Because a thousand words could get daddy a new picture
The Archive of Endangered, Special, or Fun Words
The Left-Brained Shelf of E.S.o.F. Words
ablute- FUN
This is the verb that describes in one word the action known as "doing one's ablutions" (i.e. brush teeth, wash face, comb hair, etc.) Much more fun to say "I'm going to go ablute myself."
posted by rphorsman
acluistic- SPECIAL,FUN
Fun, because I'm not so sure that I didn't make it up . . . Special, because EVERYONE can figure out what it means, unless they are totally acluistic . . . :)
posted anonymously
adoxography- SPECIAL,FUN
Good writing on a trivial subject.
posted by akcmak
bathycolpian- FUN
Means "deep-bosomed," as in, having a lot of cleavage. A word like this has to make one grin. cf callipygian and evancalaous.
posted by usul
buffoon- FUN
Obscure enough to stand out from run-of-the-mill insults, yet not so obscure that people won't understand what you mean.
posted anonymously
bumcrack- FUN
It isn't actually a crack, more of a ravine. However, saying "bumravine" doesn't carry the same effect.
posted anonymously
buttcheese- SPECIAL
A good, disgusting reference that needs no further explanation ... PLEASE! "That's a load of buttcheese, Bill! I NEVER used your jock to strain my vegetables!"
posted anonymously
butyraceous- SPECIAL,FUN
To have the qualities of butter. Of course, since it is an adjective, and hardly anyone knows what it means, you can use it do describe almost anything- Boy, you're looking butyraceous today! That book was butyraceous!
posted by jeaninedargis
caesura- SPECIAL
This word is special to me because of what it represents - a dramatic pause that allows a listener to absorb the previous thought in order to get the full effect of what comes next. It's my favorite word.
posted by FatAlbet
callipygian (also callipygous)- FUN
"Having beautifully proportioned buttocks." Surely it is time for this useful word from the Greek to break into the mainstream!
posted by jallen
cogitate- FUN
To think for a long period of time on one subject. (c. Mrs. Slocombe, "Are You Being Served" PBS Tv show.) Ex. "I'm going to the Ladies for a cogitate."
posted by ramizad
coprolite-
A fossilized turd. Need I say more?
posted anonymously
coprophagous-
Dung-eating. Beavers perform coprophagy. They eat their own crap.
posted anonymously
costic- FUN
It means "causing constipation". The perfect word to throw out at family reunions!
posted by leahpeeachiapet
dasypygal-
This I had to get out of the Dusty Archives (old moldy books). It means that the person it is directed to has a hairy butt. It is one of the many words from my list of One-Word-Insults.
posted anonymously
deasil- FUN
Our ancestors knew that some things moved in a "clockwise" direction before anyone invented clocks. This movement to the right was known as deasil until the name of the mechanical movement usurped its place.
posted by RNTT31A
defenestrate- FUN
de- out, fenestra- Latin for window. defenestrate- to throw something(one) out of a window.
posted anonymously
dookular- SPECIAL
Not, as basketball fans may think, relating to Dook U. Rather, referring to the quality of being like dookie (you know, Green Day, and all). That is to say, crappy.
posted anonymously
eidetic- SPECIAL
Extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall of visual images.
posted by deev
encephaloplegia- ENDANGERED,FUN
The condition of being paralyzed from the neck *up*. I'm sure we all know plenty of people to whom this word applies.
posted anonymously
enfenestrate-
(Folk etymology, analagous to "defenestrate" c.f.) To throw something or someone *in* through a window.
posted anonymously
eucalegon- ESOF HAT TRICK
I heard this fifteen years ago but I've never seen it in print. It means a man who, on waking in the morning, sees his neighbour's house on fire.
posted by carl
evaginate- FUN
Wipe that smirk off your face. This is a legitimate word with a legitimate meaning. It means to turn inside out.
posted anonymously
evicerate- SPECIAL,FUN
The word refers to certain sea animals and means to protect oneself from getting attacked by ejecting a vital organ from the mouth to leave behind for the attacker while running off to grow a new one.
posted by Kristina.Meeks
fantod- ENDANGERED,FUN
It means "an uneasy state of mind", or "the fidgets" when used plurally (really, one tends to get *the* fantods rather than *a* fantod). Goes nicely with "horripilations" (q.v., but I'm afraid the submitter of horripilations misspelled it.)
posted anonymously
flange- FUN
definition: a projecting collar used to guide or attach one object to another (as in wax flange on the base of a toilet!) Why is this a fun word? The mere fact that is has something to do with a toilet qualifies it, I think! It is also fun to say!!!
posted by eric
fleegle- SPECIAL
(flea'-gul) v. Usually refers to the migratory movments of small woodland mammals avoiding some sort of undesirable or uncomfortable situation. Can also be applied to humans, who "fleegle" for much the same reasons small woodland creatures do.
posted by sh1768
foma- SPECIAL,FUN
All the dictionaries say it doesn't exist. But I thought it was pretty nifty. It supposedly means: harmless untruths intended to comfort simple souls.
posted by RHart
gimcrack- ENDANGERED,FUN
Defined as "a trivial knicknack, or any worthless trinket". It's not often you get to use a word that sounds like a part of your anatomy, but ain't.
posted anonymously
guff- ENDANGERED
As in "That's not true!" Reply: "It is, no guff" The last time I heard that used non-sarcastically was almost 20 years ago.
posted anonymously
heteronym- FUN
A word spelled like another, but pronounced differently and meaning different things. Fun because you can spend hours thinking up new pairs (The bass swam around the bass drum; the wind in my ears reminded me to wind my watch).
posted by joninet
hircine-
This I also had to get out of the Dusty Archives (old moldy books). Anyone you know who smells like a goat? This is the word for them. "Hircine", light on the lips, but devestating in meaning. Another One-Word-Insult
posted anonymously
junta- ENDANGERED
I'm pretty sure that this word means big, huge, and unmanagable. As in, "It was a junta of a project." It is also the name of a Phish (a band from Vermont) album.
posted anonymously
labrose- ENDANGERED
It means simply "having thick or unusually large lips". Try that one out on your next date...
posted by halobat
Here's another I also had to get out of the Dusty Archives (the same old moldy books). For those who have "Fish-Lips", sad to say, yes, there is a word for you. It's this one, "Labrose".Another One-Word-Insult.
posted anonymously
lalochezia- SPECIAL,FUN
Talking dirty to relieve tension.
posted by akcmak
limn- ENDANGERED
verb; To draw or paint on a surface. Pronounced lihm. A wonderful word, reminscent of miniature portraits and careful hand. A particular favorite of mine.
posted anonymously
malapropism- ENDANGERED,SPECIAL
Means a "ludicrous misuse of word". Like when I ask "are you casting nastershiuns?" when I mean "are you casting aspersions". This word has a special succulence to me because I do it all the time. Strangely enough, I have never heard anybody use this word. Why? I think we need to know.
posted anonymously
mathelode- ESOF HAT TRICK
This is an old favourite (I suspect) with most people. Old English for 'spoke'. I use it in the traditional way when quoting e-mail messages eg: Fred Bloggs mathelode: The use of this sort of binary encoding is...
posted anonymously
micturition- SPECIAL
n. Morbid desire to urinate. Honestly.
posted by birdo
mytacism- SPECIAL,FUN
Excessive or incorrect use of the letter "M".
posted by akcmak
napiform-
Here's another I also had to get out of the Dusty Archives (the same old moldy books). And for those who are shaped like a turnip, yep, there is a word for you too. It doesn't mean you look like a diaper, but a turnip. Another One-Word-Insult.
posted anonymously
noumenon- SPECIAL
An object of purely intellectual intuition as opposed to an object of sensuous perception.
posted by justint
obfuscate- FUN
from the Latin ob (in the way) + fuscus (dark brown). So much more fun than "to confuse"
posted anonymously
obnubilate- ENDANGERED
It means, "To make cloudy." And it's almost impossible to find in dictionaries anymore.
posted anonymously
oligophrenial-
Saying that a person is feeble-minded, tends to put another one down. So that they don't know you are, tell them they're oligophrenial, but DON'T explain to them what it means. Lie about it... Another One-Word-Insult.
posted anonymously
onycophagy- SPECIAL,FUN
A fun and fancy way to say "The habit of biting ones fingernails"
posted by bunny
pettifogging-
What a truly great specimen of wordness.Something to do with inferior lawyers but too beautiful to be restricted to the legal profession.
posted anonymously
pogonophobia- ESOF HAT TRICK
The fear of beards.
posted by ljackson
quidity- ENDANGERED,SPECIAL
A word that is its own antonym --- it means either a trivial detail, or the essence of a thing.
posted anonymously
rectocephalic- SPECIAL,FUN
Just consider, if you will, for a moment. It should come to you. (Unless, perhaps, it applies to you!)
posted anonymously
sacrosanct- SPECIAL
It means holy in an extravagant sort of way. Doesn't it sound better like this: "sancrosact"?
posted by cromoman
scheck- FUN
v. To annoy by repeatedly ask the same question from a variety of angles, over a period of time, without ever really wanting to hear the answer. Usage: That guy really schecked that poor criminalist, didn't he? On second thought, this trial can't live forever, and Solicitor Scheck will probably become a thing of the past.
posted anonymously
slather- ENDANGERED,FUN
Verb, meaning to spread or cover liberally. Useful in culinary discussions, as in "I'll just slather some jam on this toast", or "I fancy a big piece of apple pie slathered with custard". The word is still in my dictionary, but I don't hear it used much."
posted anonymously
slumgullion- ENDANGERED,FUN
"A slumgullion is pretty much what it sounds like...some of this, some of that, some of something else, more of the other thing (if you like it better)." This is a quote from the page on which I found this word, $tarving $hirley's $avings Page. The context was for a recipe using hamburger, bell peppers, and other things in a meatloaf-like meal, but it seems like a word that could be applied to many things in life.
posted anonymously
somnambulism-
The fine art of sleepwalking. All right, it's special only to me because I once guessed the definition. It was an extra credit question on an accounting test.
posted anonymously
spheropygian- ESOF HAT TRICK
Having full and rounded buttocks. Very useful.
posted by jroby
susurration- ENDANGERED,FUN
Sussuration is the act of making the sound that wind makes through trees. A pleasing, quiet kind of sound.
posted by umjacks2
synecdoche- SPECIAL
A synecdoche is an expression in the singular form which can stand for plural things. For example, you can call a group of policemen by the expression "the man". "The man" is a synecdoche for policemen. Pronunciation is "si-NEK-do-key".
posted by ordunio
tarantism- FUN
An irresistible urge to dance.
posted by 73732.724
trice- ENDANGERED
You know, as in, "in a trice". A much more urbane way of saying "fast" or "quickly." Well, that's all for now.
posted anonymously
ultracrepidarian- FUN
One who speaks on matters upon which one has no authority.
posted by jroby
verisimilitude- FUN
It means "the state of appearing to be true." A liar might wipe grease on his hands to add verisimilitude to his story that he had a flat tire. What makes the word fun is that it sounds like and almost means "very similar to [the truth or reality]."
posted by tak
widdershins- FUN
Our ancestors knew that some things moved in a "counterclockwise" direction before anyone invented clocks. This movement to the left was known as widdershins until the name of the mechanical movement usurped its place.
posted by RNTT31A
xylocephallic-
Remember that joke about a guy with a wooden head called "Edward" (pronounced Head-wood) Ha ha ha!... Ahem... Sorry, well the word here comes from the Greek. "Xylos" for wood, and "kephalo" for head. Put to the two together and what have you got? Yes, another One-Word-Insult.
posted anonymously
zarf- ENDANGERED
Ever wondered what those plastic holders for cups of coffee from the vending machine were called? You have? Gee that's sad. Well now you have the answer.
posted anonymously
zeitgeist- ENDANGERED
German for "the spirit of the times"; if I hear one more faux-intellectual pretentious [expletive] use this word, I'm breaking out the shotgun.
