Ever wonder why today’s language is so boring? It’s probably because we no longer use these amazing archaic dictionary words.
Word: Acrasial
Part of speech: Adjective
Pronunciation: u-cray-si-u
Definition: Quick-tempered and somewhat unpredictable.
Usage: You’re so acrasial; you cannot think clearly.
Why You Should Use It: Because this is easier to say than quick-tempered, and will confuse the person you insult.
Word: Woundikins
Pronunciation: woond-i-kins
Definition: An expression of pain from the early 1800s. Was also used as a mild oath, similar to “great Scott.”
Usage: Woundikins! I locked my keys in the car.
Why You Should Use It: Just try saying it out loud without laughing. You can’t.
Word: Scaevity
Pronunciation: Ska-vi-tee
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Extremely unlucky, sometimes references someone who is left-handed.
Usage: Scavity kept him from reaching his goals.
Why You Should Use It: We need more words for unlucky.
Word: Bailiwick
Part of Speech: Noun
Pronunciation: Bail-e-wik
Definition: Someone’s area of knowledge or expertise; a particular area of judicial jurisdiction.
Usage: Geology is his bailiwick.
Why You Should Use It: Because wouldn’t you rather have an area of bailiwick than an area of expertise?
Word: Gallimaufry
Pronunciation: Gal-ee-ma-free
Definition: A pile of odds and ends, or a hodgepodge. This word actually dirives from two differenet French words meaning stew and merry. I suppose this makes gallimaufry a merry stew.
Part of Speech: Noun
Usage: Your room is one big gallimaufry! You better clean it!
Why You Should Use It: Because your desk isn’t a cluttered mess, it is a gallimaufry.
Word: Zephyr
Pronunciation: Ze-fer
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Gentle or slight breeze.
Usage: The zephyr blew gently through the trees.
Why You Should Use It: Because your date will be impressed if you ask if the zephyr is making her/him too cold.
Pronunciation: Like it looks
Part of speech: Verb or Noun
Definition: A strong longing or desire.
Usage: She has a yen for chocolate.
Definition: Lacking in intelligence, stupid. Can also mean blank.
Part of Speech: Adjective
Usage: The vacuous doe stared right at the hunter.
Part of speech: Noun
Definition: Great praise, enthusiastic approval (sometimes used in plural form; plaudits).
Pronunciation: plod-it
Usage: The play was well received; the audience gave it due plaudit.
Definition: easily angered, irritable
Part of speech: Adjective
Pronunciation: Ir-as-able
Usage: That person is irascible; he never says a kind word.
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What fun, thanks for sharing with #throwbackthursdaylinkup! Honestly, I have a horrible vocabulary but thanks to the Kindle and my love of reading, I’m slowly getting better 🙂 I agree “yen” is cooler to say than a “craving”, I just thought it was Japanese currency.
Hope you link up again tomorrow!