Defining everything from neologisms to hyperspecific phrasings. A living, digital dictionary by the Moribund Institute — exploring language, invention, and meaning in the modern age.
👉 https://mordictionary.github.io
MorDictionary is an open, evolving lexicon of original terms, definitions, and linguistic curiosities. Each entry is designed in a themed format — blending etymology, humor, philosophy, and aesthetics.
Example entries:
- Schrödinger’s Gay — The paradox of uncertain orientation under technological mediation
- Xenoestrogen — A “foreign estrogen” disrupting natural hormonal balance
- (more coming soon…)
- Hugo — Static site generator
- hugo-brewm — Theme
- Markdown + HTML hybrid content
- Hosted on GitHub Pages
- Optional support for Cloudflare R2 or external image hosting
- Hugo (extended version)
- Git
- Python 3 (for the image sorter script)
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/mordictionary/mordictionary.github.io.git
cd mordictionary
# Run Hugo development server
hugo server -DThen visit 👉 http://localhost:1313
# Build static site
hugo -d public
# Commit and push
git add .
git commit -m "Rebuild site"
git push origin main| Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
/content/ |
Markdown files for dictionary entries |
/static/images/ |
Organized images (Dewey Decimal + A–Z) |
/themes/ |
Hugo theme files |
/layouts/ |
Custom HTML layouts |
/archetypes/ |
Content blueprints |
/unsorted/ |
Drop new images here before sorting |
/scripts/ |
Utility scripts (e.g., image sorter) |
Images are organized according to the Dewey Decimal Classification and alphabetically under /static/images/.
static/images/
├── 000_General-Knowledge/
│ ├── A/
│ ├── B/
│ └── ...
├── 400_Language/
│ ├── A/
│ ├── B/
│ └── ...
<Name>_<Letter>-<Dewey>.ext
Example:
Irrefragable Definition_I-400.webp
Etymology Roots_E-400.png
# Make executable
chmod +x sort_images.py
# Optional dry run (preview what it will do)
./sort_images.py --dry-run
# Move or copy files from unsorted → static/images
./sort_images.py📂 Place all new images into the
/unsorted/folder before sorting. The script automatically detects theLetter-Deweytag and places it in the correct folder.
To create a new entry:
hugo new content/dictionary/irrefragable.mdThen edit the file at /content/dictionary/irrefragable.md:
---
title: "Irrefragable"
date: 2025-11-06
description: "Impossible to refute or contradict; indisputable."
image: "/images/400_Language/I/Irrefragable Definition_I-400.webp"
---And fill in your entry with Markdown + HTML hybrid formatting:
<div class="themed-dict-entry">
<h3>Irrefragable</h3>
<p><em>Adjective</em></p>
<p>Impossible to refute or contradict; indisputable.</p>
<p><strong>Example:</strong> The evidence was irrefragable, leaving no doubt of his innocence.</p>
</div># Preview site locally
hugo server -D
# Build site for deployment
hugo -d public
# Clean up old builds
rm -rf public/
# Run image sorting
./sort_images.py-
Code and site structure: MIT License
-
Content (entries, text, images): Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY 4.0)
- You may share or adapt entries with credit to MorDictionary / Moribund Institute.
Contributions are welcome! If you’d like to suggest a word, definition, or edit, open an Issue or Pull Request.
Guidelines:
- Keep entries concise, well-formatted, and thematically consistent.
- Use the
<div class="themed-dict-entry">structure for new entries. - Include etymology or example sentences when possible.
- Use proper Markdown or inline HTML for stylistic control.
- Murdoch Maxwell — Founder / Lexicographer-in-chief
- The Moribund Institute — For ongoing inspiration and linguistic mischief
“Words are time capsules for thought.” — MorDictionary Manifesto
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