"strange" words

Hi there,

Did you already heard or read these "strange" words?


schadenfreude — pleasure derived from another's misfortune

porphyrophobia — fear of the color purple

pusillanimous — timid or cowardly; fainthearted

logorrhea — excessive, incoherent talkativeness

poltroon — a contemptible coward

bailiwick — one's particular area of activity, interest, or authority

mellifluous — sweetly flowing; smooth and sweet

eleemosynary — of, relating to, or dependent on charity

boeotian — stupid; dull

heebie-jeebies — nervousness; jitters

egregious — conspicuously bad or offensive

animadversion — strong criticism; a critical or censorious remark

gallivant — to roam about in search of pleasure or amusement

lucubrate — to study diligently; to write in a scholarly way

zephyr — the west wind; a gentle breeze; something that is airy or insubstantial

borborygmus — a rumbling noise produced by the movement of gas through the intestines

pilgarlic — a bald-headed man

contumely — rudeness or contempt arising from haughtiness; insolence

propinquity — proximity; nearness

undulation — movement in waves; a wavy, curving form or outline

stentorian — very loud

weanling — a child or animal newly weaned

euphony — agreeable sound

quixotic — extravagantly chivalrous or romantic

jocularity — joking speech or behavior

mendacity — a lie; falsehood

obloquy — verbal abuse of a person or thing

ribaldry — coarse language or humor

scalawag — scamp; rascal

mulct — to swindle; to defraud

asthenic — extremely thin or wasted

cacology — bad choice or use of words

tatterdemalion — a ragamuffin

solipsism — the belief that the self is the only reality

Godspeed — success or good fortune

dollop — a shapeless mass or blob of something

ubiquitous — being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent

senescence — growing old; aging

prandial — relating to a meal, esp. dinner

steatopygian — having an excess accumulation of fat on the buttocks

persiflage — banter; light, good-natured talk

ennui — boredom; listlessness

reconnoiter — to make a preliminary inspection; to look around

callipygian — having beautifully proportioned buttocks

chthonic — of or relating to the underworld

tergiversate — to equivocate; to change sides

kakistocracy — government by the worst or least qualified citizens

uxorious — excessively fond or submissive to one's wife

ichthyophagous — feeding on fish


Do you know other "strange" words?