Verily
doofus -> never heard about this until I read the related thread on 'words that you hate'. It's funny because if one changes the pronunciation, it will be immediately understood in my native language, German, as meaning 'stupid person' (German doof = stupid), which I guess is its meaning in English
I went too fast, didn't see that never use yourself bit.
Saunter :)
Preternatural.
Thee
Touché!
Antidisestablishmentarianism
Odd that disestablishmentarianism is relatively obscure. I suppose the 'anti' word is only well known becaues it used to be the longest word in English.
Mike
Quote from: MN Dave on April 06, 2010, 12:31:23 PM
Antidisestablishmentarianism
A root, two prefixes, and a cascade of four suffixes.
Antidisestablishmentarianisticity
I think you may be the only person to have used it: ever.
Mike
vouchsafe
I like the woody words:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T70-HTlKRXo
abstemious
gorgonzola
countenance
tarry
carbuncle
knave
august
prithee
opalesce
I dunno why.
Quote from: Todd on April 06, 2010, 08:41:28 AM
Preternatural.
Todd - weird - my wife (Susan, a.k.a. Harpo) was reading some book (can't recall @ the moment) and the author kept using the word above - she asked me the meaning? I wasn't sure but said something like 'unnatural' or 'supernatural' - but for myself, I've never used the word - for those interested, definition HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preternatural) - :D
defenestrate
Contemn
This is such a useful word, so why do we never use it?
Quote from: Ten thumbs on April 07, 2010, 03:22:13 AM
Contemn
This is such a useful word, so why do we never use it?
It's a beauty.
Discombobulated
banjolele
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on April 07, 2010, 07:47:30 AM
banjolele
You must have forgotten your Ballade for Banjolele, Op. 433?
Ubloobideega!
of
You should of, Dave!
Quote from: Keemun on April 07, 2010, 07:10:07 AM
Discombobulated
Oh yes that is a good one. I remember my son had a kids book that used the word. It always made us smile.
Mike
"Marvellous Darling."
My wife came across the word peduncle in the instructions of her 'tiny' crafting project today (pictured below). Can't say I would ever use it, but it was a fun find!
VS
(* chortle *)
JucheQuote from: Keemun on April 07, 2010, 07:10:07 AM
Discombobulated
I have actually started using the word
combobulated (at least around my wife who understands my sense of humor). "Hold on honey, I need to get
combobulated before we go!"
'My word...'
As in:
My word! Is that Jenkins on the roof?
Jejune, lambent, ineffable, niggard.
The last means "stingy" and has no racial connotations, but it's obviously impossible today. Even in performances of Hamlet, I have heard the phrase "Niggard of question, but of our demands most free in his replies" translated to "Stingy of question . . . . "
Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 17, 2022, 08:06:31 AM
Jejune, lambent, ineffable, niggard.
The last means "stingy" and has no racial connotations, but it's obviously impossible today. Even in performances of Hamlet, I have heard the phrase "Niggard of question, but of our demands most free in his replies" translated to "Stingy of question . . . . "
Yes, an unusable word now.
These ones always make me smile:
Kerfuffle
Whatchamacallit
thingamabob
Thingamajig
(although I use some of them ;D)
segue
Rodomontade is a favorite, though it doesn't find frequent occupancy in my more casual conversations these days. Thanks to Rex Stout for it, along with a thousand other gems. $:)
🤠😎
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on January 18, 2022, 05:58:53 AM
Rodomontade is a favorite, though it doesn't find frequent occupancy in my more casual conversations these days. Thanks to Rex Stout for it, along with a thousand other gems. $:)
🤠😎
(* chortle *)
Shucks!
Stocious
https://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-word-week-stocious-1540179
Enveloping
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on January 18, 2022, 05:58:53 AM
Rodomontade is a favorite, though it doesn't find frequent occupancy in my more casual conversations these days. Thanks to Rex Stout for it, along with a thousand other gems. $:)
🤠😎
Good one. I'm old enough to recall when it was occasionally used.
Couple of favorites are apotheosis and farrago. Almost impossible to use in conversation.
gongoozle — watching (entranced by) flowing water as from a river bank. (I must confess I have used this word — "How about a little gongoozling, sweety?" — but was grievously misunderstood when I did.)
snollygoster — a clever, unscrupulous person
Prestidigitation. Magic tricks.
Rumbustious. Boisterous or unruly.
Rotogravure
This one pops up in Irving Berlin's Easter Parade, which we hear every so often, and it makes my wife chuckle. I would hate to have to rhyme it in a song.
An example of a word on its way out with print media.
VS
I have a couple
perspicacity - if I used it who would understand?
frumious - a lovely portmanteau word
and also from Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark - Frabjous.
More commonly used from this poem are burble (which I do use occasionally) and chortle which was mentioned above. Once again all are portmanteau words.