much time on their hands).
Also known as “planetary protection.” Planetary protection / quarantine “reflects both the unknown nature of the space environment and the desire of the scientific community to preserve the pristine nature of celestial bodies until they can be studied in detail.”
There are two types of interplanetary contamination. Forward contamination is the transfer of viable organisms from Earth to another celestial body. Back contamination is the transfer of extraterrestrial organisms, if such exist, back to the Earth's biosphere.
Also known as “planetary protection.” Planetary protection / quarantine “reflects both the unknown nature of the space environment and the desire of the scientific community to preserve the pristine nature of celestial bodies until they can be studied in detail.”
There are two types of interplanetary contamination. Forward contamination is the transfer of viable organisms from Earth to another celestial body. Back contamination is the transfer of extraterrestrial organisms, if such exist, back to the Earth's biosphere.
Billionaires are having a dick swinging space race while the earth experiences record breaking heatwaves that cause sea creatures to literally cook inside their shells. We need planetary quarantine.
by monkeylabor July 14, 2021