News?

Well, I've been doing some more compiling and should be finished with a new list by April. "Ugliest Words" on its way. Also, 250,000 views. Thanks for sharing this site, everyone.

I Need Some Input

                Y'all word-nerds need to consider if you want another list of similar "quality". Currently working on "culling" the two large lists I have down to my 50 personal favorite, upon completion, I'll discuss each word individually and extensively expatiate on the word's significance. As for potential future lists, here's the skinny on what I can likely generate within a reasonable time, factoring that it requires an immense amount of time(which I have in spades). The lists preceded by an asterisk (*) signify which ones I have either written down(dating back up to four years) or typed up(very partially). *Cutest Words, Best Slang(interesting anthropological study here), *Best Short Words(of six or less letters), *Best Long Words(11 or more words), *Funniest Words, *Ugliest Words, Strangest Words(this would be a hard one, overall), Most Difficult to Spell, Most Useful Words(basically meaning words that are highly applicable or that everyone should know), *My Favorite Words(which would be a pretentious jaunt, and difficult to ponder), Best Etymology(would take a very long time), Best Coinage(would be hard to do), Best Animal Words(meaning anything pertaining to fauna/arthropods), and Most Foreign Words(hard to compile). If anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to contribute.
          
            Again, this is stuff that isn't really seen too much on the internet, and even then only in relatively small doses, with certain exceptions, e.g.
 http://www.drbilllong.com/index.html(an interesting blog, especially of the spelling persuasion, but has erudite and thoughtful posts),
http://phrontistery.info/(a sesquipedalian sanctuary, many people are familiar with it, but this is the definitive place to investigate or cultivate a word-nerd's appetite, and will often sufficiently sate it, I should go here and filter through and find more words to add to the lists/discover, though, I have gone through most, I may not have written them down),
http://www.wordnik.com/(a user-driven word community/aggregator, which often compiles interesting, if erratic lists, I have yet to decide if I want to submit my content over there, though I should, I think),
http://freerice.com/(a fantastic cause and great time-killer, a word "quiz" which will swiftly expand your vocab with a simple, straightforward interface, if you answer five multiple choice questions in a row, you can nearly feed a person for a day),
http://www.studystack.com/flashcard-434362(a Phrontistery teacher, using the collective words from the Phrontistery and doling out flashcards to drill the words into your head, can be boring, but if you listen to some wordless music, you can compound many words into your head [I recommend you hearken this: http://youtubedoubler.com/video1=AYw7eJYadco&start1=10&video2=HMnrl0tmd3k&start2=0&authorName=rainy+mood]),
http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/(in general, just some edifying stuff sprawled throughout, but the fallacy section bears special merit, as it will promote good grammar, defter and more critical thinking, and new concepts to view),
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/difficultwords/(The Dictionary of Difficult Words, a name which speaks for itself, it is huge, but the layout is not entirely ideal, but I don't think I've fully traversed it, it is, nonetheless, a brilliant resource),
http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/unuwords.htm( a list of unusual words, interesting if you are looking for grossly impractical words and ones of interest, though, you will look like a jackass if you try and foist them on someone you know, it is not very definitive or comprehensive, but it's a nice, edifying, and quick read), http://www.islandnet.com/~egbird/dict/dict.htm( The Grandiloquent Dictionary, pretty big, not an ideal format, but fun to read, I think I've feathered through most of it, and it is among the better resources for word-related esoterica, all-in-all, an excellent read),
http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/words.html( a relatively[I mean this loosely] mundane assortment of words found in Tolkien's oeuvre, don't be quick to write it off, as it is actually pretty interesting and well-arranged, but you can find these words with a standard word-a-day generator, e.g. Merrian-Webster, Doctor Dictionary, etc.),
http://wordsmith.org/(Speaking of word-a-day, Wordsmith is possibly the best resource to utilize, with many facets to discover and analyze, and is very good to the neglected and jilted words that often fritter away), and finally
http://www.kokogiak.com/logolepsy/(the LL, which I should also re-investigate and add new words to things/learn more, though I believe I've gone through it entirely, the Luciferous Logolepsy is akin to the Phrontistery, but both have especially rare or fascinating words).

Page, the Fifth

Every word on the entire list rightfully deserves a devoted analysis, but I'm rather keen on first posting the entirety. 

Lemniscate: the infinity symbol, any figure-eight symbol

Moribund: approaching death, about to die, on the verge of becoming obsolete 

Succinct: briefly stated, laconic, terse

Leitmotif: musical passage associated to a specific situation, character, or idea

Hydroplane: to skim a surface, to skim along on the surface of the water, as in a car

Vacivity: vacuity, emptiness, absence, space with a lack of matter

Alabaster: dense translucent, white or tinted fine-grained gypsum 

Ornithopter: aircraft-shaped machine that is held aloft and propelled by wing movements 

Ampersand: the symbol (&) representing the word “and”

Entelechy: actuality, fully realized essence, actuality opposed to potentiality 

Cygnet: a baby swan, young swan

Naïveté: inexperience, quality of being naïve, artlessness

Epizeuxis: a rhetorical figure by which a word is repeated with vehemence or emphasis 

Phalanx: bone of a finger, compact or close-knit body of people, military squadron

Zeugma: syllepsis, type of pun, "You held your breath and the door for me"

Clavilux: machine that generates light via music

Irascible: marked by ire, a hot temper, and resentful anger

Maelstrom: very powerful whirlpool, large, swirling body of water, turbulent situation

Betwixt: between, in an intermediate position

Cadenza: musical or literary improvisation

Elegiac: resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy, triste, sad, mournful

Albedo: the ratio of reflected to incident light

Exiguous: excessively scanty, inadequate, meager

Sisyphean: pertaining to or involving endless labor, pertaining to Sisyphus

Quasihemidemisemiquaver: a 128th note 

Peloton: main body of riders in a bicycle race 

Oultrepreu: very brave, having extreme or a dangerous level of valor

Logomachy: dispute about words, battle of words, war of words

Sepulcher: a burial vault, receptacle for sacred relics, especially in an altar 

Zeppelin: large dirigible balloon, rigid airship supported by gas power

Chaos: lack of order, condition or place of disorder or confusion, riotous mass, a jumble 

Neutralize: to make neutral, counterbalance or counteract the effect of; render ineffective

Protean: readily taking on varied forms or meanings, showing sizeable variety or diversity 

Arbalest: medieval missile launcher designed on the crossbow, large crossbow

Crwth: ancient Celtic musical instrument

Miniscule: very small, diminutive, when compared to a normal counterpart

Sfumato: definition or form without hasty outline by mild gradation from light to shadow

Circadian: relating to or exhibiting approximately 24-hour periodicity 

Parapraxis: minor error, Freudian slip, slip of the tongue

Alembic: something that refines, purifies, or transmutes as if by distillation

Zenith: point on the celestial sphere that is above the observer, highest point, maximum

Lixiviation: act of separating soluble from insoluble substances via water or solvent

Bolster: to support and strengthen, structural part used to support and strengthen 

Phoenix: mythical bird of fire which rises from it’s ashes in a cycle of rebirth

Tregetour: juggler, mummer, conjurer

Fourth Page

I could endlessly pontificate on these words, but instead I opt to merely post them and invisibly exalt them on their nonexistent altar.


Miasma: atmosphere of disease, fine mist of effluvium or bacteria, noxious emanation
Phthisis: disease characterized by the wasting away or atrophy of the body or a part of it
Xiphoid: shaped like a sword, sword like, ensiform
Chiasmus: rhetorical, inverse sentence, “One should eat to live, not live to eat”
Telos: the end of a goal-oriented process, ultimate goal, philosophical ultimate
Imbroglio: extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation
Panoply: a full collection or array, full set of armor
Necromancy: the art or practice of magically conjuring up the souls of the dead
Ophidian: snake-like, like, shaped like, or relating to snakes
Famulus: sorcerer’s apprentice or assistant
Clepsydra: device that measured time by marking regulated flow of water via an opening
Hecatomb: large-scale sacrifice or slaughter, tribute to Gods, massacre, a large amount
Celeripedean: quick-footed, swift, fast-running
Exsanguinate: to drain of blood, to be drained of blood
Aeolian: pertaining to, of, related to, caused by or like the wind or Aeolus
Ethereal: heavenly, airy in substance, spectral, insubstantial and light
Anacoluthon: abrupt shift in a sentence to another construction conflicting with the first
Quotidian: daily, mundane, occurring every day
Brusque: abrupt and curt in manner or speech, discourteously blunt
Poltroon: a base or abject coward, cowardly person
Mormorando: musical direction, murmuring or with a murmuring sound

Limbo: region on the border of hell or heaven, a condition of oblivion or neglect

Empyreal: related to the empyrean, celestial

Arabesque: ballet twirl, type of artistry involving a continuous, rotating design

Xenolith: rock fragment foreign to the igneous mass in which it occurs 

Halberdier: a soldier, guard, or attendant armed with a halberd 

Garrulous: given or prone to conversation, loquacious, talkative, predisposed to chatting 

Mystique: the special, esoteric skill or mysterious faculty essential in a calling or activity

Pterodactyl: flying dinosaur of a mostly tailless variety

Afflatus: strong creative impulse, especially as a result of divine inspiration, inspiration

Verisimilitude: the appearance or semblance of truth or reality in a fictional medium

Bruxer: one who suffers habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth

Envenomate: to poison, to put poison in or into something

Rariora: pl. unusual collector’s items, outstanding items, prize pieces

Cognoscitive: having the power of knowing, having the ability to know or discover

Fulgurate: to emit flashes of lightning, to dart like lightning, to resemble lightning

Brumous:  pertaining or relating to winter, foggy, misty, dull and sunless, cold

Orbicular: circular or spherical, of, like, relating to, or resembling a sphere or orb

Niveous: snowy or resembling snow, like, of, relating to, or made of snow

Degringolade: a rapid decline or deterioration, as in strength, position, or condition

Cenotaph: an unmarked grave

Talisman: item marked with magic signs though to confer magical powers or repel evil

Masquerade: festive gathering characterized by participants wearing masks

Heliotrope: light purple, type of flower

Delenda: that which needs to be deleted, something that has been deleted

3rd Page, of 32

Page 3, 'nuff said.


Eyethurl: window, aperture or hole to be viewed through with the eyes
Scialytic: dispersing shadows, typically with light
Fumarole: hole in an area of volcanic activity from which gases and hot smoke escape
Rixatrix: scolding or quarrelsome woman
Logocracy: governmental system in which words are the ruling power
Tenebrous: hard to understand, dark and gloomy, without light, shadowy
Myrmidon: loyal follower, subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly
Quoz: absurd, weird, queer, absurd person, weird object, hard to quantify
Pergelisol: permanently or perennially frozen ground, permafrost
Tourmaline: multifarious gemstone of grossly differing colors
Legerdemain: sleight of hand, show of skill or deceitful cleverness
Usquebaugh: Scottish whiskey, whiskey
Cacoethes: uncontrollable urge or desire, especially for something harmful, mania
Macrocosm: the entire world, the universe, any large-scale system
Sirocco: hot, humid south or southeast wind of southern Italy
Tzigane: gypsy, Hungarian gypsy
Oneironaut: person who explores dream worlds, usually associated with lucid dreaming
Morass: area of low-lying, soggy ground, something that hinders, engulfs, or overwhelms
Farrago: assortment or a medley, a conglomeration, confused mixture, hodgepodge
Crepuscular: pertaining to the evening, of or resembling twilight, active at twilight
Archetype: original model or type after which similar things are patterned,  prototype

Quaquaversal: directed outward from a common center to all points, omnidirectional

Naos: an ancient, classical temple, inner portion of a Greek temple

Coloratura: elaborate or technical vocal music with florid ornamentation 

Maquette: scale model of a large item, usually of a house

Sidereal: of, related, pertaining to, or determined by the stars or constellations

Lacuna: omission or empty space, gap in chronology

Paronomasia: pun, word play, punning 

Samovar: metal urn with a spigot at the base, teapot

Ylem: primordial material which all the elements supposedly have been derived from

Borasca: squall, usually accompanied by thunder and lightning 

Abecedarian: one who teaches or studies the alphabet, one who is just learning, beginner

Lithosphere: outermost shell of a planet, the crust and uppermost mantle

Synchronicity: theory of, coincidence of two or more curiously similar events 

Vitiate: impair, spoil, to the reduce quality of, to make worse

Eftsoons: soon afterward, immediately

Xanthous: yellow, having yellow skin or light brown skin

Myrrh: fragrant resin gum from a type of tree, used chiefly for perfume

Chthonic: of or relating to the underworld, stygian, infernal

Wyvern: type of dragon, typically without legs

Simulacrum: image or representation, false, unreal, or vague simulation or semblance

Astrobleme: scar on the earth's surface left from the impact of a meteorite, crater

Pizzicato: music term, played by plucking rather than bowing

Victuals: food to be eaten, provisions, food cache, pabulum, comestibles, nutrients

Stillicide: water falling from the roof of a house or a gutter

Page 2 of Coolest Words

Here's page 2 and the words spill out. Rare and obscure, they satiate most word-nerds.


Chicanery: trickery, buffoonery, deception by artful subterfuge or sophistry
Ectocanthion: point at which the outer ends of the upper and lower eyelids meet
Nepenthe: drug of forgetfulness, anti-depression drug, remedy for sorrow
Bdelygmia: a litany of abuse, a series of critical epithets, descriptions, or attributes
Outrecuidant: arrogant, cocksure, self-assertive
Mythopoeic: pertaining to the making of myths
Verdigris: patina formed on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces exposed to the atmosphere
Sisyphean: endless labor, pertaining to Sisyphus
Eclipsareon: a device for illustrating and demonstrating eclipses
Bersatrix: babysitter, maternal caretaker
Claque: group of fawning admirers, group of persons hired to applaud at a performance
Solipsism: philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist
Yestreen: during last evening, yesterday evening, last evening
Nimiety: excess, overabundance, superfluity
Expurgate: cleanse of something morally harmful, offensive or erroneous
Shibboleth: word or saying or image used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief
Coelacanth: prehistoric fish still alive today
Lethologica: inability to remember a word or put your finger on the right word
Anachronism: chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs
Theophany: religious epiphany or appearance of God to a person
Nebulae: pl. collection of astral gases

Wagnerian: of, relating to, or characteristic of Richard Wagner, his operas, or his theories

Cancrizans: backwards movement, crab walking, music moving backwards

Laconic: brief in speech, matter-of-fact, terse, using few words

Stentorian: powerful in sound, extremely loud, vociferous 

Aeipathy: continued passion, unyielding disease

Pasquinade: public farce, satire, or lampoon 

Coxswain: captain, steersman, person who steers a ship's boat and has charge of its crew

Quincunx: display of five objects with one at each corner of a square and one at the center 

Balistraria: arrow-slit, narrow opening through which arrows might be discharged 

Nenuphar: a water lily, especially an Egyptian lotus

Catafalque: decorated platform or framework on which a coffin rests

Kairos: opportune time and/or place, the right time to say or do the right or crucial thing

Azimuth: horizontal angular distance from a reference direction 

Seismic: of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake or earth vibration, earthshaking 

Matrix: situation within which something else originates, develops, or is contained 

Proprioception: the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body 

Balustrade: architecture, series of balusters or parapet

Laodicean: indifferent or lukewarm in politics and or religion

Dirigible: an airship, vehicle or method of transportation using the air

Equinox: when the sun reaches a height, night and day equalize, annual event

Quisquose: something which is difficult to deal with

Zetetic: proceeding by inquiry, investigating, opening with a question

Snickersnee: knife resembling a sword, large knife, the act of fighting with knives

Cormorant: large, aquatic bird, a greedy, rapacious person 

Coolest Words Starting Now

And so begins the coolest list. "Coolest" is roughly determined by a combination of practicality, obscurity, interesting pronunciations, interesting spellings, and odd or awesome definitions. Without further ado, here's 43 of them, including the two lines used for the opening.


Coolest Words

Logodaedalus: someone skilled in the employment or manipulation of words
Cicatrix: deep, permanent scar resultant of serious injury
Anabibazon: a node of the moon’s orbit
Zyzzyva: type of weevil
Mnemonic: relating to, assisting, or intended to assist the memory
Orrery: device that shows the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons
Welkin: the vault of the sky, heavens, celestial abode of the gods
Subfusc: of a dark, dull, or somber color, dingy, drab, dull
Chimerical: created by or as if by a wildly fanciful imagination, highly improbable
Apotheosis: deification, quintessence, exaltation to divine rank or stature
Plasma: distinct phase of matter, separate from the traditional solids, liquids, and gases
Exuviate: to shed a shell, molt, unsheathe
Vivisepulture: the act of being buried alive or burying alive
Cosmogony: astrophysical study of the origin and progress of the universe and its theories
Gelignite: a gelatin dynamite with specific components
Oneiric: of, relating to, or suggestive of dreams
Tourbillion: whirlwind, whirlpool, vortex, tornado
Accismus: rhetoric, affected or false refusal when the item in question is actually wanted
Braggadocio: arrogant person, braggart, arrogant or boastful behavior

Leviathan: very large animal, especially a whale, something of unusually large size

Abacination: torture, blinding the victim with a heated metal plate

Coruscate: sparkle, reflect brightly, shimmer

Esclavage: a necklace having several rows of chains, beads, or jewels 

Quixotic: foolishly impractical, especially in the pursuit of ideals, excessively romantic 

Maximum: greatest possible amount, greatest value of function

Xyresic: sharp as a razor, razor-sharp

Aeviternal: eternal, endless, never-ending

Delitescent: hidden, concealed, kept secret 

Reliquary: receptacle, such as a coffer or shrine, for keeping or displaying sacred relics 

Obloquy: abusively detractive language or utterance, calumny, censure

Catalyst: that which affects or causes activity in something without being affected itself

Apothecary: one who prepares and sells drugs and other medicine, pharmacy

Eldritch: strange or unearthly, eerie, terrifying, alien

Wight: creature, a human being, living being, entity

Omphaloskepsis: contemplation of one's navel as an aid to meditation, navel-gazing

Embryo: organism in its early stages of development

Catachresis: inappropriate use of one word for another

Mitochondrion: organelle in the cytoplasm of cells that functions in energy production 

Hyperborean: of the far north, very cold, frigid, gelid 

Psithurisma: whisper, sound of wind through the trees, sound of wind-rustled leaves

Metempsychosis: reincarnation, transmigration of souls

Opusculum: minor work of literature

Fulminate: to issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation, to explode, detonate

Vigesimal Bounty, Sucka Emcees....

Again, more sumptuous words for your famished brain. Clithridiate is one of my favorite words. Nothing (in a brief scan) seems out of place. The words have a place here, so let 'em speak for themselves.


Sanguine: of a healthy reddish color, ruddy, blood-red, of the color of blood
Divisi: music term, divided, separated
Ossuary: place, container or receptacle for holding the bones of the dead
Clithridiate: keyhole-shaped, resembling a keyhole
Sonnet: fourteen-line poem with specific rhyme scheme
Esclavage: a necklace having several rows of chains, beads, or jewels
Palladian: of or relating to wisdom or learning
Slice: a thin section of something, to slash or remove a small section of
Lithe: readily bent, supple, flexible, marked by effortless grace
Falciform: falcate, curved, convex, sickle-shaped
Loom: the art of weaving, to come into view as a massive, distorted, or indistinct image
Acidulous: somewhat acidic or sour in taste or manner, somewhat sarcastic
Facility: building made or used for convenience, ease of moving or doing, aptitude
Calico: coarse, brightly printed cloth, a type of pattern
Aquarelle: painting done in transparent watercolors, watercolor, watercolor painting
Scion: an heir or descendant, a twig or shoot used for grafting
Proscenium: Greek or Roman theater stage, the part of a stage in front of the curtain
Xysti: pl. covered portico of a gymnasium
Clavicle: the collarbone of a human
Puree: rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
Eglantine: European rose, sweetbrier

Mystique: the special, esoteric skill or mysterious faculty essential in a calling or activity

Amelus: individual exhibiting Amelia (the congenital absence of one or more limbs)

Sweven: dream, vision, premonition

Celluloid: transparent, colorless, synthetic plastic used to manufacture photographic film

Aposiopesis: abrupt stop of a thought in a sentence, as if the speaker could not continue

Siphon: to suck through, absorb through an appendage

Gallery: raised area, often having a stepped or sloping floor, in a public building

Centennial: of or relating to a period of 100 years, occurring once every 100 years 

Elision: omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation 

Trinity: group consisting of three closely related members, unity of three special objects

Numina: pl. presiding divinity or spirit of a place, creative energy, genius 

Memorabilia: pl. things remarkable and worthy of remembrance or record

Replica: copy or reproduction of a work of art, especially one made by the original artist 

Chalice: cup for consecrated wine, goblet 

Lathe: machine for shaping a piece of material by rotating it rapidly along its axis 

Traipse: walk, to wander without destination, gad, aimlessly or blithely walk

Roseate: rose-colored, rosy, optimistic, cheerful and bright, promising

Expatiate: to speak or write at length or in considerable detail, expound, elaborate

Demarche: course of action, maneuver, specific movement

Propinquity: nearness in place, approximate location, proximity, vicinity 

Gloaming: dusk, twilight, evening, vesper

Calliope: musical instrument fitted with steam whistles, played from a keyboard

Aliment: something that nourishes, food, to supply with sustenance or food

Sestina: poem of six six-line stanzas and a three-line envoy 

12th Round

Just the 12th page, no real big deal.



Lattice: open framework of material, typically in a crisscross pattern
Seizure: act, condition, or instance of seizing or being seized, fit, spasm, convulsion
Prelude: preceding event or action, music term, preliminary, preambulate
Cithara: ancient Greek instrument, like a lyre
Mithril: fictional, very light, silvery steel
Visceral: pertaining to the viscera, relating to deep feelings as opposed to the intellect
Baccalaureate: bachelor’s degree, valedictory speech
Velvet: soft type of material used in clothing
Avarice: extreme greed for wealth or material gain
Limpid: unclouded, clear, lucid, defined and deep
Solace: comfort or consolation in a time of sadness or distress
Ember: small, glowing fleck of aflame wood or coal
Gracile: gracefully slender or thin, graceful
Sublime: noble, exalted, majestic, empyreal
Azuline: light blue, similar to a light blue
Foliage: plant leaves or greenery, as a collective
Delphic: brotherly, oracular
Vaudeville: bygone slapstick era
Cessation: pause, interruption, ceasing, ending
Innocent: without sin, pure, free from legal or specific wrong, guiltless, naïve, simple
Mizzle: fine rainfall, drizzle
Ambrosia: food of the gods, something overpoweringly delicious or fragrant
Belle-lettres: “beautiful letters” aesthetic literature, as opposed to didactic
Borasca: squall, usually accompanied by thunder and lightning
Sentient: aware, characterized by the ability to feel or perceive, conscious
Fusillade: salvo, rapid discharge of firearms
Wan: pallid, of a sickly complexion
Numeral: symbol used to represent, denote, or symbolize a number
Bivouac: temporary military or squad encampment
Splice: to infuse, join, interweave, unite
Fainéant: sluggard, do-nothing, ne’er-do-well
Mercurial: fickle, erratic, ingenious, changeable, eloquent
Avenue: wide street or thoroughfare, roadway lined with tress
Esper: a being of advanced mentality or with psychic abilities
Sibyl: prophetess, fortune-teller
Escritoire: writing desk, desk designed for studies
Celerity: speed, alacrity, briskness
Athenaeum: institution for the promotion of literary or scientific learning, phrontistery
Ivory: pure white color, material derived from elephant tusks
Copse: thicket of small trees or shrubs, a coppice, small wood, a tree

Gaucherie: awkwardness, inexperience, embarrassments

Sidle: walk in a furtive or timid manner, especially obliquely or roundabout

Pluvial: characterized or relating to rainfall

Mimsy: flimsy and miserable, someone who excels at what they do

Elapse: to pass or go by, to happen

Page 10, Unfortunately.

Ganked "xenodochial" from a certain series of books, in which the definition was described(paraphrased) "the habit of giving gifts to strangers", I wasn't a huge fan of the definition, but of the series, I loved it.


Belladonna: poisonous plant
Facsimile: copy or reproduction of an item, typically a book
Mannequin: articulated human figure used for design
Caliginous: misty, dim, obscure, dark, gloomy, tenebrous
Helix: a spiral
Incarnadine: pinkish, flesh-colored, blood-red
Elusive: difficult to find, catch, or achieve
Murmur: low, indistinct, continuous sound, to utter such a sound
Symbiosis: mutual biological synergy between two dissimilar organisms
Circuitous: having a circular or winding course, indirect, roundabout
Swerve: to abruptly turn or deviate from an otherwise straight course
Liquid: a state of matter, compare gas and solid, readiness to flow, type of sound
Vociferous: loud, stentorian, vehement, angrily impassioned
Aerial: of, in, or caused by the air, existing or living in the air
Hue: gradation or variety of a color
Vestigial: of, relating to, or constituting a vestige(trace, mark, or sign left by something)
Cursive: flowing, effusive, wavy, type on handwriting in English
Mauve: pinkish purple
Colloquial: informal, as in speech, conversationally informal
Echolalia: immediate and involuntary repetition of words or phrases just spoken by others
Incisive: penetrating, clear, and sharp, as in operation or expression
Caress: touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
Incunabula: pl. book printed before 1501
Mica: thin layers of specific, transparent minerals
Xenodochial: friendly or especially kind to strangers or foreigners
Tourmaline: multifarious gemstone of grossly differing colors
Syllable: unit of spoken language consisting of a single uninterrupted sound
Dapple: a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters, different tones and hues
Sommelier: a waiter expertly trained in alcoholic beverages, wine steward
Prismatic: refractive light of a spectrum, brilliantly colored
Layer: single thickness of a material covering a surface
Luscious: delicious, sexy, cloying
Sotto voce: soft-voiced, emphasis on quiet speech
Vanilla: ordinary, conventional, flavored with vanilla, flavor extracted from vanilla bean
Medley: heterogeneous mixture of typically complementing elements
Cicada: loud, locust-like insect that chirrups
Aphotic: devoid of light, especially of areas where no light naturally occurs
Burnish: to polish, the shine of a polished surface
Rapture: ecstasy
Craquelure: fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of paintings
Maquette: scale model of a large item
Phantasm: something apparently seen but having no physical reality, illusion
Cedilla: diacritic beneath word to alter pronunciation “façade”
Oscillate: to swing in an uninterrupted motion
Ambivalence: simultaneous, conflicted feelings towards a thing, person, etc

Page 6, Part 1

"Quisquose" is always a large point of contention, it's a Cocteau Twins song, and they are reputed to be genius, obscure, hipster shit(they're neither of the former). Their frontwoman maintains this definition and this is the only one that I could fact-check in a reasonable period of time. I found out about it from some avenue a long time ago, but not the Cocteau Twins, found them about 3 years ago(think I was searching for the definition, actually). Anyway, that's the sort of point that I'm clarifying and hitherto, it'll just be that way. (Despite the fact that I can't rationalize the etymology of it).

Elicit: to bring or draw out (something latent), educe, summon, to provoke a reaction
Lithosphere: outermost shell of a planet, the crust and uppermost mantle
Objet d’art: object of art
Bibelot: trinket, bauble, small object which is rare or valuable or beautiful, a small book
Cleanse: to free from dirt, defilement, or guilt, purge or clean
Ineffable: indescribable, impossible to describe, enchantingly amazing
Pellucid: translucently clear, limpid, ethereal
Chandelier: ceiling-mounted light fixture or glass structure
Sinecure: an easy occupation or one which requires almost no responsibility
Panacea: a cure-all, medicine, herb, or concoction designed or functioning as a cure-all
Element: fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity elements
Meniscus: anatomical term, the curve in a liquid when observed in a cylinder
Recherché: elegant, refined or tasteful, sophisticated
Souvenir: keepsake, memento, something of sentimental value
Aphesis: omission of sound or verbiage at the beginning of a word or phrase
Cadence: rhythmic flow of the sounds of language
Symposium: conference for discussion of a particular topic
Resonance: quality of being resonant, extension of sound via sympathetic vibration
Paradigm: clearly defined archetype, typical example or pattern of something
Parabola: mathematical term, looks akin to a “u” or “n”
Xenoglossy: language learned spontaneously and without prior knowledge
Synecdoche: a reference to a part as opposed to the whole, girl as “skirt” ship as “sail”
Amphora: ceramic, two-handled vase with a narrow neck, usually contains alcohol
Essence: intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to typify or identify something
Andante: music, moderately slow
Pallid: pale, wan, deficient in color
Capriccio: music, improvisation, without adherence to rules
Oasis: fertile, vibrant, or green spot in a desert or wasteland
Aubade: poem or song about dawn/morning, opposite of nocturne
Colliquate: to change from solid to liquid, to liquefy
Vincible: able to be harmed, vulnerable, susceptible, vulnerable
Coloratura: elaborate vocal music
Vivisepulture: the act of being buried alive or burying alive
Succinct: briefly stated, laconic
Emerald: dark green
Sojourn: brief visit, stopover, jaunt
Revenant: specter, ghost, one who returns after a long absence
Stillicide: water falling from the roof of a house
Quotidian: daily, mundane, occurring every day
Quisquose: something which is difficult to deal with
Morceau: a small literary or musical composition
Murmur: low, indistinct, continuous sound, to utter such a sound
Pianissimo: music, very softly
Marmoreal: of, like, made of,  or related to marble
Coracle: small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a frame

Page 3, I Shall Write No More, Forever.

A couple obscure ones in there for you. Psithurisma being one of my favorite words. All of the pages(almost surprisingly) manage to immix both obscure and practical words, so it shouldn't be found too daunting or haughtily crafted.


Sapphire: bright blue, gemstone
Ratatouille: French dish
Obsequious: fawning, sycophantic
Odalisque: female servant, female servant in a harem
Lapis Lazuli: gemstone of intense blue
Lacuna: omission or empty space, gap in chronology
Nullibicity: state of non-existence
Oeuvre: the corpus of an author, canon, or a collective symposium
Solstice: one of two times in the year when the sun is furthest from the equator
Psithurisma: whisper
Myriad: multitude, litany, an amount of, usually large
Soliloquy: dramatic monologue, intense speech with exposition but not addressed
Tolutiloquent: speech characterized by rapidity
Boulevard: broad street, avenue
Cumulonimbus: type of cloud that augurs bad weather
Noctilucence: cloud phenomenon characterized by lights at night
Adumbrate: to explain faintly or opaquely outline
Chevelure: head of hair
Chantpleure: to cry while singing, to cry and sing simultaneously
Seraphim: pl. six-winged angels
Chandelier: ceiling-mounted light fixture or glass structure
Crescendo: music, gradual increase of tempo, volume, or intensity
Etude: a piece of music designed for didactic purposes
Selcouth: unusual, rare, unique, or strange
Tessellation: tile pattern sans gaps or extraneous spaces, mathematical
Marasmus: protein deficiency, state of emaciation
Cathismata: pl. one of the 20 divisions in a Greek Psalter
Sempiternal: eternal
Vicissitudes: changes of circumstances of fortune
Stasis: equilibrium causing a peaceful inactivity via equal opposing forces
Mythopoeic: pertaining to the making of myths
Immure: to enclose with walls, ensconce
Demure: shy, modest
Inure: to take effect, or to accustom to something, typically unpleasant
Ensconce: establish or settle in a safe, secure, or comfy place
Marcescent: flower term, withering, but not falling off
Violin: stringed instrument played with a bow
Viola: like a violin, but with a lower pitch
Peccadillo: insignificant sin or wrongdoing, trifling fault
Peccavi: admission of guilt or confession
Zitella: maiden, unmarried woman
Nepenthe: drug of forgetfulness, anti-depression drug, remedy for sorrow
Evanescent: brief, transient
Escalade: the act of scaling a wall
Escarole: type of green chicory

Pretty Words.

After having painstakingly collected many of what I consider to be the prettiest words in the English language. The list tops at about 900 or so, with one word comprising one line(with accompanying, though brief, definition) coming in at 19 pages, it may be of interests to those clamoring for word lists and aren't impressed by the pussy word-lists that crop up all over any wannabe-philologist's Google searches. Eh well, it'll prolly be up starting tomorrow.

Black Kids, Back of the Bus Jams

Finally listened to the entirety of Partie Traumatic by Black Kids, an indie synthpop band. Album is evocative of The Killers, Bloc Party, The Cure, a few New Wave bands, and at times, it has the brio of of Montreal in their more hyper songs. Lyrics are predictably meh, but the haughty girl back-up(which is almost like B-52s) makes it seem nearly tongue-in-cheek. The party riffs and synth is either frenetic or appropriately timed, and always elemental to the genre. You can sing along to most of the album without blistering your ears(also rife with great driving songs). Notable inclusions are "Hit the Heartbrakes"(my favorite track), "Look at Me When I Rock With You"(arguably the most Killers inspired), and "Listen to Your Body Tonight"(just a great track to dance to). Virtually every song can merit, and at the very least, take three minutes and listen to their hit "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You".

Verdict:8/10
Not a perfect album, with only ten tracks, though all are worth listening to, and I'm fairly capricious when it comes to music. The synth fluidly enmeshes with the antic guitar with a guv's accent akin to Bloc Party(Black Kids have a better singer, I think). The album shines with an eclectic, burnished, and interesting tone. Definitely deserves a spot in your collection if you're a fan of synthpop.