Word of the Day — November 5, 2012

Amanuensis — uh-man-YOU-en-sis — a literary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts

Example: "Anthony Lane's ambitious attempt to clarify the movie 'Cloud Atlas' examines a character out of at least half a dozen plots: 'In the 1930s, an English youth (Ben Whishaw), on a musical quest, is hired as an amanuensis to a crotchety composer ...'"