For as long as I can remember, I have found words fascinating. I’m sure we can all agree that English can be tricky to grasp, whether it be your first, second, third or other language. It can be annoying at the best of times even to native speakers (and we don’t talk about the worst of times). However, despite my frustration with the language I have to admit that my love for words themselves has never faded. For all I struggled with English as a child, individual words were never troublesome; I loved spelling things out even if English is not a phonetic language like my mother tongue (*ahem*bologna*ahem*) and whenever I encountered a new word in one of my books, I would run to grab a dictionary.
Currently, one of my more peculiar passtimes has become collecting words. I add them to an ever-growing list on my notes app, scribble them in margins whenever I need to attend to another task but don’t want to forget a particular word, and even go so far as printing words and their definitions to stick onto my wall so that I may remember to incorporate them into my writing. So today, I would like to share 15 of these words with you!
You will of course know or even regularly use some of these, while others are so specific that you may not ever have heard them before. Either way, here are 15 words I have collected.
- aplomb (noun)
complete and confident composure or self-assurance
My first impression of this word was that its meaning does not fit the way it sounds. If I had taken a blind guess, I would have likened it to “clumsy” or perhaps a careless or haphazard action. However the longer I sit with “aplomb” the more it seems to fit its definition. It feels like nonchalance and confidence fused into one word, strangely enough.
- balter (verb)
to dance or tread clumsily
In complete contrast to the first word, when I first read the definition of “balter” I laughed out loud because of just fitting it is. This is considered an archaic word nowadays, but I have half a mind to petition its return just because of how happy it makes me. I can easily imagine someone baltering in my head and do so with glee.
- banal (adjective)
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
The thing about this word is that, depending on the context, it has the potential to create the most dry, unimpressed sentence imaginable. I find it funny how disappointed a speaker can sound when they use “banal” instead of a word like “boring” or “unoriginal.”
- cantankerous (adjective)
difficult or irritating to deal with
Doesn’t this word do such a good job at painting a picture without even being used in a sentence? It feels like a mix of cranky, pigheaded and maddening all in one. It’s one of those very specific words that you can almost feel in your bones.
- defenestrate (verb)
to throw someone out of a window
This is a perplexingly specific word. Why does it exist? How did it develop? How many people have had experiences where this word applies literally? It’s fascinating. I love it.
- enigmatic (adjective)
difficult to understand; mysterious
“Enigmatic” as a word has a feeling that its more widely used synonym, “mysterious,” doesn’t. It is such that I couldn’t explain it even if I tried.
- maudlin (adjective)
weakly and effusively sentimental; often through drunkness
There is something almost piteous about this word, in the sense that I dread a day where it might describe my emotional state. It seems like it would describe a hopelessly lovestruck character drinking their woes away, or something of the sort.
- nautical (adjective)
of or concerning sailors, navigation or ships
This to me is yet another specific word that paints a picture even on its own. It feels like a story, lifestyle and aesthetic all in one, depending on how you use it. I feel like I could build a whole story around this word alone.
- nonagenarian (noun)
a person who is from 90 to 99 years old
In all honesty I came across this word back when I was into the MCU Captain America content and fandom, Steve Rogers (and Bucky Barnes) technically being nonagenarian(s) for parts of the MCU franchise. To learn this word in the context of a fandom has to be a unique experience to Captain America’s fandom.
- paracosm (noun)
a detailed imaginary world thought generally to originate in childhood
To me, this word is simply a testament to the extent of the human mind. The seemingly infinite inwards expansion of the human imagination is something that feels distinct to human beings.
- quotidian (adjective)
of occuring every day; ordinary or everyday
“Quotidian” is a word that feels universal and routine; something relatable despite being unremarkable. It sticks because despite all of the extraordinary moments in life, the mundane is where we generally live.
- remiss (adjective)
lacking care or attention to detail
To me, this word itself feels like some sort of dismissal or disregard. Like the frustration you feel in a group project when you’re the only doing doing actual work or when someone finds unimportant something you value.
- rend (verb)
to tear or rip something apart
This one almost feels violent in an of itself. “Rend.” To rend. To rend something to shreds. You could use this word in various different ways while writing to convey a specific type of action.
- revere (verb)
to show devoted deferential honour to (someone)
Despite words like “admire” and “respect” being its synonyms, the closest word I can think of to relate my perception of this word is “venerate.” There is something to be stressed about the underlying devotion and commitment that this word implies. An idolisation, perhaps.
- threadbare (adjective)
(of clothing, cloth or soft furnishings) to become thin and tattered; (of a person, building or room) poor or shabby in appereance
This is a word that can go many ways. It could describe some cozy and well-loved, worn by years of use. It would describe something unwanted and useless, perhaps a desolate location or forgotten person. Something domestic, something foreboding; something washed out; something left behind.
With that, I have shared all 15 words! I do hope you found it interesting, and of course, keep in mind that language evolves and words shift with time. People are constantly inventing and redefining words, and as a writer there is a point where you can mold the words under your fingers into something new and unique. So have fun with it!