Hello Reader!
Welcome to another exciting article on 'very strange English words' and as stated in previous volumes, this 'educative series' is geared towards improving your English Language Vocabulary. Sit tight, don't get distracted and make sure you have your writing materials. Trust me you don't want to miss out on any piece of information here. Enjoy.!
Meanwhile: You are advised to check out the previous series by clicking the links below:
Very Strange English Words - Volume 1
Very Strange English Words - Volume 2
Now, let's begin:
R O O R B A C K
Definition:
a defamatory falsehood published for political effect
Degree of Usefulness:
About 500 roorbacks were posted to Facebook in the time it took you to read this sentence. Useful.
Some Trivia:
A number of words in English come from someone's name, and in most cases the name they come from is a real one. However, occasionally a fake name will sneak into an etymology, as is the case with roorback. The word comes from the fictitious Baron von Roorback, an invented person who served as the source of a particularly unpleasant rumor about presidential candidate James K. Polk in 1844 (that he had branded dozens of slaves with his initials). It is worth noting that our 11th president did in fact own dozens of slaves.
U L T R A C R E P I D A R I A N
Definition:
“giving opinions on matters beyond one's knowledge”
(Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.)
Degree of Usefulness:
Somebody speaking confidently about something they don't know much about? On the internet? Never.
Some Trivia:
This curious word is thought to have come from the Latin ultra crepidam (“beyond the sole”), a shortened and translated version of something said by the Greek painter Apelles in response to a shoemaker who had the nerve to criticize his painting.
N I D O R O S I T Y
Definition:
“eructation with the taste of undigested roast-meat”
(Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755)
Degree of Usefulness:
Not an everyday word, but valuable on the many holidays that involve grilling.
Some Trivia:
Samuel Johnson was an undisputed giant of lexicography, a man of immense learning and literary acumen, and perhaps the first person to single-handedly edit a great dictionary. He also provided an entry for a word that basically means “meat-burp.” We all contain multitudes.
A N T I T H A L I A N
Definition:
“opposed to festivities”
(Webster’s New International Dictionary, 2nd Ed., 1934)
Degree of Usefulness:
We all know someone for whom this word is appropriate.
J A C K A S S E R Y
Definition:
a piece of stupidity or folly
Degree of Usefulness:
C'mon.
An Example:
The object of the Honorable who favors any such jackassery as running to Chicago, is to display himself before an admiring crowd as one of the statesmen of this “glorious Country!”
— St. Charles Republican Intelligencer (Charles City, IA), Feb. 12 1857
N O V E R C A L
Definition:
of, relating to, or characteristic of a stepmother
Degree of Usefulness:
Well, it certainly is specific. We'll give it that.
Some Trivia:
English appears to have no corresponding word for "characteristic of a stepfather."
A B I R R I T A T E
Definition:
“to decrease the irritability of”
(Webster’s New International Dictionary, 2nd Ed., 1934)
Degree of Usefulness:
Could be used several times daily, really.
A M A T O R C U L I S T
Definition:
“A little insignificant lover; a pretender to affection”
(Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755)
Degree of Usefulness:
Finally, an obscure word for your worst ex.
Some Trivia:
The Latin word amāre ("to have affection for, love, be in love, make love to") serves as the root of both amatorculist and amateur.
JOB'S COMFORTER
Definition:
a person who discourages or depresses while seemingly giving comfort and consolation
Degree of Usefulness:
Probably more trouble to explain than it's worth.
An Example:
The Co-operative Union does not desire to act as a Job’s comforter to the Engineers in the hour of their defeat.
— Co-operation and the Engineers’ lockout: an appeal by the Co-operative Union to the trade unionists of Great Britain, 1898
F L E S H M E N T
Definition:
excitement associated with a successful beginning
Degree of Usefulness:
Fingers crossed! Break a leg! Best of luck!
An Example:
I neuer gaue him any:
It pleas'd the King his Master very late
To strike at me vpon his misconstruction,
When he compact, and flattering his displeasure
Tript me behind: being downe, insulted, rail'd,
And put vpon him such a deale of Man,
That worthied him, got praises of the King,
For him attempting, who was selfe-subdued,
And in the fleshment of this dead exploit,
Drew on me here againe.
— William Shakespeare, King Lear, 162
A C C I S M U S
Definition:
“The pretended refusal of something one keenly desires”
(Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed.)
Degree of Usefulness:
If you want to use it, just say so.
An Example:
Acto, an Old Woman, so deform'd, that seeing her ugly Face in a Glass, she fell mad. Hence Accissare, to dote or to be mad. It's also said of her, that she used to refuse what she greatly desired, hence Accismus, Dissimulation. Her name is used for a Bugbear.
— Louis Moréri, The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary being a curious miscellany of sacred and prophane history, 1694
M U N D I V A G A N T
Definition:
wandering over the world
Degree of Usefulness:
You could probably use a vacation anyway.
Some Trivia:
Mundivagant has an etymological connection (the Latin word vagari, "to wander") with words such as noctivagant ("going about in the night : night-wandering") and extravagant, which once meant "wandering away."
BARBER-MONGER
Definition:
a man who is devoted to or vain about his appearance or dress
Degree of Usefulness:
A good insult never goes out of style.
Some Trivia:
The word monger, meaning "broker" or "dealer," is usually used in combination with another word (such as barber). Some of these, such as fishmonger or ironmonger, are fairly self-explanatory (referring to someone who sells fish or iron). Others, such as scaremonger ("a person who circulates frightening reports of impending disaster") or wondermonger ("a person who tells of or exploits strange or freakish things") are somewhat more figurative.
P R E F E S T I N A T E
Definition:
“to make too much haste”
(Henry Cockeram, English Dictionarie, 1623)
Degree of Usefulness:
Not very. Also not to be confused with ordinary old festinate, which simply means "to hasten."
M A R I T A L I T Y
Definition:
“Excessive fondness of a wife for her husband”
(Webster’s New International Dictionary, 2nd Ed., 1934)
Degree of Usefulness:
It gets points for potential rhyming in a poem. Someone alert the greeting card companies.
Some Trivia:
This word is the lesser-known spouse of uxoriousness, “the state of being excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.”
A N E C D O T A G E
Definition:
garrulous old age
Degree of Usefulness:
This word is a blending of anecdote ("a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident") and dotage ("a state or period of senile decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness"). Not exactly the most memorable portmanteau.
S E R E N D I P I T I S T
Definition:
one who finds valuable or agreeable things not sought for
Degree of Usefulness:
Lucky you, finding this word here.
Some Trivia:
Serendipitist comes from the word serendipity ("the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for"), which was coined by writer Horace Walpole in 1754.
S N I C K E R S N E E
Definition:
1. to engage in cut-and-thrust fighting with knives
2. a large knife
Degree of Usefulness:
Depends how often you find yourself discussing West Side Story.
An Example:
The mode of fighting in Holland, among the seamen and others, is well known by the appellation of Snicker-Snee. In this contest sharp knives are used; and the parties frequently maim, and sometime destroy each other.
— Corbett’s Weekly Political Register (London, Eng.), 7 Sept. 1805
C O N S O P I T I O N
Definition:
a lulling to sleep
Degree of Usefulness:
Sure, you're going to get a lot of reading done in bed. Keep telling yourself that.
NEIGHBOUR-STAINED
Definition:
“Stained with the blood of neighbors”
(Webster’s New International Dictionary, 2nd Ed., 1934)
Degree of Usefulness:
Let's hope not.
An Example:
Rebellious Subiects, Enemies to peace,
Prophaners of this Neighbor-stained Steele,
Will they not heare? What hoe, you Men, you Beasts,
That quench the fire of your pernitious Rage,
With purple Fountaines issuing from your Veines.
— William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1623
P E N N Y W E I G H T E R
Definition:
a thief that steals jewelry by substituting a fake for a valuable piece
Degree of Usefulness:
Are you Indiana Jones?
Some Trivia:
The word comes from pennyweight jewelry, which itself comes from the English word pennyweight (“a unit of weight equal to ¹/₂₀ Troy ounce”).
P S I T T A C E O U S
Definition:
like a parrot
Degree of Usefulness:
If you don't want to come across as too fancy you could always just use the word parroty ("like or of the nature of a parrot").
C H E V E L U R E
Definition:
a head of hair
Degree of Usefulness:
Why not try it out? It sounds fancy!
B A C K S P A N G
Definition:
a trick or loophole that enables one to retreat from a bargain
Degree of Usefulness:
Nice try. You're not gonna get us putting that in writing.
Some Trivia:
Backspang is chiefly Scottish in use. We have no information indicating that it is the origin of the phrase, common among children making deals, no backsies.
I N F E L I C I T I C
Definition:
productive of unhappiness
Degree of Usefulness:
Is it useful or is it straight-up essential?
Some Trivia: An antonym of infelicific, in case you feel inclined to produce happiness instead of unhappiness, is felicific. Both words come from the Latin felix ("happy").
S L O O M Y
Definition:
sleepy, sluggish
Degree of Usefulness:
Do you even have to ask?
Some Trivia:
A sloom is "a light sleep," although when used as a verb sloom may mean "to doze," "to drift," or "to become weak and flaccid."
LIP-WORSHIPPER
Definition:
one that worships in utterance only : one affirming devotion or fidelity without corresponding action
Degree of Usefulness:
Hmm. Maybe if you search long and wide you can find someone to whom this applies. Maybe.
A N T I P E L A R G Y
Definition:
“the reciprocal love of children to their Parents, or (more generally) any requital or mutual kindness”
(Thomas Blount, Glossographia, 1656)
Degree of Usefulness:
A lovely concept marred by a word that doesn't really sound like its meaning.
H I R C I N E
Definition:
resembling a goat in smell
Degree of Usefulness:
For your sake, we hope you don't need this word out in the world.
Some Trivia:
If the number of words for a thing may be taken as evidence of how common it is the English-speaking people have encountered many things that make us think of goats, for in addition to hircine we have goatish & goaty (“of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a goat”), rammish (“resembling a ram; rank in smell or taste”), caprine (“like or suggestive of a goat”), and capric (“of or relating to a goat”).
A N O N Y M U N C U L E
Definition:
an insignificant anonymous writer
Degree of Usefulness:
See: Twitter.
An Example:
The True Anonymuncule—this little creature must not be confounded with the anonymous writers, who supply narratives or current events, and discuss public measures with freedom, but deal largely in generalities, and very little in personalities.
— Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 1871
Thank you for Reading!
CREDITS:
- MERRIAM WEBSTER DICTIONARY
- OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY
- and others mentioned within text.
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