alexander Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 so after a bit of a dissapointment with the "Great words" thread, i decided to dedicate a thread to rather rare and mystique and rarely used words and their meanings. This time, its like Great words, but posting a meaning is a MUST DO. i will start you off with the list of words i have defined in the other thread, also i will add definitions to words i have posted today, and lastly i will add a few more words just to tickle the linguists :confused: Oh, these are all real words, to my best belief i have not come up with any (in this list) but feel free to call me on that :hihi: epeolatry - worship of words acquiesce - satisfy fen - swamp atrabilious - bad-tempered or irritable absquatulate - depart copacetic - good or even excellent alexipharmic - having a nature of an antidote (i like this one cuz it has my name in it :P ) esculent - edible empasm - a powder-like ancient medicine used to take the smell away... pinguescence - the process of becoming fat :) kerfuffle - commotion nychthemeron - period of one day (24 hrs) yclept - by the name of, as in "there lives a mechanic yclept Willy" triscadecaphobia - fear of the number 13 haptic - in relation to a touching or feeling sensation oyez - call to attention thaumaturgy - performance of miracles onomasticon - dictionary of names hypnobioscope - device for learning while asleep (fictional) jingoism - war-like or aggressive patriotism zymurgy - the art or practice of fermentation (can you say mmm beer) umquhile - word relating to others being erstwhile and quondam (which are two more words for you) meaning formerly, previously quondam - having been formerly, former, sometime erstwhile - former, archaic epopoeia - a type of epopee, an epic poem quocker-wodger - a wooden pupet on a string (perfect for swearing) anfractuosity - a channel, canal or passage full of windings and turns floccinaucinihilipilification - an estimation of something as being worthless scopperloit - rude or rough play depone - testify under oath amblygon - obtuse triangle nihilarian - person who deals with unimportant things selcouth - rare, strange, marvelous, wonderful exude - emit quidnunc - gossip agnomen - nickname doppelganger - someone resembling a person (usually evil) I dunno if anyone has been waiting for the definitions, but here is the list of today's words definitions: culiage - the right of the lord to spend the first knight with his subject's new bridedemegoric - relating to public speakingarenaceous - having the texture of sanddeisidiamonia - fear of supernatural powershuderon - lazy (adj)pataphysics - The science of imaginary solutionsinhebetate - To make something obtuse, dull or bluntgulosity - excessive appetite; greediness, voracity and finally a few more to tickle the brain a little more ;) noology - study of intuition and comprehension solecism - error in grammar or wording makari - archaic Scottish term for poet sauterne - a sweet wine scabiosa - a not-so-nice way of saying "pretty flower" (mainly due to words roots) blarney - flattery designed to gain favor vernorexia - a romantic mood inspired by Spring enjoy, post your own wonders, and untill next time :P cal 1 Quote
mynah Posted May 6, 2008 Report Posted May 6, 2008 The common name of Scabiosa is scabious, probably because it was once used to treat scabs and other skin problems. If it were still as popular as formerly it would no doubt have been renamed for marketing purposes - an important consideration, as the producers of borage oil and rapeseed oil realised when they repackaged them as starflower and canola respectively. Quote
Nootropic Posted June 24, 2008 Report Posted June 24, 2008 otorhinolaryngology--the study of the ear, nose, and throat Quote
alexander Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Posted July 7, 2008 lethonomia - inability to recall namesapodyopsis - the act of mentally undressing someonedysania - state of finding it hard to get out of bed here are some cool 3 letter words that are rather rarely used :naughty: (reference: Word List: Three-Letter Words)aba - garment of camel or goat hair; camel or goat-hair fabricabb - yarn used for warpaby - to make amends; atone; pay a penaltyait - small island in lake or riverala - membranous outgrowth on a plant or animalalb - long white robe worn by priestsalk - sap or resin from turpentine treesalt - high musical toneama - a Japanese pearl-diverana - in equal quantitiesard - plough used to scratch top surface of soilawn - beard or similar bristly growth on stalk of grainbar - unit of pressure of one million dynes per square centimeterbee - hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reevedbel - unit of noise intensity equal to ten decibelsbis - twice; in two placesbot - larva of a botfly that infests horsescep - brown edible mushroomcog - single-masted, square-sailed ship with raised sterncol - depression or pass in a mountain rangecwm - valley or glendag - dirty tatted tuft of sheep's wooldah - short heavy Burmese knifedal - a dried legume, such as lentils, beans or peasdap - to dip gently into water; to fish with a surface flydaw - simpleton; bird of the crow familydit - poem; words of a songdol - unit for measuring intensity of paindop - copper cup for holding a diamond while cutting iteft - again; afterwardseft - newteke - in addition; also; likewiseell - old unit of length equal to 45 inchesere - beforeerg - unit of work measuring force of one dyne applied over one centimetereth - old English letter for voiced 'th' soundfid - conical wooden pin used to splice strands of ropefie - expression of disgust or disapprovalfub - to put off; to fobfug - hot; close; smoky state of atmospheregad - to wander about idly or in pursuit of pleasuregal - unit of acceleration of one centimeter per second per secondgar - mild oathgat - opening or strait between two sandbanksgib - wedge-shaped piece of metal that holds another in placegid - brain disease suffered by sheepgig - light two-wheeled one-horse carriagehoc - card game, now obsoletehod - V-shaped trough for carrying bricks or mortar on the shouldershoy - large one-decked boatife - tropical African fibrous plantiff - if and only ifist - one who holds to an 'ism'ivi - Tahitian chestnut treejib - small triangular sail extending from the head of the foremastjow - to ring a bell; a stroke of a belljud - mass of coal ready for final removaljug - sound of the nightingalejus - law; legal rightkeb - ewe that gives birth to stillborn lambked - wingless fly that feeds on livestockkef - state of dreamy or drug-induced reposekep - to catch an approaching object or falling liquidket - carrion; matted woolkex - dry hollow plant stalkkif - drug like marijuana smoked in North Africakip - skin of a young animalkip - unit of weight equivalent to 1000 poundskir - drink of black currant syrup and white winekit - a small pocket violinkop - bank of terracing at a football fieldlac - dark red transparent resin used to make shellaclar - local god of a houselea - arable land left fallow or used for pasturelev - monetary unit of Bulgarialey - mystical straight line between features of landscapelux - unit of illumination equal to one lumen per square metermel - honeymew - to shed, moult or changemho - unit of electrical conductancemil - unit of 1/1000 inch used for measuring thickness of wiremim - prim, demuremon - Japanese family crestmor - humus layer formed by slow decomposition in acidic soilmow - to make a grimaceneb - bird's beaknef - ornamental stand in shape of ship for holding salt or cutlerynim - to steal; to pilferobi - broad sash worn with a kimonoord - point of a weapon; a beginningorf - viral infection of sheeport - scrap of food; morselpam - card game in which jack of club has highest valuepax - tablet decorated with sacred figure and kissed by participants in massped - naturally formed mass or aggregate of soilper - through; according to; by means or agency ofpro - in favour of; forpug - ground clay mixed with waterpuy - small volcanic conepyx - box or vessel in which coins or consecrated Eucharist are keptqat - leaves chewed or brewed in tea as a stimulantqua - in the capacity ofras - headlandrep - plain-woven fabric with crosswise ribsret - to expose to moisture; to soak; to soften by soakingrev - to run an engine before bringing it into useria - normal drowned valley; long wide creekroc - enormous legendary Arabian birdrom - a gypsy manrya - colourful Scandinavian knotted-pile rugsal - a saltsaw - saying or proverbsay - delicate woollen fabricseg - stud or metal plate in sole of a shoe to prevent wearsic - thussuq - Middle Eastern marketplacetaj - crown or head-dresstaw - to prepare skins by soaking, salting, stretching and paringted - to spread grass for dryingteg - a sheep in its second year; the fleece of such a sheeptej - Ethiopian honey-meadtex - unit of measurement of fineness of fibres and yarntod - old unit of weight of wool equal to 28 poundstog - unit of measurement for insulation properties of fabricton - unit of cooling power equal to 12,000 BTU per hourtot - bone or other object retrieved from garbage piletow - bundle of untwisted natural fibrestup - ram; pile-driver; striking face of steam hammer or jackhammertye - inclined trough for washing oreure - use; customvis - force; powervug - small cavity in a rockwen - enormously congested citywey - old measure for dry goods usually equal to 40 bushelswis - to know, to believewye - a Y-branching pipe or railroad track arrangementwyn - old English rune having value 'w'yad - rod used by readers of the Torah as a pointer for following textyag - synthetic diamond made of yttrium aluminum garnetyam - posting-house along a roadyaw - to move unsteadily side to side; to rotate about a vertical axisyen - craving or yearningyeo - stream or drain used in miningyew - to rise, as a layer of froth in a boiling liquidyex - to hiccup, belch or spityok - pejorative Jewish term for a non-Jewyon - yonder; that over there; those over therezek - inmate of prison labour campzel - form of Oriental cymbalzho - cross between a yak and a cowzug - waterproof leather used for boots abjure - renounce or turn away fromaught - anythingbelie - give a false impressionbight - curvy races at the edge of a geographical featurebivouac - a temporary camp, usually without a tentcairn - mound of stones used as a marker, such as a roman road marker or a tombstonedescry - to catch a sight ofell - a measure of distance, that is no longer used for some reason, equal to 45in or 114 cmewer - large, wide-mouthed water jugeyot - small island usually found in a riverfurlong - 1/8 of a milehame - hide or peltlouver - a dome structure on the roof with side-opennings help smoke escapeniggard - mystery person, one that gives gifts, but in a grudging manner (probably not used due to it's similarity with another certain word)passward - something granting passage of a guard (and you know where another certain misspelled word originated from)quail - be intimidated by, give way totithe - 1/10thtryst - an arranged meetingtumult - a noisy disturbanceupbraid - criticize commonly misused, at least i have had to correct a few people in the last couple of months wroth vs wraith vs wrath wroth - adj (angry, wrathful)wraith - ghost apparitionwrath - fierce anger (as an adjective meaning archaic) yeah people commonly misspeak that one another one that i come in contact with even more oftenly is the phrase "I could care less".... seriously, people, get it straight, its "I couldn't care less" if you could care less, then you obviously care some about that subject.... 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Not half- but whole! Posted July 7, 2008 Report Posted July 7, 2008 While not specifically a rare word, but cleave is one of my favorites. A common meaning to mean to split.An older usage means to stick together. Fun to be your own antonym. cal 1 Quote
C1ay Posted July 7, 2008 Report Posted July 7, 2008 A few uncommon two letter words: AA rough, cindery lavaAI three-toed slothAL East Indian treeBA eternal soul in Egyptian mythology EM printer's measurementEN printer's measurementJO sweetheart KA Egyptian spiritual self KI vital life-sustaining energyOD hypothetical force of natural power OE Faroean windQI vital life-sustaining energy Quote
alexander Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Posted July 7, 2008 actually there are a few words that are their own antonyms, also the term for that is contronyms: here's a list from Fun With Words: Contronyms anabasis - military advance, military retreat apology - admission of fault in what you think, say, or do; formal defense of what you think, say, or do aught - all, nothing bolt - secure, run away by - multiplication (e.g., a three by five matrix), division (e.g., dividing eight by four) chuffed - pleased, annoyed cleave - separate, adhere clip - fasten, detach consult - ask for advice, give advice copemate - partner, antagonist custom - usual, special deceptively smart - smarter than one appears, dumber than one appears dike - wall, ditch discursive - proceeding coherently from topic to topic, moving aimlessly from topic to topic dollop - a large amount, a small amount dust - add fine particles, remove fine particles enjoin - prescribe, prohibit fast - quick, unmoving first degree - most severe (e.g., murder), least severe (e.g., burn) fix - restore, castrate flog - criticize harshly, promote aggressively garnish - enhance (e.g., food), curtail (e.g., wages) give out - produce, stop production grade - incline, level handicap - advantage, disadvantage help - assist, prevent (e.g., "I can't help it if...") left - remaining, departed from liege - sovereign lord, loyal subject mean - average, excellent (e.g., "plays a mean game") off - off, on (e.g., "the alarm went off") out - visible (e.g., stars), invisible (e.g., lights) out of - outside, inside (e.g., "work out of one's home") oversight - error, care pitted - with the pit in, with the pit removed put out - extinguish, generate (e.g., something putting out light) quiddity - essence, trifling point quite - rather, completely ravel - tangle, disentangle rent - buy use of, sell use of rinky-dink - insignificant, one who frequents RinkWorks sanction - approve, boycott sanguine - hopeful, murderous (obsolete synonym for "sanguinary") screen - show, hide seed - add seeds (e.g., "to seed a field"), remove seeds (e.g., "to seed a tomato") skinned - with the skin on, with the skin removed strike - hit, miss (in baseball) table - propose (in the United Kingdom), set aside (in the United States) transparent - invisible, obvious unbending - rigid, relaxing variety - one type (e.g., "this variety"), many types (e.g., "a variety") wear - endure through use, decay through use weather - withstand, wear away wind up - end, start up (e.g., a watch) with - alongside, against cal 1 Quote
alexander Posted September 9, 2008 Author Report Posted September 9, 2008 Someone told me this one today :singer: phantasmagoria - a shifting series of phantasms, illusions, or deceptive appearances, as in a dream or as created by the imagination. Quote
Eclogite Posted September 11, 2008 Report Posted September 11, 2008 Then there is the combination of pretentious and unusual words to paraphrase well known sayings: Refrain from a proximal and intensive exploratory scrutiny of the oral cavity of an equine quadraped acquired through a gratuitous action. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Quote
Kriminal99 Posted February 8, 2011 Report Posted February 8, 2011 This thread is funny because referring to these words as rare is pretty accurate and says something about IQ tests at the high end. I always ace every number, pattern, spacial reasoning etc based IQ test (haven't taken REALLY hard ones) but always score around 140 iq on verbal tests. I don't spend a lot of time around people, don't watch much tv, don't spend a lot of time around really brainy pipe-smoking people that use big words. Most of these words serve no real purpose for communication and are not used 99% of the time. They are used when they hail from a certain culture and that culture is being represented, or when someone is trying to use words as an art form etc. At low - avg - slightly above average levels verbal IQ tests are supposed to measure your vocabulary size based on the belief that people are constantly bombarded with words and their meaning and only intelligence limits how many of those words a person learns. But you can't test IQ above a certain point just by having more and more rare words on the test. At some point the fundamental assumption fails and the person simply hasn't heard or seen those words before. Quote
wendy reakes Posted February 8, 2011 Report Posted February 8, 2011 Great for crossword enthusiasts. Personally, as a writer, I would use just a small percentage of these words in prose form. However I could envisage developing a 'bright spark' character and using them in dialogue. I feel a short story coming on... Thanks Alex Quote
Turtle Posted November 27, 2011 Report Posted November 27, 2011 clew of worms murder of crows gam of whales drey of squirrels dule of doves hurtle of sheep warren of rabbits haras of horses clowder of cats dissimulation of birds covey of quail farrow of piglets nye of pheasants sord of mallards rake of colts cast of hawks gaggle of geese skulk of fox mute of hounds sedge of herons kine of cows cete of badgers kindle of kittens turn of turtles C1ay and cal 2 Quote
jab2 Posted November 28, 2011 Report Posted November 28, 2011 kerfuffle - commotionInteresting. I grew up with an Afrikaans word, karfoefel, which loosely meant what a boy and girl do, which they should not do, when out of sight of the elders. Acts not necessarily of the sexual kind yet, but definitely leading to it. Could it be related, as listening to some people, one can call their bedroom antics a commotion. :) Turtle 1 Quote
C1ay Posted November 28, 2011 Report Posted November 28, 2011 clew of worms murder of crows gam of whales..... ....cete of badgers kindle of kittens turn of turtlesI'll take this opportunity to mention a congress of baboons with the U.S. political machine on the move :D Turtle 1 Quote
Eclogite Posted November 28, 2011 Report Posted November 28, 2011 Adding to Turtle's list, I was assured by a former assistant that the collective noun for secrataries was a knowledge of secretaries. There is an interesting one page article in the current National Geographic about new words ot be added to the Oxford English Dictionary. I don't have it with me, but one that caught my eye was one that described the tendency to overuse a word that was new to you. Which I would assuredly be guilty of if I could remember what the word actually was. Turtle 1 Quote
Turtle Posted November 28, 2011 Report Posted November 28, 2011 protologism - a newly coined word or phrase defined in the hope that it will become common; a recently created term possibly in narrow use but not yet acknowledged. used in a sentence:mikhail epstein hopes his word "protologism" doesn't remain one. Quote
Turtle Posted November 29, 2011 Report Posted November 29, 2011 from the world of botany. :bouquet: alate - winged sulcate - marked with longitudunal grooves hirsute - pubescent with rather course or stiff but not pungent hairs mesic - moist; neither very wet nor very dry verticil - a whorl of leaves or flowers flabellate - shaped like a fan castaneous - chestnut-colored; dark reddish-brown didymous - developing in pairs umbo - a blunt or rounded elevation or protuberance on the end or side of a solid organ, as on the scales of many pine cones pyriform - shaped like a pear erose - irregularly notched, toothed, or indented margin, as if gnawed Quote
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