Glossary
| 3 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z |
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| term |
description |
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| fabian |
a dutch name from the roman family name "fabius", which was derived from latin "faba", meaning "bean". |
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| faience |
from the french name for faenza, an italian town known for it's tin-glazed (majolica) earthenware. the term faience is now used as a generalization for earthenware decorated with opaque glazes. |
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| fata morgana |
named after morgan le fay, the mythological half-sister of king arthur, a fata morgana is an optical phenomenon which results from a temperature inversion. objects on the horizon, such as islands, cliffs, ships or icebergs, appear elongated and elevated, like "fairy tale castles".
in calm weather, the undisturbed interface between warm air over cold dense air near the surface of the ground may act as a refracting lens, producing an upside-down image, over which the distant direct image appears to hover. fata morgana are usually seen in the morning after a cold night which has resulted in the radiation of heat into space. |
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| fausta |
feminine form of the name "faustus", a roman cognomen meaning "auspicious, lucky" in latin. |
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| fechin |
an irish name which means "little raven". from the irish "fiach", meaning "raven", combined with a diminutive suffix. |
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| felt |
thought to have been around for about 8,000 years, felting is one of the oldest textile techniques in the world. hand-made felt is made by subjecting natural fibers (usually sheep or camel wool) to heat and moisture, and then rubbing the mass together by hand. soap is also commonly used to aid in the felting process. the primary mechanism of felting is abrasion. every strand of wool is covered by tiny scales, so when the individual fibers are rubbed together, the scales catch on each other, which causes the entire mass to shrink and mat. felt is unique in that it allows construction of textile objects without the use of thread. felt, which is a non-woven material, is often used for functional items such as hats, bags, shoes, vests, and decorative ropes. however, it is also used in textile art to create wall hangings, textile sculptures, carpets and interior design elements. felt is considered to be one of the most ecological textiles, and hand-made felt is said to radiate warmth and energy. |
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| femke |
pet form of germanic names beginning with the element "frid", meaning "peace". |
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| ferrer |
a name derived from a surname, which meant "blacksmith" in catalan. |
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| fiona |
a name derived from the irish word "fion", meaning "vine". |
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| fire-clay |
a variety of clay that is entirely free from lime, iron or an alkali, and is therefore infusible. ceramic wares made of fire-clay are fired at 1380 degrees c (2516 f), making it a unique - and difficult - material to work with. |
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| firing |
the process of heating ceramic pieces in a kiln at a specific temperature in order to bring about a particular change in the clay or the surface. ceramics are usually fired twice. the first firing is called the bisque firing, when the piece is fired without glaze. the second firing is the glost (glaze) firing, when a glazed piece is fired to seal the glaze to the surface. |
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| fly agaric |
a classic mushroom distinct for it's deep red color with contrasting white spots. it grows on the ground in many different woodlands, although it is most common in birch, pine, spruce and fir forests. it is considered poisonous, though rarely fatally so. although named for its european use as an insecticide, the fly agaric is sometimes consumed for its psychopharmacological effects. some believe it to have been an ingredient in "soma", which was drunk as part of the vedic sacrifice. the fly agaric was also used in siberian shamanism. |
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| florian |
a name used in german, polish and french, florian is from the roman name "florianus", derived from the latin "flos", meaning "flower".
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| folke |
a scandinavian name which is the short form of various old norse names that contain the element "folk", meaning "people". |
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| francesca |
an italian name from the late latin name "franciscus" which meant "frenchman". |
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| fraser |
a name derived from an old french word meaning "strawberry". |
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| freja |
a name from the old norse "freyja", meaning "lady". this is the name of the goddess of love and beauty in norse mythology. |
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| friederike |
a name derived from the germanic "frid", meaning "peace" and "ric", meaning "ruler, power". |
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