Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Funny, cool, weird words - Part II


It's time for the second part of my list of words harvested from Foyle's Philavery and http://www.rinkwords.com/. (You can read the first part here if you missed it.)

* Groak - to stare longingly at someone, especially someone who is eating.

* Infundibular - funnel shaped. I love the way this sounds.

* Lethologica - the inability to remember a word or call to mind the right word. From Greek lethe for 'forget' and logos for 'word'. I seem to be suffering from this more and more, although perhaps it's no surprise when I keep stuffing my vocabulary with new words.

* Moodle - to meander, pass time in doing nothing. I'm so going to incorporate this into my every day vocabulary - I moodle every day at work.

* Obdormition - numbness caused by pressure on a nerve, as when one's foot is "asleep".

* Pandiculation - the stretching that accompanies yawning. Hmmm...not sure why this action needs its own word, but I like that it has one.

* Pinguid - fat; also, greasy.

* Popliteal - of or pertaining to the back of the knees. There's a word for that?

* Quisquilious - like rubbish; trashy, worthless. This just sounds funny. For some reason, this word gets stuck in my head, like the philological version of an ear worm.

* Sternutation - the act of sneezing; also, a sneeze.

* Subderisorious - ridiculing in moderation. Is that the opposite of damning with faint praise?

* Ultracrepidarian - expressing opinions on matters beyond one's knowledge, ignorant and presumptous. I had a date with a guy like that a little while back. It annoyed me at the time but I didn't have a cool word for it then.


Enjoy. (I also have a slightly longer list on my listography page if you are hungry for more.) And now I must go and pack for my holidayeeeeee.

PS I plan to blog a little when I can while I'm away, so stay tuned.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am having my dinner as I catch up with some emails. A big potato baked in it's skin,opened up and add butter, a little garlic salt, grated cheese and top with home made coleslaw...Yummm vegetarian food quick & easy, healthy & tasty. Just great after a big walk on the beach.

Earl Riser said...

Seeing as though it is Friday and I am late with my reply to your blog, there is only one thing to help set it right again.
This evening, I am to devour a piguid meal, without a groak in sight.
Though a little popliteal would be appreciated, ;)
Not that much of any of the above has any likelihood of happening!!!!