Baby Talk
This special type of baptism also involves the naming of the child
Christening
This 3-letter flavor enhancer used in Chinese cooking is found naturally in tomatoes & some cheeses
MSG
"She's hot as hell" in her 2009 song "Monster"
Lady Gaga
A section of I-75 in Florida is alliteratively known as this animal "Alley"
Alligator
4-letter delight; in the 17th century it was first used for a sung musical work
Glee
Small pink or red patches on a baby's face or neck are playfully called these, perhaps from the bird that delivered them
Stork's bites
This good "Old" seasoning that is often sprinkled on blue crab was first concocted in Maryland
Old Bay
Simile-titled hit by Foreigner about a lover who'll someday "pay the price"
"Cold as Ice"
The African clawed variety is an exception, but most frogs use this body part to catch their prey
the Tongue
This bloody period of the French Revolution ended with the execution of its leader Robespierre & his associates
The Terror
This Jewish circumcision rite is typically performed 8 days after birth by a specialist called a mohel
a Bris
Often sprinkled on fresh fruit, this spice mix of chili, lime & salt is named for an archaeological site in Veracruz, Mexico
Tajin
The video for this Maroon 5 / Christina Aguilera hit features plenty of dancing by a certain other rock star
"Moves like Jagger"
The fire kind of this amphibian defends itself from predators by spraying poison from behind its eyes
Salamander
It was "Primal" in the title of a Richard Gere & Edward Norton film
Fear
TV host & author Art Linkletter was one of these, a baby abandoned by its parents & adopted & raised by others
a Foundling
Also called wood vinegar, this 2-word flavoring is made through the condensation of fumes from burnt wood
Liquid Smoke
"In the droptop ride with you, I feel like Scarface", says SZA on this tune, winner of a Grammy in 2024 for Best R&B Song
"Snooze"
Pogona is the genus name for the 8 species of this lizard lovingly known as "beardies"
the Bearded Dragon
It's the second word of "The Tell-Tale Heart"; the narrator admits that he was dreadfully so
Nervous
Mentioned in Luke 2 in the King James version, these are strips of material wrapped around infants to restrict their movements
Swaddling Clothes
This double-talk sauce also known as African bird's eye chili was popularized in the U.S. by Nando's
Peri-Peri
This Top 10 title from 2001 precedes "I'll only fly away / I don't know where my soul is / I don't know where my home is"
"I'm like a Bird"
From a Latin word for "blind", this worm-like amphibian spends most of its life underground
the Caecillian
Freud's works helped popularize this loanword for a general sense of dread or unease
Angst