word for "overly fond of one's children"?

[Grant Barrett]

Indeed. OED has "philoprogenitiveness" from 1815 (with three cites
total; a search of A9 shows that others are possible) and defines it
as "Love of offspring; the instinct or faculty of love for one's
children, or for children (and animals) in general. Its organ is
located by phrenologists just above the middle of the cerebellum."

It lacks, though, the notion of excess. Any phrenologists care to
elaborate?

On Jan 20, 2006, at 11:26, Jim Parish wrote:
> Well, since others have mentioned nonce-words, I seem to recall that
> O. Henry used the word "philoprogenitiveness" in "The Ransom of Red
> Chief".

Grant Barrett
gbarrett at worldnewyork.org
http://www.doubletongued.org/

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