Obscure Words
As authors, we try to expand our
vocabulary by using interesting words.
Or
to put it obscurely: As wordmongers, we endeavor to elevate our lexicon
by utilizing riveting jargon.
When it comes to words, we have a lot
of choices to make. What we say and how we say it, drives our story.
Going for a fresh approach? Below is a list
of seldom used words and expressions for your perusal:
Comfoozled: Utter exhaustion.
Croochie-Proochles: The
feeling of discomfort or fidgetiness that comes from sitting in a cramped
position. (Scots dialect)
Dunandunate: To learn a word
and then use it incessantly. Definitely
to be avoided when writing your books.
Epeolatry: The worship of words. All writers should emulate this!
Falsiloquence: Lying, deceitful
speech.
Famsqueeze: Throttle with
your bare hands (Victorian)
Fang-Faker: Victorian slang
for a dentist.
Fatiloquent: Prophetic. (From Latin - Archaic)
Fat-sorrow: Sorrow alleviated
by riches—simply put, sadness alleviated by material things. In modern times, there is a
criminal defense called ‘Affluenza’. Money buys privilege and the culprit
doesn’t recognize the consequences of his/her actions.
Grawlix:
A series of typographical symbols (such
as #$!) used in text as a replacement for profanity. (American 1976)
Griffonage:
A careless handwriting; a crude illegible scrawl. (French) Something
doctors learn in school?
Gwenders: A disagreeable
tingling sensation in the extremities, caused by cold; numbness of the fingers
or toes. (Cornwall)
Habromania: A morbid impulse
toward gaiety. A form of delusional insanity in which the imaginings assume a
cheerful or joyous character.
Hangy-bangy: A
good-for-nothing.
Horror Vacui: The dislike of
leaving an empty space anywhere—like on a wall or in furnishing a room. (Latin)
Huckmuck: Feeling of
confusion caused by things not being in their right place. (English dialect)
Nebbish: Innocuous or
ineffectual. (Yiddish)
Nikhedonia: The feeling of
excitement or elation that comes from anticipating success. (Greek)
Persiflage: Frivolous,
light-hearted talk. (Mid 18th
century French)
Petrichor: Earthy scent
produced when rain falls on dry soil. (Greek)
Prolix: Unduly prolonged or
drawn out. (late Middle English from Old
French & Latin) Again,
don’t do this with your books! Avoid, avoid, avoid…
Presque-Vu: Almost seen.
Refers to the sensation of forgetting or not be able to remember something, but
feeling that you could remember it any minute. (French)
Tmesis: Cutting a word in two
and sticking another word in the middle. As in abso-frigging-lutely. (Greek)
Tyrotoxism: Poisoning by cheese or any milk product. (Greek) This
is definitely making it into one of my stories!
Yarborough: A hand of cards containing no card above a nine. (early 20th century English) Who knew there was a term for
this phenomenon? That happens all too often at the blackjack tables!
Xertz: To gulp down quickly and greedily. (unknown origin) For
all you Scrabble enthusiasts!
Ulotrichous: Having wooly or curly hair (New Latin) Great
word to use when describing your character—I’ll bet no one else will be using
it!
Zoanthropy: Delusion of a person who believes himself changed into an
animal. (Latin/Greek)
