Weird and Wonderful Words

Do you frequently use a dictionary to double-check the spelling or pronunciation of a word, or to find a synonym for a common term? Have you ever thought about learning a new word? Whether you have or not, today you’ll learn a few words you probably don’t use in normal conversation.

• absquatulate           to leave somewhere abruptly
• bibliopole                a person who buys and sells books, especially rare ones
• chiliad                      a thousand things or a thousand years
• divaricate                to stretch or spread apart
• ensorcell                  to enchant or fascinate someone
• funambulist            a tightrope walker
• habile                       deft or skillful
• inunct                      to apply ointment to someone or something
• karateka                  a person who performs karate
• lollygag                    to spend time in an aimless or lazy way
• merrythought         a bird’s wishbone
• nagware                   computer software which is free for a trial period and thereafter frequently reminds the user to pay for it
• obnubilate               to darken, dim, or obscure something
• panurgic                  able or ready to do anything
• rubricate                  to add elaborate capital letters (typically red ones) or other decorations to a manuscript
• snollygoster             a shrewd or unprincipled person
• triskaidekaphobia  extreme superstition about the number thirteen
• umbriferous             shady
• vagarious                  erratic and unpredictable in behavior or direction
• winebibber               a heavy drinker
• xenology                   the scientific study of extraterrestrial phenomena
• ylem                          (in big bang theory) the primordial matter of the universe
• zetetic                       proceeding by inquiry or investigation

Pick a word and use it in a sentence today. Have fun!

Nancy Roe
Author