Thirteen Weird & Wonderful Words
From the book Weird and Wonderful Words edited by Erin McKean
NIHILARIAN - a person who works with things of no importance (whether by choice or not is unclear).
AQUAMANILE - a bowl or jug made in the form of an animal or bird.
CALAMISTRATE - a rare verb meaning to “curl the hair.” This word comes from the Latin word for “curling-iron.”
GONGOOZLER - a person who stares at activity on a canal. This highly specific word has been broadened to mean any kind of idler or rubbernecker.
HONEYFUGGLE - to swindle, cheat. This word is an American slang, and apparently from honey plus fugle, meaning to ‘cheat, trick.’
KENSPECKLE - a Scittish word meaning ‘conspicuous, easily recognizable.’ The origin is not precisely known but it may be related to a Swedish word meaning ‘quick at recognizing people or things.’
MOURNIVAL - a set of four kings, queens, jacks or aces in one hand, or any set of four things or people. This comes from a Fench word whose literal meaning is a ’slap in the face.’
RASSASY - to satisfy a hungry person. This person is related to satiate, and they come from the same Latin Root meaning ‘enough.’
SQUINTIFEGO - a person who squints very much.
STELK - a dish made of onions and mashed potatoes, with a large lump (often an entire pound) of butter or lard in the middle of it. It is an Irish dish and is also called champ.
VOISINAGE - an obselete word meaning ‘neighborhood,’ related to vicintiy. It can also mean ‘the fact of being near,’ usually applied only to places, but ready for a figurative meaning such as ‘He was overcome by the voisinage of his beloved.’
PLANETICOSE - an adjective meaning ‘liking to wander.’ PLANET comes from a Greek word meaning ‘wanderer.’
CODOLOGY - an Irish word meaning, jocularly, ‘the science of leg-pulling.’ Cod is an Irishism for a joke or a hoax, a hoaxer is called a codologist.
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