17th Page

A man walks into a bar "ouch". A man walks into a bar, his alcoholism is tearing his family apart. A man walks into a bar, after getting inebriated, he thinks up a clever context for a joke. A man walks into a bar, he orders a drink, joins his friends, and they have a good laugh.


Panchreston: widely inclusive, often formulaic thesis planned to cover all areas of a topic
Aquarelle: painting done in transparent watercolors, watercolor, watercolor painting
Zoanthropy: mental disorder in which one believes oneself to be an animal
Visceral: pertaining to the viscera, relating to deep feelings as opposed to the intellect
Stratosphere: any great height or degree, upper region of the atmosphere
Olfactory: of, relating to, or connected with the sense of smell(human or otherwise)
Empirical: derived from or guided by experience or experimentation, opposed to theory
Brontide: sound like distant thunder, can be due to seismic causes
Inchoate: in an initial or early stage, incipient, imperfect, partial, unfinished
Megrim: caprice or fancy, depression or unhappiness, melancholy, migraine, vertigo
Saturnalian: of unrestrained and intemperate jollity, riotously merry, dissolute
Thole: to suffer or undergo, to endure, to tolerate, fulcrum for oars on a boat
Encomium: eulogy, warm, glowing praise, formal expression of praise, a tribute
Caricature: expression or interpretation of exaggerated details or foibles of something
Basilica: large, public building the Romans used, usually as a courtroom or meeting hall
Exoteric: freely dispersed, comprehensible to or suited to the public, popular, external
Pother: commotion, disturbance, state of nervousness, cloud of smoke or dust that chokes
Ken: range of knowledge or perception, range of vision or sight, consciousness
Zitella: maiden, unmarried woman, bachelorette
Taciturn: reticent, quiet, not talkative, insouciant
Longueur: long and tedious passage in a work of literature, music, or performing art

Blellum: an idle, indiscreet talker, noisy fainéant, informant

Widdershins: in a contrary or counterclockwise direction, wrong direction, unlucky

Samhain: Celtic harvest festival which served as the foothold for Halloween

Jettatura: power of the “evil eye”, the “evil eye”, harsh stare used by superstitious people

Gazebo: freestanding, roofed, usually open-sided structure, belvedere

Parapet: low protective wall or railing along the edge of a raised structure 

Aerugo: verdigris, metallic rust, particularly of brass or copper

Trochaic: of, relating to, made up of, or consisting of trochees

Hypochondriac: one who believes in or purports exaggerated illnesses, valetudinarian

Textile: cloth, especially one manufactured by weaving or knitting, a fabric 

Reverie: an idle daydream, a thought of idle desire, a surrendering to imagination

Constellation: specific arrangement of stars to form an image

Iscariotic: traitorous, treacherous, given to betrayal, having committed betrayal

Eupeptic: cheerful, happy, having a good digestion, chipper

Tableaux: pl. deliberate picture, arrangement , vivid, graphic description

Frisson: moment of intense excitement, a shudder, shiver of ecstasy or suspense

Dowry: natural gift, endowment, talent, money or property given to a bride’s husband

Coalesce: to fuse, intersect, or entwine to create a unity

Redolent: piquant, aromatic, or memory-invoking

Nephrolith: a kidney stone, stone lodged in a kidney

Traumatic: psychologically painful, of, pertaining to, or produced by a trauma or wound 

Puissant: powerful, mighty, doughty, strong, potent, forceful, forcible

Elysium: section of the underworld, resting place of heroes and the virtuous

Carapace: bony or chitinous case or shield covering the back of an animal or creature

16th Page

I am so dangerously cool, doling out the best and obviously most coveted stuff on blogspot. It's no wonder that I elicit such huge waves in communities. People ask me how I do it, I philosophically respond, "it;s just how I do".


Sangfroid: composure or coolness as shown in danger, imperturbability
Theca: case, sheath, capsule, covering
Vermiculate: to adorn or decorate with wavy or winding lines, worm-eaten, sinuous
Testatrix: a female testator, a woman writing her last will and testament
Chondrule: small, round granule of outer space origin seen embedded in some meteorites
Serpentarium: a place where snakes are kept, as for exhibition
Zodiac: region in the heavens on either side to the ecliptic, divided into 12 constellations
Vignette: a sketch, brief literary or visual event, description
Megalith: very large stone used in various prehistoric architectures or monumental styles
Chantpleure: to cry while singing, to cry and sing simultaneously
Pyrotechnics: art of making or using fireworks, the use of fireworks for display purposes
Adjudicate: to pronounce, hear and settle, or decree by judicial sentence
Scintilla: an infinitesimal item or mote
Knickknackatory: a collection or arrangement of knickknacks
Concinnity: harmony in the arrangement or fitness of parts with respect to a whole
Bourgeoisie: the middle class, the middle class in Communist theory
Fainéant: sluggard, do-nothing, ne’er-do-well , idle and ineffectual
Incognito: with one's identity disguised or concealed, under an assumed name or identity
Portico: porch or walkway with a roof supported by columns, often leads into an entrance
Weltanschauung: inclusive grasp or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it
Griffonage: cacography, bad penmanship, careless handwriting, crude or illegible scrawl

Nocturne: work of art or piece of music dealing with or evocative of evening or night 

Prevaricate: to deviate from the truth, speak equivocally or evasively, to lie

Bacchanalia: riotous, boisterous, or drunken festivity/, orgy, drunken feast

Meretricious: drawing attention in a vulgar manner, gaudy, tawdry, superficially attractive

Dolorifuge: something that banishes or mitigates grief, an escape or remedy to despair

Harridan: scolding old woman, nag, nasty, bad-tempered woman

Lexiphanes: pretentious word user, bombastic or magniloquent person

Isochronal: uniform in time, having equal duration, recurring at regular intervals 

Oxylophyte: plant that thrives in or is restricted to acidic soil 

Paralysis: loss or impairment of the ability to move a body part, inability to move

Necropolis: cemetery, especially a large and elaborate one belonging to an ancient city 

Aileron: small moveable platforms on the back of plane wings that alter air movements

Epicacracy: Schadenfreude, sadism, pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others 

Pococurante: nonchalant, indifferent, lukewarm in opinion, insouciant

Mystagouge: person who interprets mysteries and mysticism or initiates others into them,

Rhapsody: impassioned, inspired, or vibrant literature or music

Noumenal: regarding a thing that can be thought of, but not perceived in experience 

Plateau: elevated, mostly level expanse of land, relatively stable level, period, or state

Ciborium: vessel, receptacle for the blessed sacrament or consecrated wafers

Swath: width of a scythe-stroke, strips or radii made by something

Vituperate: to rebuke or criticize harshly or abusively, berate, scold, condemn

Bailiwick: person's area of interest, skill, or authority, special domain, bailiff’s office

Hierophant: explainer or solver of mysteries or phenomena, expositor

Vernacular: everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary 

Page 15

Isn't it just so great that I do this almost daily? O, humble reader, what a treat you're in for. Seriously, though, I do realize this shit can be thoroughly uninteresting to the average person. Forgive me my trespasses.


Bardiglio: finely-grained, multi-gray Italian marble
Duumvirate: two people holding the same office, duo, two people working in conjunction
Vichyssoise: thick type of potato soup
Carcinogen: an agent or substance that causes cancer
Expatiate: to speak or write at length or in considerable detail, expound, elaborate
Woebegone: affected with or marked by deep sorrow, grief, or wretchedness
Grimalkin: cat, especially an old female cat, old woman considered to be ill-tempered
Malapropos: out of place, inappropriate, in an inopportune or inappropriate manner
Gnathonic: sycophantic, fawning, flattering, deceitfully flattering
Roseate: rose-colored, rosy, optimistic, cheerful and bright, promising
Catholicon: a supposed medicine to cure all diseases, panacea
Decorticate: to remove the bark, husk, or outer covering from
Xertz: to gulp a beverage down enthusiastically, heartily, and/or quickly, to quaff
Convalesce: to recover or recuperate, recover from a serious injury
Foudroyant: dazzling, scintillating, sudden and overwhelming
Grimoire: textbook of sorcery and magic, magical or mystical tome, esoteric book
Halcyon: legendary kingfisher, tranquil, calm, without strife, serene
Chrematistic: of, relating to, or occupied in the gaining of wealth
Mausoleum: large, stately tomb or building housing several tombs
Oubliette: dungeon with only opening at the top
Amethyst: deep purple, deep-purple gemstone

Phylactery: amulet or charm which protects from harm, receptacle containing a holy relic

Cromlech: circle of monoliths or stones usually enclosing a dolmen(tomb) or mound

Eidos: formal content of the mental or intellectual makeup of a culture or social group

Quietus: finishing stroke, anything that effectually ends or settles, death, end

Redivivus: revived, come back to life, resurrected, resuscitated

Syzygy: alignment or unity of specific objects, notably in space or literature

Asterisk: (*) used to indicate an omission, reference, a word, sound, or affix 

Rorqual: genus of whales, type of whale

Obsequious: fawning, sycophantic, servile

Hamulus: a small hook or hook-like process, especially at the end of a bone 

Labyrinth: maze, puzzling complex or circuitous plan

Obfuscate: to cloud over, obscure, make dark or unclear, to muddle, confuse, bewilder Baccalaureate: bachelor’s degree, valedictory speech

Dynamitard: one that uses dynamite for anarchistic or other political acts of violence 

Requiem: mass for a deceased person, song for the deceased, solemn chant, dirge

Quantum: quantity or amount, a large quantity or bulk, specific amount, small amount

Galvanize: to stimulate or shock with an electric current, to arouse to awareness or action 

Quinquevir: one of five officials appointed for some special object, council, or purpose

Cunctipotent: all-powerful, omnipotent, endless in power

Sojourn: brief visit, stopover, jaunt

Parochial: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook, provincial, pertaining to a parish

Cruciverbalist: one who is skillful in creating or solving crossword puzzles

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

Tchotchke: knickknack, collectible, trinket, bibelot, bijou

14, of 32. It's Definitely a Number.

You know, it's amazing that these words don't get used more often. Stupid canonical colloquialism undermining the integrity of great words. Luckily, "slizzard" has entered the lexicon. Erryone should be deplorin', 'cause erryday I'm hustlin'.


Uxorial: of a wife, relating to, involving, or characteristic of a wife
Lithium: silvery, soft, highly-reactive metal
Witzelsucht: excessive facetiousness and inappropriate or pointless humor, the disorder
Glyph: a sigil or specific insignia, a letter of language, an arcane mark
Kaleidoscope: optical item that utilizes mirrors to create interior symmetrical visions
Infinity: quality or condition of being infinite, unbounded space, time, or quantity
Quicquidlibet: whatever one pleases, anything whatsoever, typified by absolute volition
Troglodyte: hermit, recluse, person considered to be reclusive, out of date, or brutish
Cenobite: member of a convent or other religious community, cloistered person
Phrontistery: athenaeum, establishment for study, thinking, and/or learning
Recidivism: act of repeating punished act, chronic tendency to repeat crimes
Bacchante: female bacchant, carousing woman, priestess or woman votary of Bacchus
Coracle: small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a frame
Oxydactyl: having slender, tapered digits or fingers
Valetudinarian: sickly or weak person, hypochondriac
Zenzezenzizenzic: the eighth power of a number
Clairvoyant: having the “power” to see things that can’t be perceived by the senses
Excogitate: to contemplate with diligence and care to obtain intuitive grasp thereof
Discotheque: nightclub that features dancing to recorded or live music
Vicarious: performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another
Maugre: in spite of, notwithstanding

Baroque: of, relating to, or like of a style in art and architecture of a time

Telefacsimile: a fax machine, a document sent over a telephone line

Luddite: person who fears or loathes technology, person opposed to technology

Cathismata: pl. one of the 20 divisions in a Greek Psalter

Quoddamodotative: existing or behaving in a certain manner

Prismatic: refractive light of a spectrum, brilliantly colored

Contagion: disease that is or may be transmitted by direct or indirect contact, epidemic

Immure: to enclose with walls, ensconce

Ennui: listlessness, weariness, discontent

Pluterperfect: beyond perfect or perfection, more than perfect

Clarion: medieval trumpet with clear shrill tones, clear and shrill, loud burst of sound

Sardonyx: type of stone(onyx) with sandy bands

Rastaquouere: social climber, social upstart, man of finished and polished manners

Thymoleptic: psychologically energizing, drug designed to reverse depression

Gravamen: the material, basis, or significant part of a grievance or complaint

Acropolis: fortified height or citadel, raised area holding a building or cluster of buildings

Cosmopolitan: pertaining to the world at large, without localized prejudices

Permeate: to pervade, to spread or flow throughout, to diffuse through

Symbiosis: mutual biological synergy between two dissimilar organisms 

Escamotage: juggling, hand trickery, sleight of hand, legerdemain 

Terpsichorean: pertaining, relating to, or referring to dancing or the art thereof

Haecceity: property that uniquely identifies an object, compare quiddity

Zingaro: a gypsy, an Italian gypsy, mendicant, beggar, vagabond

Thylacine: Extinct Tasmanian Tiger

Double Update. I Was Too Busy Saving Lives Yesterday to Care

Double dose due to my dilatory diversions.


Existential: of, relating to, or dealing with existence, pertaining to existentialism
Noyade: destruction or execution by drowning, a murder by drowning
Regicide: the killing of a king, the act of killing a king
Celestial: heavenly, of a higher plane, empyreal, of space
Tessellation: tile pattern sans gaps or extraneous spaces, mathematical pattern
Entropy: the quantitative measure of disorder in a system
Plexus: any complex structure containing an intricate network of parts
Homunculus: diminutive human, small human as a product of alchemical processes
Ersatz: being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation, artificial, synthetic
Scramasax: long and heavy knife used by the Franks, having a blade often 20 inches long
Calcaneus: the heel bone
Fuselage: central body of an aircraft, to which the wings and tail assembly are attached
Agnostic: religion positing that any ultimate reality is unknown and likely unknowable
Cuneiform: wedge-shaped, Sumerian language
Hieroglyphic: picture writing system, a writing system that uses symbols or pictures
Denouement: final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot
Ventriloquist: puppeteer utilizing vocal techniques and manipulations
Apteryx: genus of flightless birds
Cinquefoil: five-leaved, plant with limbs that are five-leaved, five-pointed leaves
Manifesto: announcement of intentions, opinions, or motives, usually of a political nature
Bibliophile: someone who loves (and usually collects) books, book collector

Vestigial: of, relating to, or constituting a vestige(trace, mark, or sign left by something)

Dimension: measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length, extent, scope

Spatiotemporal: of, relating to, or existing in both space and time, relating to space-time 

Effluvium: foul discharge or emanation, emission

Dogmatic: lacking tolerance, compliance, or breadth of view, forcibly assertive

Satellite: celestial body that orbits a planet, a moon, object designed to orbit a planet

Asteroid: small, irregularly-shaped rocky bodies that orbit the Sun, shaped like a star

Incisive: penetrating, clear, and sharp, as in operation or expression

Craquelure: fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of paintings 

Promulgate: make known(as a decree or dogma) by open declaration, proclaim

Tintinnabulation: ringing or sounding of bells, the sound of bells

Magniloquent: lofty and profuse in speech, grandiloquent, pompous in speech, bombastic

Expunge: to strike out, obliterate, or to mark for deletion

Panacea: a cure-all, medicine, herb, or concoction designed or functioning as a cure-all

Quarantine: period of isolation or detention, strict isolation

Colloquial: informal, as in speech, conversationally informal

Impervious: impenetrable, incapable of being affected or harmed, not susceptible

Erubescent: becoming red, reddening, becoming ruddy

Narthex: enclosed passage between the main entrance and the nave of a church 

Polymath: person of great learning in several fields of study, polyhistor

Obelisk: tall, four-sided stone pillar, tapered and monolithic, that rises to a pointed top

Myriad: multitude, litany, an amount of, usually large, collection in large numbers

Effervesce: to bubble over, to boil with frothy bubbles, to excite

Lapis Lazuli: gemstone of intense blue

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/25/classic-arcade-game-1.html

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Golgotha: a place of burial, cemetery, tomb, catacomb, necropolis

Artemisia: type of plant, genus of aromatic shrubs or herbs

Incalescent: becoming hotter or growing more ardent, boiling

Fanfaronade: bragging or blustering manner or behavior, fanfare, riotous applause

Cuvette: a small, transparent, often tubular laboratory vessel 

Kismet: fate, fortune, chance, faith thereof

Threnody: song, hymn, or poem reflecting on mourning or a tribute to the deceased

Gasconade: extravagant boasting, boastful talk, arrogant self-praise, to gasconade

Ultracrepidate: to criticize beyond the sphere of one's knowledge

Echolalia: immediate and involuntary repetition of words or phrases just spoken by others

Vespertine: crepuscular, pertaining to, of, or related to the evening

Penultimate: next to the last in a series, relating to a penult, pertaining to the penultimate

Menagerie: collection of animals in cages or enclosures, diverse hodgepodge, gallery, zoo

Catalexis: absence of one or more syllables in a line of verse, especially in the last foot 

Holocaust: great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire, sacrifice

Recumbentibus: knockout punch, either verbal or physical, lethal bludgeon, powerful hit 

Odalisque: female servant, female servant in a harem

Apocryphal: of questionable authorship or authenticity, erroneous, fictitious 

Cachinnation: act of laughing hard, loudly or convulsively, guffawing, cackling

Quandary: state of uncertainty or perplexity, predicament, dilemma

Lexicon: wordbook or dictionary, vocabulary of a language

Nullibicity: state of non-existence, quality or state of being nowhere

Patina: natural tarnish from wear of usage and passage of time, verdigris

Metalloid: element that has both metallic and nonmetallic properties 

Isinglass: thin sheet of translucent mica

Aesthetic: having a sense of the beautiful, pertaining to a sense of the beautiful

Galaxy: collection of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity 

Recherché: elegant, refined or tasteful, sophisticated

Wanweird: an unhappy fate, the misery of life, a sad fate

Metamorphosis: transformation, as by magic or sorcery, drastic physical or mental change

Conquistador: a conqueror, especially one of the 16th-century Spanish soldiers 

Macedoine: mixture of diced fruits and vegetables, medley, mixture 

Visurient: hungry for visual stimuli, pertaining to the desire evoked from vision

Cislunar: of or relating to the space between earth and the moon or the moon’s orbit

Pandiculation: the act of stretching and yawning, especially upon waking, yawning

Sesquipedalian: having many syllables, long, given to or typified by the use of long words

Nimbus: dark, grey cloud bearing rain, splendid atmosphere or aura, cloudy radiance

Tatterdemalion: person wearing ragged or tattered clothing, ragamuffin, ragged, tattered

Stochastic: typified by conjecture, conjectural, process using a group of random variables

Octothorpe: the symbol (#), also known as the crosshatch, hash, or numeral sign 

Haphazard: aimless, chaotic, typified by lack of order, planning, or by variability

Palaver: conference or discussion, idle chat, chat with flattery of cajolery involved

Impresario: sponsor who books and stages public attractions, director or manager thereof

Cartesian: of or relating to the philosophy of Descartes 

Mermithergate: ant that has a changed appearance as a result of a nematode infection 

Page 11

Ugh, I just want to be a rapper. Still freshly saying "I allocate my eloquent alloquy with elegant allegory and eglantine amphigory" after a year.


Vivisection: act of cutting into living animals, especially for the purpose of research
Alluvium: unconsolidated sediments carried by water
Divisi: music term, divided, separated
Emaciate: to make abnormally thin or weak, typically due to illness
Chagrin: disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure
Mercurial: fickle, erratic, ingenious, changeable, eloquent
Efflux: something that flows out or forth, effluence, passing or an expiration, as of time
Antipathy: strong feeling of aversion or repugnance, enmity, animosity
Reciprocity: the quality or state of requiting, mutual dependence
Odyssey: a long wandering or series of adventurous journeys, long and perilous trek
Eviscerate: to disembowel, exenterate, to remove the viscera of something
Anent: regarding, concerning, pertaining to, involving
Cortical: of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of cortex
Solecism: an impropriety, nonstandard grammatical construction, violation of etiquette
Mar: to inflict damage, to impair the soundness, perfection, or integrity, spoil, besmirch
Vermilion: vivid red to reddish orange
Ambidextrous: able to use both hands equally well, unusually skillful
Ectoplasm: mystical, viscous substance that exudes from the body of a medium
Machiavellian: suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and cunning
Galimatias: meaningless talk, gibberish, nonsense
Petrichor: scent of rain on soil, dirt, or in the atmosphere after a period of dryness

Isosceles: having two equal sides, of a triangle

Anon: at another time, immediately, at once, later

Cnidarian: any invertebrate animal, as a hydra, jellyfish, sea anemone, or coral 

Tantivy: echoic of sound of a horse galloping, at full gallop, fast, furious gallop

Quodlibet: subtle, debatable, or elaborate argument or point, usually on a formal position

Malison: curse, malediction, execration

Katzenklavier: “cat piano”, specific hypothetical instrument using cats meows

Conjuration: the act or art of conjuring, magic spell or incantation, magic trick or effect 

Ziggurat: temple tower of the ancients, having the form of a terraced pyramid

Tsunami: very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption

Crucible: severe, searching test or trial, container to be used with metals at high heat

Nugatory: having little or no consequence, worthless, trivial, insignificant

Inferno: hell, place of fiery heat or destruction, place of human suffering, misery, or death

Agoraphobia: abnormal fear of open or public places 

Enceinte: pregnant, carrying a baby, gravid, line of fortification enclosing a town or castle

Vortex: whirling mass of water or air, especially one in which a force of suction operates 

Cacography: bad or illegible handwriting or penmanship, griffonage

Psychosomatic: regarding a malady having bodily effects but comes from mental disarray 

Magnanimous: noble in mind and heart, generous in forgiving, selfless

Ensiform: sword-shaped, shaped like a sword

Vociferous: loud, stentorian, vehement, angrily impassioned

Wizen: to dry up, wither, shrivel, wrinkle

Imbolc: ancient Celtic festival

Solstice: one of two times in the year when the sun is furthest from the equator

Page 10

More words to slake anyone's gullet.


Lacquer: varnish that dries via evaporation
Revenant: specter, ghost, one who returns after a long absence
Millennium: one thousand years, period of a thousand years
Coquelicot: plant, red poppy
Tacenda: things to not be mentioned or things to be passed over in silence
Diaphanous: light, delicate, gossamer, translucent
Candelabra: pl. branched candlestick with several candles
Aeonian: continuing forever, eternal
Chevelure: head of hair, hair on the head, tresses, a nebulous envelop(as around a comet)
Dyslexia: disorder in which lexical figures are perceived in a chaotic order
Ozymandian: typified by great hubris or greed met with tragic destruction through vanity
Nacreous: iridescent, pearly, like mother-of-pearl or nacre
Quiddity: the real nature of a thing, the essence, quibble, eccentricity, trifling quirk
Mephitic: poisonous, noxious, lethally dangerous, insidious, toxic, putrid
Contretemps: inopportune or embarrassing occurrence or situation, dispute, argument
Eidolon: ghost, specter, revenant, reappearing, continuously visiting or persisting image
Aura: distinctive and pervasive quality or character, air, atmosphere, emanation
Xenoglossy: language learned spontaneously and without prior knowledge
Choreography: the art of creating and arranging dances or ballets
Novitiate: novice, the living place of a novice, the state of being a novice, neophyte
Doppelganger: double of a living person, especially one that haunts its counterpart

Lothario: man who seduces women, incubus, rake, roué

Maraschino: cordial made from the fermented juice of the marasca cherry

Interrobang: punctuation that is a question mark superimposed on an exclamation point 

Propaedeutic: needed as preparation for learning, study, or understanding

Magnesium: light, silvery-white, moderately hard metallic element 

Somnolent: drowsy, sleepy, inducing or tending to induce sleep, soporific 

Aphotic: devoid of light, especially of areas where no light naturally occurs

Nosism: the use of we in speaking of oneself, the act of speaking of oneself as multiples

Eschew: to avoid, shun, dispense with, abstain

Absinthe: wormwood liquor of a bright-green color

Gnosis: esoteric knowledge of spiritual truth, complex and thinly distributed knowledge

Pyre: heap of combustibles for burning a corpse as a funeral rite, heap of combustibles

Exorbitant: greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation, excessive, expensive

Omnibus: of, regarding, or giving many things or classes, having or including many items

Trillium: type of flower

Penumbra: partial shadow, space of partial illumination

Lagniappe: gift for extended patronage, gift or compensation for valued customers

Videlicet: to wit, that is, namely

Gaffe: clumsy social error, a faux pas, blunder, social miscommunication

Asymptote: line whose distance to a given curve tends to zero 

Cynophilist: dog-lover, one who loves or appreciates dogs

Bouleversement: reversal of fortunes, overturning, tumult

Sforzando: music, suddenly or strongly accented

Peccavi: admission of guilt or confession

9th Page

I still have yet to read "The Mezzanine". I'm a big fan of metafiction.



Horripilation: bristling of the body hair, as from fear or cold, goose bumps
Adumbrate: to explain faintly or opaquely outline, describe
Peccadillo: insignificant sin or wrongdoing, trifling fault
Fusillade: salvo, rapid discharge of firearms
Acroamatic: communicated orally, oral, applied to the teachings of Aristotle
Mezzanine: partial story between two main stories of a building, lowest balcony of theater
Aphelion: when the orbit of earth is furthest from the sun
Chiaroscuro: composition of strong contrasts in light and dark
Homogenous: of the same or similar nature or kind, of uniform structure or makeup
Antediluvian: antiquated, extremely old, old-aged
Embarcadero: a landing place, especially a landing place on an island waterway
Sprachgefühl: feeling or intuitive grasp for linguistics or language, character of language
Prestidigitation: act of or skill in performing magic or conjurations, sleight of hand
Mountebank: charlatan, quack, peddler of swindle and kitsch made to pilfer money
Criterion: standard, rule, or test on which a judgment or decision can be based
Perfunctory: done routinely and with little interest or care, lacking in enthusiasm
Exoskeleton: external supportive or protective structure or framework, often of an insect
Resplendent: sublime, full of color, dazzling, splendid
Katzenjammer: loud, harsh noise, hangover, state of depression or bewilderment
Indefatigable: incapable or seemingly incapable of being fatigued, tireless, inexhaustible
Colophon: inscription at the end of a book, an identifying emblem for a book

Harlequinade: harlequin’s main piece, comic pranks, lively buffoonery

Picaroon: a pirate, to act as a pirate, a pirate ship, one who lives by his wits, rouge

Excoriate: to tear or wear off the skin of, abrade 

Sinecure: an easy occupation or one which requires almost no responsibility

Automaton: self-operating machine or mechanism, especially a robot

Pragmatic: practical as opposed to idealistic, artistic, or intellectual 

Denigrate: disparage, to attack the character or reputation of, speak ill of, defame 

Wappenshaw: periodic muster or review of troops or persons under arms

Ingravescent: gradually becoming more severe, worsening, usually of a medical condition

Pneumatic: of or relating to air or other gases, propelled or utilized by air pressure

Caliginous: misty, dim, obscure, dark, gloomy, tenebrous

Equestrian: of, relating to, or featuring horseback riding

Vicissitudes: changes of circumstances of fortune 

Bravura: music term, brilliant technique or style in performance, piece requiring high skill

Tellurian: terrestrial, inhabiting the earth, pertaining to the earth, earthen

Providence: divine guidance or care, divine foresight

Incorporeal: immaterial, ghostly, ethereal, lacking material form or substance 

Cognomen: familial name, surname, especially a third name

Marionette: a puppet bound by strings and controlled with wooden bars

Surreptitious: stealthy, kept secret, hidden

Nautilus: cephalopod mollusk, usually fossilized

Diaspora: dissemination, dispersion, random or selective re-distribution

Vista: view, prospect, perspective, spectrum of peripheral boundaries

Cynosure: that which garners great attention by calling to its brilliance, interest

8th

I really would like to further discuss these words, the sole problem being the sheer number of them.


Lucubration: laborious study or meditation, writing produced by laborious effort or study
Infinitesimal: so small as to approach zero, immeasurably or incalculably minute
Machination: intrigue, crafty and involved plot to achieve typically sinister ends
Concatenate: to link together, unite in a series or chain
Selcouth: unusual, rare, unique, or strange
Demesne: a lord’s privately owned manor or section of land
Noctilucence: cloud phenomenon typified by lights at night, visible or glowing at night
Aviatrix: female aviator
Susurrus: a whisper, something which resembles a whisper
Propinquity: nearness in place, approximate location, proximity, vicinity
Myopic: nearsighted, unable or unwilling to act wisely, lacking tolerance or insight
Clerisy: the well-educated or learned class, intelligentsia, cognoscenti
Oeillade: an amorous glance, ogle
Phantasmagoria: shifting series of phantasms, illusions, or deceptive images
Omniscient: having total knowledge, knowing everything, having infinite wisdom
Poignant: profoundly moving, touching, physically or emotionally painful
Epigone: inferior imitator, disciple, second-rate replica, counterfeit
Sestina: poem of six six-line stanzas and a three-line envoy
Ineluctable: unavoidable, inescapable, inevitable, not to be avoided, changed, or resisted
Microscopic: so small as to be invisible or indistinct without the use of the microscope
Promethean: boldly creative, defiantly original, deviating genius

Spoonerism: transposition of sounds of two or more words, especially a ludicrous one 

Hoarfrost: rime, frozen dew that forms a white coating on a surface 

Ichor: fluid that flows like blood in the veins of the gods, any bloodlike fluid

Tesserect: four-dimensional equivalent or analogue of a cube

Bezaleel: the shadow of God, God’s shadow

Zeitgeist: spirit of the time, the taste and outlook characteristics of a period or generation

Catharsis: purgation, emotional purification, relieving of emotional tensions

Athanasy: quality of being deathless, immortality

Esoterica: item or thing that is esoteric, obscure, rare, or valuable

Magisterial: of, relating to, or having the features of a master or teacher, authoritative

Pellucid: translucently clear, limpid, lucid, transparently shimmering

Helix: a spiral, spiral-shaped object or string

Ocarina: a simple wind instrument or toy having a mouthpiece and fingerholes

Tincture: trace or vestige, color or tint, substance that colors, dyes, or stains, infusion

Velleity: flimsy wish or desire

Salubrious: health-giving, healthy, healthful, relating to good health

Apothegm: terse, witty, instructive saying, maxim, generally accepted truth, aphorism

Vitriolic: filled with bitter criticism or malice, acerbic

Etiolate: to stunt growth, deprive of strength , to whiten by blocking sunlight exposure

Azoth: mythologized universal solvent, panacea

Paradigm: clearly defined archetype, typical example or pattern of something 

Eutectic: of, relating to, or formed at the lowest temperature, as in a melting point

Claviger: one that keeps or has the keys, custodian, warden

Parabola: mathematical term, looks akin to a “u” or “n”

Page 7

If you want a good vocabulary, read often. Also, remember often.


Succor: to aid or assist in a time of need, assistance
Macabre: gruesome, disturbing or horrifying due to concern with death and/or injury
Terminus: destination, ultimate point, final point in space or time, an end or extremity
Camouflage: actions or devices intended to disguise or mislead, usually natural
Abacus: frame with rows of grooves along which beads are slid, used for calculating
Tristiloquy: speech characterized by sadness or gloominess
Immolate: to kill, sacrifice, or destroy, almost always with fire
Cynegetics: the art or arts related to hunting of animals, people, or things
Mammon: pelf, greed, wealth as a device of evil or false object of worship and devotion
Silhouette: picture as an outline, often a human profile, filled in by a solid color
Anthropomorphic: described or thought of as having a human form or human attributes
Cosmonaut: Russian or Soviet astronaut
Burnish: to polish, the shine of a polished surface
Kitsch: something of tawdry design or content created to have popular appeal, camp
Zweihander: large sword designated to be used with two hands
Dichotomy: division into two usually contrary parts or opinions, division into two sects
Elision: omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation
Seraphim: pl. six-winged angels
Vigesimal: based on, pertaining to or related to 20
Incunabulum: book printed before 1501
Conflagration: large destructive fire, holocaust, inferno

Blatherskite: babbling, foolish person, person given to voluble, senseless talk

Ragnarok: “Twilight of the Gods”, destruction of the world, great devastation

Crambazzle: worn-out old man, curmudgeon, rabblerousing old-timer

Bivouac: temporary military or squad encampment

Homoeuteleuton: rhetoric in which alike words or phrases are used like rhymes

Amaranth: deep-hued purple, flower, metaphor for immortality 

Nepotism: bias shown to relatives(e.g. hiring them based on connection instead of merits)

Fysigunkus: person devoid of curiosity, insouciant person

Clinquant: glittering as gold, glittering with tinsel, showily ornate

Prurient: having, relating to, or typified by lascivious or lustful thoughts or desires

Excelsior: fine, curled wood shavings

Amphora: ceramic, two-handled vase with a narrow neck, usually contains alcohol

Morceau: a small literary or musical composition

Phlox: genus of American herbs

Repudiate: to reject the validity or authority of, refuse to accept or be associated with 

Marasmus: protein deficiency, state of emaciation

Vavasor: superior vassal with other vassals beneath

Litterateur: literary-minded person, one devoted to the study or writing of literature 

Eidetic: of, relating to, or marked by extremely detailed and vivid recall of visual images 

Saccade: any of the rapid jumps the eyes make from fixed points to others, as in reading 

Dilettante: one who dabbles in an occupation or hobby without serious intent

Aeneous: brassy, golden-green

Subjugate: enslave, vanquish, bring under domination or control, usually by conquest 

Otiose: indolent, lazy, serving no useful purpose, futile, being a leisure

6th Page of Coolest

Ahem, words, words, words.


Crucifix: representation of the cross on which Jesus died
Stygian: gloomy and dark, infernal, hellish, of or relating to the river Styx
Aerolith: meteorite, specific type of meteorite
Catacombs: pl. vault, tomb, crypt, ossuary, often labyrinthine
Hendiadys: rhetoric, such as grace and favor instead of gracious favor
Escadrille: a small squadron, usually of six, a small team, typically of six airplanes
Panjandrum: important or self-important person, self-important, pompous official
Ubiquitous: being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time, omnipresent
Breviloquence: speech characterized by brevity, shortness, briefness
Tergiversate: equivocate, to change one's attitude or opinions rapidly
Antanaclasis: stylistic trope of repeating a word, but with a different meaning each time
Elenchus: logical refutation by proving the opposite, argument thereof
Pantomime: communication through gestures and facial movements
Oeuvre: the corpus of an author, canon, or a collective symposium
Cataphract: suit of armor for a man and horse
Anathema: malison,  strong curse, that which one vehemently despises
Perturb: disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed
Quaff: to drink, to drink heartily
Arithmetic: branch of math dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers
Concomitant: phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something, concurrent
Alchemy: ancient chemistry, arcane chemistry, science of elements made to educe effects

Omniligent: reading or having read everything, characterized by encyclopedic reading

Jackanapes: impudent person, impertinent person, dislikable person

Sobriquet: nickname, moniker, adopted name

Cumulonimbus: type of cloud that augurs, foretells, or indicates bad weather

Paroxysm: convulsion, sudden attack or violent expression of an emotion or activity 

Testament: person’s last will, that which serves as evidence of a specific event or quality

Obtenebrate: to darken as if by shadowing, to darken, to make dark or evil

Circuitous: having a circular or winding course, indirect, roundabout

Arpeggio: notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending 

Misericordia: amercement(law), thin-bladed dagger, luxury given to a member of a sect

Edifice: large building, construct, complex set of beliefs

Cloister: monastatic establishment, convent of living

Sybarite: person devoted to pleasure and luxury, a voluptuary, hedonist

Altazimuth: mount for astronomical telescopes that shows horizontal and vertical rotation 

Opprobrium: harsh criticism, censure, obloquy, disgrace due to poor social conduct

Emissary: an agent sent on a mission to represent or advance the interests of another 

Cadaver: corpse, specifically one dressed for a procedure

Lugubrious: gloomy or dismal, especially exaggerated

Vanguard: foremost leading group in an army, position of forefront of new developments

Berceuse: lullaby, song used to put someone to sleep

Intransigent: refusing to conduct a position, usually an extreme one, uncompromising 

Eschatology: philosophy or theology focused on the end of the world or analysis thereof

Dyspeptic: having a morose disposition, relating to dyspepsia, irritable

Photon: physics term, a quantum of electromagnetic radiation or energy

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

PAX

It's impossible to adequately describe everything great that went on at PAX. "Slitmoist". That's all I can muster in a dizzy delirium elicited from three days that ran parallel to the real world. One of the best times of my life. I could go on and entertain why it was such a great thing as a juncture of selective social communiques and how virtually everyone there had at least 3 points of mutual interest, but I won't, because if you weren't there, you missed a meteoric event. Shit was ballin', yo.

Phantom Post. Leaving for PAX East tomorrow. OC will re-emerge next Monday.

Refer to the bottom post to slake any interest.

Prettiest Words: A Work in Progress

Prettiest Words, Alphabetized (1,027)

Abattoir: a slaughterhouse; massacre

Absinthe: wormwood liquor of a bright-green color

Acciaccatura: grace note, an embellishing note usually written in smaller size

Acedia: ennui; state of torpor or listlessness; spiritual apathy

Acervuline: aggregated, heaped up, bundled, collected or localized

Acidulous: somewhat acidic or sour in taste or manner; somewhat sarcastic

Acolyte: ranked clergy member; assistant in liturgical rites

Acoustic: of or relating to sound, the sense of hearing, or the science of sound

Acquiesce: to passively accept; to accept, comply, or submit passively

Adroit: quick or skillful; adept in action or thought

Adumbrate: to explain faintly or opaquely outline; describe

Aeipathy: continued passion; unyielding disease

Aeneous: brassy; a type of golden-green

Aeolian: pertaining to, of, related to, caused by or like the wind or Aeolus

Aeonian: continuing forever; eternal

Aerial: of, in, or caused by the air; existing or living in the air

Aesthete: person who appreciates art or beauty

Aestival: pertaining to, relating, designating, or of summer

Aeviternal: eternal, endless, never-ending

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

Aileron: small moveable platforms on the back of plane wings that alter air movements

Ailurophile: cat-lover, one who loves or appreciates cats

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

Alienate: to estrange; to cause to become unfriendly or hostile

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

Allegretto: music term, moderately fast tempo

Alleviate: to allay; to lessen in pain or negative occurrence or consequence

Alloquy: speaking to another; an address

Allure: attraction; temptation; to attract with something desirable

Alluvium: unconsolidated sediments carried by water

Amaranth: deep-hued purple; a type of purple flower; used as a metaphor for immortality

Amber: light brown; light yellow

Ambience: atmosphere; a particular environment or surrounding influence; aura

Ambivalence: simultaneous, conflicted feelings towards a thing, person, etc.

Ambrosia: the food of the gods; something overpoweringly delicious or fragrant

Ameliorate: to make better; improve, enhance

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

Amethyst: deep purple; deep-purple gemstone

Amnesia: partial or total loss of memory

Amphisbaena: Greek mythological being, a two-headed snake with a head on each end

Amphora: ceramic, two-handled vase with a narrow neck, usually containing alcohol

Amulet: a charm against evil or impurity, often a piece of jewelry

Analemma: sundial, figure-8 indicating sun’s position

Ancestry: the inception or origin of a phenomenon, object, idea, or style; lineage

Andante: music, moderately slow

Anemone: a flowery marine creature

Antebellum: before or existing before a war, especially the American civil war

Anxiolytic: preventing or reducing anxiety; antianxiety medication; tranquilizer

Aperitif: alcoholic drink taken as an appetizer before a meal

Aphelion: point indicated when the orbit of the earth is furthest from the sun

Aphesis: omission of sound or verbiage at the beginning of a word or phrase

Aphotic: devoid of light, especially of areas where no light naturally occurs

Apocope: omission of sound or verbiage at the end of a word or phrase

Apophenia: the perception of or belief in connectedness among unrelated phenomena

Apoplexy: stroke; impairment or neuralgia from cerebral hemorrhage

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

Apostasy: abandonment of one's religious faith, political party, one's principles, or a cause

Apostolicity: being of or contemporary with the Apostles in character

Apotheosis: deification; quintessence; exaltation to divine rank or stature

Apropos: appropriate of; appropriate

Aquarelle: painting done in transparent watercolors; watercolor; watercolor painting

Aqueous: of, relating to, or resembling water; made from, with, or by water

Aquiline: resembling an eagle’s beak; hooked like a beak

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

Aria: air or song; a melody, solo in an opera accompanied by instrumentation

Artemisia: type of plant, genus of aromatic shrubs or herbs

Ascertain: to understand specific facts; to ferret out information

Ashlar: a squared block of building stone and dressed for outward placement

Asphodel: a type of flower, often associated with the Underworld

Astral: of or pertaining to the aster; stellar; star-shaped; pertaining to the stars

Asylum: refuge; a place to restore sanity or facilitate recovery

Atelier: an artist’s studio; a place designated to create or perform art

Athanasy: quality of being deathless; immortality

Athenaeum: institution for the promotion of literary or scientific learning; phrontistery

Aubade: poem or song about or evocative dawn or morning, the opposite of nocturne

Auburn: moderate reddish-brown

Aura: distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere; emanation

Austere: severe or stern in disposition, discipline, or appearance; somber and grave

Autumnal: pertaining to, like, relating, or evocative of autumn

Auxiliary: additional, supplementary; reserve; acting as a subsidiary

Avarice: extreme greed for wealth or material gain

Avenue: wide street or thoroughfare; roadway lined with tress

Azalea: type of plant, a common garden plant

Azoth: mythologized universal solvent; panacea

Azuline: light blue; similar to a light blue

Azure: sky-blue or a light blue

Baccalaureate: bachelor’s degree; valedictory speech

Balustrade: architectural term, series of balusters or parapet

Banderilla: a decorated dart that is shot into the neck of the bull during a bull fight

Bardiglio: finely-grained, multi-gray Italian marble

Basilica: large, public building the Romans used, usually as a courtroom or meeting hall

Bastille: imprisonment, jail, prison

Bayonet: blade adapted to fit the muzzle-end of a rifle and as a weapon in close combat

Belladonna: a type of plant, highly poisonous; “pretty woman”

Belle-lettres: “beautiful letters” aesthetic literature, as opposed to didactic

Bellicose: inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious

Bellwether: leader or indicator of future trends, trendsetter

Belvedere: roofed structure, on top of another building, which commands a large view

Berceuse: lullaby; song used to put someone to sleep

Bethesda: a hallowed, sanctified, or holy place; a chapel; holy ground

Bezaleel: the shadow of God, God’s shadow

Bibelot: trinket, bauble; small object which is rare or valuable or beautiful; a small book

Bibliophile: someone who loves (and usually collects) books; book collector

Bijouterie: pl. trinkets or jewelry, gallery thereof, display thereof

Bivouac: temporary military or squad encampment

Blaze: bright flame of fire; bright steady light or glare; hot gleam

Blellum: an idle, indiscreet talker; noisy fainéant

Bliss: joy, rapture, elation, felicity

Blithe: carefree, nonchalant; heedless; lacking concern; joyous

Blossom: billowing; period or condition of flowering or growth

Bloviate: to make pompous or arrogant discourse

Boeotian: marked by stupidity and philistinism; crudely obtuse; loutish

Borasca: a squall, usually accompanied by thunder and lightning

Bordereau: a detailed note or memorandum of account

Boulevard: broad street, avenue; broad spectrum of something

Bouleversement: reversal of fortunes; overturning; tumult

Bourgeoisie: the middle class; the middle class in Communist theory

Braggadocio: arrogant person; braggart; arrogant or boastful behavior

Brecciate: to form rock into breccia (rocks made of sharp fragments set in a grainy matrix)

Breeze: gentle push of the wind

Breviloquence: speech characterized by brevity; shortness, briefness

Brevity: briefness; swiftness; evanescence

Bricolage: something made or put together using any materials that happen are available

Brio: joie de vivre; vivacity; alacrity; gusto; esprit

Burnish: to polish; the shine of a polished surface

Caballero: skilled horseman; gentleman; cavalier

Cabaret: a restaurant with live entertainment

Cadence: rhythmic flow of the sounds of language; lilt

Cadenza: musical or literary improvisation

Caesious: a type of bluish gray

Caesura: a pause in a line of verse, usually in poetry

Calico: coarse, brightly printed cloth; a type of pattern

Caliginous: misty; dim; obscure; dark; gloomy; tenebrous

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

Callipygian: having a beautiful, admirable, or sexy butt

Callow: immature; green, lacking experience; naïve

Calypso: a type of rare orchid; a tribal and fervid dance

Cancrizans: backwards movement; crab walking; music moving backwards

Candelabra: pl. branched candlestick with several candles

Canticle: a song, poem, or hymn, usually of a church choir

Capriccio: music, improvisation, without adherence to rules

Capriccioso: music, lively and free of restraint, restriction, or direction

Capricious: impulsive; whimsical; unpredictable

Caress: touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner

Cartesian: of or relating to the philosophy of Descartes

Cascarilla: West Indian shrub with aromatic bark, typically used in incense or tonics

Catena: closely linked series; connected series of related things, especially of writing

Cathismata: pl. one of the 20 divisions in a Greek Psalter

Cavil: to object or criticize adversely for trivial reasons; flimsy objection or qualm

Cedilla: a diacritic beneath a letter designed to alter pronunciation “façade”

Celadon: a type of pale green

Celeripedean: quick-footed; swift; fast-running

Celerity: speed; alacrity; briskness

Celesta: ancient musical instrument

Celestial: heavenly; of a higher plane; empyreal; pertaining to or of space

Cello: large, stringed instrument that generates deep tones

Cellophane: thin, flexible, transparent cellulose material used as moisture-proof wrapping

Cellular: pertaining to cells or their structure; containing cells

Cellulite: fatty deposit causing a dimpled appearance, as around the thighs or buttocks

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

Cenotaph: an unmarked grave

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

Cerulean: a type of watery blue

Cerumen: yellow, wax-like secretion from the external ears; “earwax”

Cessation: pause; interruption; ceasing; ending

Chalice: cup for consecrated wine; goblet

Chamois: goatlike antelope; type of cloth for cleaning

Champagne: a type of bubbling alcohol with fruity taste

Chandelier: ceiling-mounted light fixture or glass structure

Chantpleure: to cry while singing; to cry and sing simultaneously

Chariot: two or four-wheeled, horse-drawn war or procession vehicle

Chartreuse: a type of swampy green

Chatelaine: the mistress or lady of a castle or large household

Chatoyant: like or resembling a cat’s eye

Chauffer: a designated paid driver for formal occasions

Cheilion: the corner of the mouth or oral cavity

Chevelure: head of hair; hair on the head; tresses; a nebulous aura (as around a comet)

Chiaroscuro: composition of strong contrasts in light and dark

Chiasmus: rhetorical term, inverse sentence, “One should eat to live, not live to eat”

Choreography: the art of creating and arranging dances or ballets

Cicada: loud, locust-like insect that chirrups

Cigány: gypsy; Hungarian gypsy

Cinder: burned substance, one which is no longer capable of combustion

Cinnabar: bright red; glowing red

Cinquefoil: five-leave; plant with limbs that are five-leaved; five-pointed leaves

Circlet: ring-shaped ornament or piece of jewelry, especially for the head

Circuitous: having a circular or winding course; indirect; roundabout

Circular: of, like, related to, or resembling a circle

Cislunar: of or relating to the space between earth and the moon or the moon’s orbit

Cistern: an underground reservoir

Citadel: bulwark; a fortress or stronghold; refuge

Cithara: ancient Greek instrument, like a lyre

Civility: formal or perfunctory politeness; state of being civil

Clandestine: kept secretly or done secretively

Clarion: medieval trumpet with clear shrill tones; clear and shrill; loud burst of sound

Clavicle: the collarbone of a human

Clavilux: an odd machine that generates light to the rhythm of music

Cleanse: to free from dirt, defilement, or guilt; purge or clean

Clemency: mercy; an act of mercy; showing mercy

Clerisy: the well-educated or learned class; intelligentsia; cognoscenti

Clinquant: glittering as gold; glittering with tinsel; showily ornate

Clithridiate: keyhole-shaped; resembling a keyhole

Cloister: monastatic establishment; convent of living

Coalesce: to fuse, intersect, or entwine to create a unity; to unify by an external means

Coelacanth: a type of prehistoric fish, initially thought to be extinct

Coercion: the act of coercing; the use of pressure, threats, blackmail, or intimidation

Collectanea: selection of pieces of writing by an author or by several authors

Colliquate: to change from solid to liquid; to liquefy

Colloquial: informal, as in speech; conversationally informal

Colophon: inscription at the end of a book; an identifying emblem for a book

Coloratura: elaborate or technical vocal music with florid ornamentation

Comestibles: items suitable to be eaten; edible sundries; articles of food; victuals

Communiqué: an official announcement; bulletin board; a dispatch; an official report

Conciliabule: secret meeting of conspirators

Conciliate: to win over from a state of hostility or distrust; appease

Concinnity: harmony in the arrangement or fitness of parts with respect to a whole

Concupiscence: lasciviousness; lewdness; ardent lust

Congelifraction: splitting or disintegration of rocks as a result of the freezing of the water

Constellation: specific arrangement of stars to form an image

Convalesce: to recover or recuperate; recover from a serious injury

Copse: thicket of small trees or shrubs; a coppice; small wood; a tree

Coquelicot: a type of plant, red poppy

Coquette: woman who makes teasing sexual or romantic overtures; a flirt or tease

Coracle: small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a frame

Cordillera: group of mountain ranges forming a mountain system of great linear extent

Coriander: a type of aromatic herb, herb used in a variety of perfumes

Corinthian: pertaining to Corinth or its culture, architectural term

Cortical: of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of cortex

Coruscate: sparkle; reflect brightly; shimmer

Cosmology: study of the physical universe considered a mass of phenomena in spacetime

Cosmopolitan: pertaining to the world at large, without localized prejudices

Coterie: tightly-knit group of persons having a common purpose or interest; cadre, clique

Craquelure: fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of paintings

Crescendo: music, gradual increase of tempo, volume, or intensity

Crystal: mineral with many possible permutations; gemstone-like

Cumulonimbus: type of cloud that augurs, foretells, or indicates bad weather

Cuneiform: wedge-shaped; Sumerian language

Curlicue: fancy curl or twist; flourish of writing

Cursive: flowing, effusive, wavy, type on handwriting in English

Curvilinear: consisting of or bound by curved lines; represented by a curved line

Cuvette: a small, transparent, often tubular laboratory vessel

Cyan: a type of greenish-blue

Cyaneous: a type of deep blue, cerulean

Cygnet: a baby swan; young swan

Cylinder: long, tubular geometric shape rendered in three dimensions

Cymbal: percussive instrument, usually attached to a drum kit

Cynophilist: dog-lover; one who loves or appreciates dogs

Cynosure: that which garners great attention by calling to its brilliance; interest

Cypress: type of swampy tree or plant, plant or tree occurring in swamps

Cytherean: pertaining to beauty or the goddess, Aphrodite

Daedalian: intelligent; crafty; deft; practical; pertaining to Daedalus

Dalliance: flirtation; dawdling; procrastination; frivolous action

Daphnean: shy; timid; demure; modest; bashful

Dapple: a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters; different tones and hues

Dawn: daybreak; first light of day; the onset of an idea; enlightenment

Decrescendo: gradual lowering of tempo in music or in a situation

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

Deign: to condescend to do something thought to be slightly beneath one's dignity

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

Delineate: to describe, explain, or demonstrate

Deliquesce: to dissolve; transform into liquid from a solid

Delirium: state of mental disarray and unstable consciousness from intoxication or fever

Delitescent: hidden, concealed; kept secret

Dell: small, usually wooded valley; vale

Delphic: brotherly; oracular or prophetic

Demarche: course of action; maneuver; specific movement

Demesne: a lord’s privately owned manor or section of land

Demure: shy; modest; reserved in demeanor or behavior; having sedate reserve or sobriety

Denouement: final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot

Desuetude: state of disuse; state of uselessness

Diablerie: dealing with the devil or devils; witchcraft; sorcery; consorting with demons

Diaphanous: light; delicate; gossamer; translucent

Diaspora: dissemination, dispersion; random or selective re-distribution

Dilettante: one who dabbles in an occupation or hobby without serious intent

Dioscuric: describing a twin, whether person or event, of a twin; of a duplicate

Dislodge: to remove or force out from a position or dwelling previously occupied

Dissemble: disguise or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to mislead

Dissimulate: to conceal or disguise; to hide with the intent of deceit

Divisi: music term, divided, separated

Dulcet: sweet-sounding; mellisonant

Dulciloquy: speech characterized by sounding soft or sweet

Dulcimer: stringed instrument having three or four strings and a fretted fingerboard

Dulcinea: sweetheart; lovely person; one whom a person loves or cares about

Dyslexia: disorder in which lexical figures are perceived in a chaotic order

Ebon: black; made of ebony

Echelon: tier; level; rank in job; formation of soldiers

Echo: a repetition of sound produced by the reflection of sound

Echolalia: immediate and involuntary repetition of words or phrases just spoken by others

Eclipsareon: a device for illustrating and demonstrating eclipses

Eclipse: any obscuration of light; reduction or loss of splendor, status, or reputation

Effervesce: to bubble over; to boil with frothy bubbles; to excite

Effleurage: a light, stroking movement used in massage; a soft caress

Effluvium: foul discharge or emanation; emission

Efflux: something that flows out or forth; effluence; passing or an expiration, as of time

Effulgent: marked by as if by brightly shining light; coruscating; shimmering

Effusive: gushing out or expressive; moving; cascading

Eglantine: a type of plant, European rose; sweetbrier

Eiderdown: the down of a duck used as stuffing for quilts or pillows

Eidolon: ghost, specter; reappearing; continuously visiting or persisting image

Élan: esprit; brio; gusto; ardor; vivacity

Elapse: to pass or go by; to happen

Elasticity: quality or state of being elastic; the tendency to keep shape after stretching

Elation: quality or state of being elated; feeling or state of great joy or pride

Eleemosynary: of, relating to, or dependent on charity; contributed as an act of charity

Element: fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity

Eleven: the eleventh integer in a series, “11”

Elicit: to bring or draw out (something latent); educe; summon; to provoke a reaction

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

Elixir: solution of alcohol and water; substance believed to maintain life indefinitely

Ellipsis: omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction

Elliptical: of, relating to, or having the shape of an ellipse; with a word or words omitted

Eloign: to move away a distance; to move a distance with something concealed

Eloquence: well-stated speech; flowing language; articulated speech and proper execution

Elucidate: to explain further; clarify; to elaborate upon

Elusive: difficult to find, catch, or achieve; avoiding or having a tendency to avoid or evade

Elysian: blissful, delightful; pertaining to the Elysian Fields or Elysium

Elysium: a section of the underworld, the resting place of heroes and the virtuous

Emaciate: to make abnormally thin or weak, typically due to illness

Emanation: emission; something that is issued by a source

Embarcadero: a landing place, especially a landing place on an island waterway

Ember: small, glowing fleck of burning wood or coal

Emerald: deep, dark green; dark green gemstone

Emissary: an agent sent on a mission to represent or advance the interests of another

Emission: discharge; emanation; chemical release

Emollient: substance that softens and soothes the skin; lotion

Empyreal: related to the empyrean; celestial

Emulate: to strive to equal or excel, especially through imitation

Emulsify: to pour liquid into another non-soluble; creating visible density

Enamel: vitreous, usually opaque, protective or decorative coating or shell

Enceinte: pregnant, carrying a baby, gravid; line of fortification enclosing a town or castle

Encomium: formal, enthusiastic praise; abundant, exuberant expression of admiration

Enhalo: to affix with a halo; to cause to wear a halo; to encircle; surround

Ennui: listlessness; weariness; discontent

Ensconce: establish or settle in a safe, secure, or comfy place

Epée: fencing sword or blade without a cutting edge

Epergne: table centerpiece; object designated as a centerpiece

Ephebe: young man; swain, young suitor

Ephemeral: brief; transient; evanescent

Epicede: dirge, requiem; funeral song or ode

Epicurean: hedonistic; gastronomical; pertaining to good taste

Epigone: inferior imitator; disciple; second-rate replica; counterfeit

Epileptic: pertaining to epilepsy; flickering rapidly; seizing

Epiphany: revelation of thought, typically conceived after an eventful experience

Epistle: a formal letter; a letter with a cachet

Epitaph: an inscription on a tombstone

Epithelium: a type of body tissue

Epitome: a perfect example of a particular quality or type

Equestrian: of, relating to, or featuring horseback riding

Equinox: an annual event wherein after the sun reaches a height, night and day occur simultaneously

Equipoise: equal distribution of weight or balance; balanced

Eristic: characterized by disputatious, often subtle and specious reasoning

Escadrille: a small squadron, usually of six; a small team, typically of six airplanes

Escalade: the act of scaling a wall, usually with a ladder or rope

Escamotage: juggling; hand trickery; sleight of hand; legerdemain

Escarole: type of green chicory

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

Escritoire: writing desk; desk designed for studies

Esculent: edible; able or safe to be eaten

Esoterica: item or thing that is esoteric, obscure, rare, or valuable

Esper: a being of advanced mentality or with psychic abilities

Esprit: brio; wit; vivacity; joie de vivre

Essence: intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to typify or identify something

Esssse: pl. archaic plural of ashes

Estuary: inlet or arm of the sea; an open river that connects to the sea

Esurient: hungry; greedy; hedonistic in pursuit of things

Ethereal: heavenly; airy in substance; spectral; insubstantial and light

Etiolate: to stunt growth; to deprive of strength; to whiten by blocking sunlight exposure

Etude: a piece of music designed for didactic purposes

Eunoia: normal mental health; beautiful thinking

Euphonious: nice-sounding; sounding pretty

Euphoria: feeling of great happiness or well-being; felicity

Evanescent: brief; transient; ephemeral

Evaporation: the act of liquid dissipating or drying due to humidity or exposure

Eviscerate: to disembowel; exenterate; to remove the viscera of something

Evocative: that which evokes; something that reminds, inspires, or impresses

Excelsior: fine, curled wood shavings

Exclusion: the act of excluding; the act of shutting out or preventing entrance

Existential: of, relating to, or dealing with existence; pertaining to existentialism

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

Exuviate: to shed a shell; molt; unsheathe

Façade: affected aura or mannerisms to beguile or deceive

Facility: building made or used for convenience; ease of moving or doing; aptitude

Facsimile: copy or reproduction of an item, typically a book

Fainéant: sluggard; do-nothing; ne’er-do-well; idle and ineffectual

Falciform: falcate; curved; convex; sickle-shaped

Famished: extremely hungry; ravenous; starved

Famulus: sorcerer’s apprentice or assistant

Felicity: state of happiness; joy; ecstasy

Fissure: long narrow opening; a crack or cleft; process of splitting or separating; division

Fleur-de-lys: stylized insignia of a lily

Foliage: plant leaves or greenery, as a collective

Formulaic: being of no special quality or type; average; routine; undistinguished

Forte: niche in which a person excels

Foudroyant: dazzling; scintillating; sudden and overwhelming

Frescade: a cool, breezy walk; a shady place; a relaxing place with ample shade

Frolic: to behave playfully and candidly; romp; to engage in flirting, joking, or teasing

Frost: hoarfrost; degree or state of coldness; covering of minute ice needles

Fuchsia: bright pinkish-purple

Fuliginous: having the color of soot; dark; dusky; charcoal-colored

Fumarole: hole in an area of volcanic activity from which gases and hot smoke escape

Fumulus: a thin cloud resembling a veil and forming at any level

Furrow: to wrinkle; a wrinkle, a rut, groove, or trench

Fuselage: central body of an aircraft, to which the wings and tail assembly are attached

Fusillade: salvo; rapid discharge of firearms

Galaxy: collection of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity

Gale: a harsh gust of wind; a strong current of wind

Galleria: spacious passageway, court, or indoor mall, usually with a vaulted roof; gallery

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

Gambol: to skip or jump merrily

Gaucherie: awkwardness; inexperience; embarrassments

Girandole: a mirror having attached candle holders

Glacial: slow; staggering; of or pertaining to glaciers or ice sheets

Glimpse: brief, incomplete view or look; to glance at

Glisten: to shine by reflection with a sparkling luster; coruscate; shimmer

Gloaming: dusk, twilight, evening, vesper

Gloom: sadness; melancholy; depression

Glyph: a sigil or specific insignia; a letter of language; an arcane mark

Gossamer: delicate; light; flimsy; transparent and thin, like a spider’s silk

Gracile: gracefully slender or thin; graceful

Grandeur: splendor; magnificence; quality or state of being grand

Grazioso: a direction in music, graceful, smooth, or elegant in style

Hacienda: the main building of a farm or ranch

Halcyon: legendary kingfisher; tranquil, calm, without strife, serene

Hallucinate: to affect or be affected with visions or imaginary perceptions

Hazel: light brown or light yellow

Heath: plain tract of wasteland; uncultivated land

Hegemony: predominant influence; dominance, supremacy, preeminence

Heliotrope: a type of purple flower; a light purple

Helix: a spiral; spiral-shaped object or string

Henna: reddish-brown dye used in tinting the hair, skin, or nails

Hubris: excessive pride; overbearing arrogance

Hue: gradation or variety of a color

Humiliate: to enervate or embarrass through specific actions or events

Hyacinth: tropical, American herb; red, transparent variety of zircon used as a gemstone

Icicle: a sliver of tapered, frozen water, usually hanging from something

Idyllic: Like an idyll; extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque

Ilium: upper part of the bony femur at the hip joint

Illusion: erroneous mental representation;  false image made by outside force or the mind

Illusory: produced by, based on, or having the nature of an illusion; deceptive

Illustrate: to clarify or explain with examples or comparisons

Imbroglio: extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation

Imbue: to embed with a quality, to inspire or permeate with a feeling or quality

Immaculate: spotless; free of sin; without blemish or impurity

Immure: to enclose with walls; ensconce

Impedimenta: pl. things that hinder growth or movement

Impetus: a drive or compelling force; motivation; a reason to do something

Impluvium: of a Roman house, rectangular pool in an atrium used to gather rain water

Imprimatur: a sign or mark of approval; insignia of approval

Incalescent: becoming hotter or growing more ardent; boiling

Incarnadine: pinkish; flesh-colored; blood-red

Incense: to induce rage; infuriate; aromatic element designed to induce relaxation

Incipient: in or at an initial stage; beginning to exist or appear

Incisive: penetrating; clear, and sharp, as in operation or expression

Incunabula: pl. book printed before 1501

Indolence: laziness; extreme ease or comfort

Ineffable: indescribable; impossible to describe; enchantingly amazing

Inertia: tendency of a body to resist acceleration, “a body at rest wants to stay at rest”

Influenza: acute contagious viral infection, commonly called the “flu”

Ingénue: a naive, innocent girl or young woman

Inglenook: a nook or corner beside an open fireplace; chimney corner

Ingravescent: gradually becoming more severe; worsening, usually of a medical condition

Innocent: without sin; pure, free from legal or specific wrong; guiltless; naïve; simple

Inoccuity: the quality or state of being harmless, trifling, or insipid

Inoculate: introduce an idea or view into the mind of; to inculcate; to inject a serum or vaccine

Insipid: lacking flavor or zest; lacking excitement, stimulation, or interest; dull; vapid

Intaglio: an engraving or incised figure in stone or other hard material

Inundate: deluge; to fill quickly beyond capacity; to cover with water; drench; overwhelm

Inure: to take effect or to become accustomed to something, typically unpleasant

Iris: the colored portion of the eye that encircles the pupil

Iscariotic: traitorous; treacherous; given to betrayal; having committed betrayal

Isinglass: thin sheet(s) of translucent mica

Isosceles: of a triangle, having two equal sides

Isthmus: narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land

Ivory: pure white color; material derived from elephant tusks

Jacqueminot: a type of flower, a crimson rose

Jaunt: short excursion for pleasure; brief stay

Jejune: naïve; juvenile; simplistic; uninteresting; superficial

Juxtapose: to place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast

Kaleidoscope: optical item that utilizes mirrors to create interior symmetrical visions

Kismet: fate; fortune; chance; faith in fate, chance, or fortune

Knell: to ring slowly and solemnly; funeral bell-ring

L’esprit de l’escalier: “staircase wit”, the usage of a witty retort after the moment has passed

Labial: pertaining to, of, or utilizing the lips

Labyrinth: maze; puzzling complex or circuitous plan

Lacerate: to cut or tear irregularly; to distress; mangle

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

Lacquer: varnish that dries via evaporation

Lacuna: omission or empty space; gap in chronology

Lagniappe: gift for extended patronage; gift or compensation for valued customers

Lambent: glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft radiance

Laminate: to beat or compress into a thin plate or sheet; to divide into thin layers

Languid: characterized by disinclination for physical exertion

Laodicean: indifferent or lukewarm in politics and or religion

Lapis Lazuli: a gemstone of intense blue

Largesse: the generous giving of gifts; a generous or courteous gift; charitable donation

Lascivious: lewd, lustful, prurient

Lassitude: weariness; lack of energy or motivation

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

Lattice: open framework of material, typically in a crisscross pattern

Lavadero: a laundry room; a place designated for washing gold

Lavender:  a type of light purple; a type of flower; an oft perfumed scent

Lavish: expended, bestowed, or occurring in large amounts; using or giving in great amounts

Layer: single thickness of a material covering a surface

Legerity: mental or physical agility, dexterity, or quickness

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

Lemniscate: the infinity symbol; any figure-eight symbol

Lemonade: beverage typically consisting of lemon juice, sugar, and water

Lesbian: female sexually attracted to other women, exclusively

Lethe: the condition of forgetfulness; oblivion

Leveret: baby rabbit; a young rabbit

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

Levitation: the act of floating; supernatural floating

Lexiphanes: pretentious word user; bombastic or magniloquent person

Liaison: illicit sexual relationship; case of contact between two parties, usually a person

Libeccio: southwest wind occurring in Italy

Lilliputian: very small, tiny; pertaining to Lilliput

Lilt: cadence of voice; rhythm of language or sentences; good vocal or musical structure

Limerence: extended infatuation or crush, contrast love

Limn: to delineate via depictions or suffuse things with light

Limousine: slender car used for formal occasions, notably expensive

Limpid: unclouded; clear; lucid; defined and deep

Lineaments: pl. the distinguishing or characteristic features of something immaterial

Linguistics: pl. the study of human speech, languages, and writing

Linoleum: a type of floor covering

Liquid: a state of matter, compare gas and solid; readiness to flow; a type of sound

Lissom: supple; easily bent; lithe; flexible

Listless: lacking energy or disinclined to exert effort; lethargic

Litany: large amount; plethora; long and tedious address or recital

Literati: intelligentsia; the educated class; clerisy; a group of litterateurs

Lithe: readily bent; supple; flexible; marked by effortless grace

Lithium: silvery, soft, and highly-reactive metal

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

Litote: rhetorical term, a specific type of understatement

Litterateur: literary-minded person; one devoted to the study or writing of literature

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

Lochetic: lying in wait for prey, used especially of insects

Loom: the art of weaving; to come into view as a massive, distorted, or indistinct image

Loquacious: characterized by talking; talking freely or too much; excessively talkative

Lorgnette: a pair of eyeglasses or opera glasses with a handle

Lubricious: slippery with oil or lubricant; offensively lewd or intending to be lewd

Lucent: shining; gleaming brilliantly

Lugubrious: gloomy or dismal, especially exaggerated

Lullaby: song or tune devised to lull something to sleep

Luminal: of or pertaining to the lumen (the measure of light perceived by the human eye)

Luminary: one who is an inspiration to others; one who attained success in a chosen field

Lunacy: insanity; insanity with brief moments of clarity

Lunula: white crescent at the base of the fingernail

Luscious: delicious; sexy; cloying; alluring

Lustrous: having noticeable or vivid luster and sheen

Macedoiné: mixture of diced fruits and vegetables; medley; mixture

Magisterial: of, relating to, or having the features of a master or teacher; authoritative

Malady: sickness, illness; ague; ictus; ailment

Malaise: bodily weakness; nondescript illness; vague feeling of discomfort

Malapropos: out of place; inappropriate; in an inopportune or inappropriate manner

Malleable: moldable; able to be modified; easily reshaped; having the ease of form

Mannequin: articulated human figure used for design

Mantelletta: sleeveless vestment worn by cardinals

Maquette: scale model of a large item

Maraschino: cordial made from the fermented juice of the marasca cherry

Marasmus: a type of protein deficiency; state of emaciation

Marble: highly-polished building material; irregularly colored

Marcescent: flower term, withering, but not falling off

Marginalia: notes in the margin or margins of a book

Marionette: a puppet bound by strings and controlled with wooden bars

Marmalade: jellylike preserve made from the pulp of fruits, especially citrus fruits

Marmoreal: of, like, made of, or related to marble

Masquerade: festive gathering characterized by participants wearing masks

Material: secular; worldly; the substance(s) of which a thing is made of or composed

Matriculate: to become admitted to membership in a body, society, or institution

Matutinal: of, relating to, or occurring in the morning; early

Maudlin: overly sentimental; saccharine; mawkish; self-pitying

Mausoleum: large, stately tomb or building housing several tombs

Mauve: a type of pinkish purple

Medallion: jewelry or object worn from a necklace

Medley: heterogeneous mixture of typically complementing elements

Melisma: the stretching of a syllable over a series of notes

Mellifluous: flowing with sweetness or honey; smooth and sweet, often of a sound or voice

Mellisonant: wonderful-sounding; pleasant-sounding

Melody: a series or pattern of notes

Memento: an item of special significance, usually as a token of remembrance

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

Menagerie: collection of animals in cages or enclosures; diverse hodgepodge; gallery; zoo

Mephitic: poisonous; noxious; lethally dangerous; insidious; toxic; putrid

Mercurial: fickle; erratic; ingenious; changeable; eloquent

Mere: being nothing more nor better than; small; lowly

Meretricious: drawing attention in a vulgar manner; gaudy, tawdry; superficially attractive

Meridian: of or at noon; imaginary line that extends from the North to South poles

Mestizo: a person of mixed racial ancestry

Métier: forte; niche in which a person excels; occupation; profession

Mewl: whimper; cry like an infant; meow like a kitten; to weakly cry

Mezzanine: partial story between two main stories of a building; lowest balcony of theater

Miasma: an atmosphere of disease; fine mist of effluvium or bacteria; noxious emanation

Mica: thin layers of specific, transparent minerals

Midst: in the middle of; among

Mien: air or bearing especially as expressive of attitude or personality; demeanor; aura

Milieu: surroundings or environment, especially of a social or cultural nature

Millennium: one thousand years; period of a thousand years

Milquetoast: timid, unassertive, spineless person; one who is easily intimidated

Mimesis: imitation or representation of the world, mostly in literature and art; mimicry

Mimosa: a type of plant; a cocktail drink

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

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

Minutiae: pl, tiny, precise details; vestiges; trifles

Mirror: surface able of reflect enough undiffused light to form an image of an object

Miscellany: collection of various items, parts, or ingredients

Mist: mass of fine droplets of liquid

Mithril: a fictional, very light, and silvery steel

Mizzenmast: third mast or the mast aft the mainmast on a ship having three or more masts

Mizzle: fine rainfall; drizzle; mist

Moiety: one of two equal parts; half

Morceau: a small literary or musical composition

Mormorando: musical direction, murmuring or with a murmuring sound

Moue: pouting face or grimace; upset facial expression

Murmur: low, indistinct, and continuous sound; to utter such a sound

Myriad: multitude; litany; an amount of, usually large; collection in large numbers

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

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

Mythopoeic: pertaining to the making of myths

Nacreous: iridescent; pearly; like mother-of-pearl or nacre

Naiad: a nymph; a river, lake, fountain, or spring nymph or spirit

Naïveté: inexperience; quality of being naïve; artlessness

Nebulae: pl. a collection of astral gases

Nemesis: source of harm or ruin; unconquerable foe or enemy; vengeful opponent

Nenuphar: a water lily, especially an Egyptian lotus

Neophyte: a novice; tyro; beginner

Nepenthe: drug of forgetfulness; anti-depression drug; remedy for sorrow

Nepheliad: cloud nymph; nymph designated or of the clouds

Nephew: the son of a brother or sister in relation to you

Nickelodeon: a theater that charges a nickel (5 cents) for entry

Nimbus: dark, grey cloud bearing rain; splendid atmosphere or aura; cloudy radiance

Nimiety: excess, overabundance, superfluity

Nirvana: a place or state of rest, harmony, or pleasure

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

Nocive: harmful, injurious, or causing pain

Noctilucence: cloud phenomenon typified by lights at night, being visible or glowing at night

Nonchalant: feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; indifferent

Novae: pl. collapsing or dying stars

Novella: short prose tale often characterized by moral teaching or satire

Novitiate: novice; the living place of a novice; the state of being a novice; neophyte

Nucleus: central part about which other parts are grouped or gathered

Nugacious: trifling, trivial; insignificant; unimportant; worthless

Nullibicity: state of non-existence; quality or state of being nowhere

Nullifidian: a person having no faith, religion, convictions, or beliefs

Numeral: symbol used to represent, denote, or symbolize a number

Numina: pl. presiding divinities or spirits of a place; creative energies

Numismatics: study or collection or currency, coins, paper money, etc.

Nymph: seductive or lustful woman; fairy

Nymphet: pubescent girl regarded as sexually desirable; young, sexually precocious girl

Oasis: fertile, vibrant, or green spot in a desert or wasteland

Objet d’art: object of art; valuable or highly artistic piece or work

Oblivion: condition or quality of being completely forgotten; void; forgetfulness

Obsequious: fawning, sycophantic, servile

Obsidian: volcanic glass of a black shade

Ocelot: undomesticated cat, akin to a small leopard

Odalisque: female servant; female servant in a harem

Oeillade: an amorous glance; ogle

Oeuvre: the corpus of an author, canon, or a collective symposium

Oleander: a type of flower

Opacity: opaqueness; obscurity; impenetrability

Opalescent: milky and iridescent; shimmering with the colors of an opal

Opaque: impenetrable to light; not reflecting light; difficult to explain or understand

Ophidian: snake-like; like, shaped like, or relating to snakes

Opulence: wealth, affluence; great abundance; profusion; pretentiousness

Opusculum: a minor work of literature

Orbital: of, pertaining to, or relating to an orbit

Orchestra: large group of musicians with a variety of instruments

Oscillate: to swing or move in an uninterrupted motion

Ossuary: place, container, or receptacle for holding the bones of the dead

Otiose: indolent; lazy; serving no useful purpose; futile; being a leisure

Oubliette: dungeon with only opening at the top

Palatial: pertaining to a palace; grandiose; magnificent

Palaver: conference or discussion; idle chat; chat with flattery of cajolery involved

Palisade: a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground

Palladian: of or relating to wisdom or learning

Palliasse: mattress consisting of a thin pad filled with straw, sawdust, or hay

Palliate: to alleviate, reduce, or remove pain

Pallid: pale, wan, or deficient in color

Panacea: a cure-all; medicine, herb, or concoction designed or functioning as a cure-all

Panoply: a full collection or array; full set of armor

Panoramic: unbroken view of an entire surrounding area; inclusive presentation; survey

Pantomime: communication through gestures and facial movements

Paradigm: clearly defined archetype; typical example or pattern of something

Paramour: lover, especially one in an adulterous relationship; lover; illicit lover

Paraph: a flourish at the end of a signature, may be used as a safeguard against forgery

Paroxysm: a sudden attack, convulsion, or seizure, usually of an emotional or medical nature

Parvenu: noveau-riche; person having risen to new status, but lacks the social skills necessary for it

Pasquinade: public farce, satire, or lampoon

Pastiche: literary patchwork, hodgepodge; collision of genres used to create a new item

Patina: natural tarnish from wear of usage and passage of time; verdigris

Patois: dialect other than the usual or literary dialect; uneducated or provincial language

Paucity: scarcity; lack of presence; fewness; a small number

Peccadillo: insignificant sin or wrongdoing; trifling fault

Peccavi: admission of guilt; confession

Pellucid: translucently clear, limpid, or ethereal

Peninsula: piece of land mostly surrounded by water, except on one side

Pensive: brooding; reflecting, involving, or engaged in deep or serious thought

Penumbra: a partial shadow; space of partial illumination; the limits of a shadow

Percolate: to filter; to cause to filter; to cause to pass through pores or small holes

Perennial: lasting throughout the year, typically of a plant

Perforate: to pierce, punch, or bore a hole or holes in; stab through; penetrate

Periphery: line that forms the boundary; limited circumference of sight; perimeter

Permeate: to pervade, to spread, or flow throughout; to diffuse through

Perpetuity: the quality or condition of being perpetual, ceaseless, or continual

Phantasm: something apparently seen but having no physical reality; illusion

Philander: to womanize or entertain or elicit casual or wanton sex

Philanthropy: the effort or drive to further the well-being of humankind; generosity

Philosophy: discipline comprising aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology, etc.

Philtrum: subtle curve beneath the nose and on the upper lip

Phoenix: mythical bird of fire which rises from its ashes in a cycle of rebirth

Pianissimo: musical direction, very softly

Piquant: aromatic, appetizing, or appealingly provocative

Pirouette: ballet spin, ballet technique

Pizzicato: music term, played by plucking rather than bowing

Placid: sedate, calm, peaceful, relaxed, serene

Plumage: entire feathery covering or portion of a bird; feathers collectively

Pluvial: characterized or relating to rainfall

Pococurante: nonchalant, indifferent lukewarm in opinion; insouciant

Poignant: profoundly moving; touching; physically or emotionally painful

Ponceau: a strong red to reddish orange

Porcelain: strong, vitreous, and translucent ceramic with glazed colored material

Portfolio: portable case for carrying documents

Portico: porch or walkway with a roof supported by columns, often leads into an entrance

Portmanteau: large suitcase; merging of two words to form a new one, often a pun

Prairillon: a small meadow or tract of grassland; heath; plain

Precocious: manifesting or characterized by unusually early development or maturity

Prelude: preceding event or action; music term, preliminary

Preterlabent: flowing beside or by, especially of a river or stream

Prismatic: refractive light of a spectrum; brilliantly colored

Pristine: in primordial condition; untouched; belonging to the earliest period or state

Promethean: boldly creative, defiantly original, deviating genius

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

Proscenium: Greek or Roman theater stage, the part of a stage in front of the curtain

Prosody: the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech

Provocative: tending or serving to provoke; inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing

Prurient: having, relating to, or typified by lascivious or lustful thoughts or desires

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

Psittacism: automatic speech without thought of the meaning of the words spoken

Psyche: the mind or self as a functional entity; the center of thought, feeling, and motivation

Punchinello: short, fat clown or clown puppet

Puree: rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender

Purlicue: space between the thumb and forefinger

Pyrrhic: of a victory, having high levels of casualties or damage on both sides

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

Querencia: the area of the bull-ring where the bull makes its stand

Quintessence: fifth element; perfect embodiment

Quisquose: something which is difficult to deal with

Quiver: shiver; shake; quaver; tremble

Quotidian: daily; mundane; occurring every day

Radii: pl. any line segments from the center of a circle or sphere to its perimeter

Rapture: ecstasy; felicity, state of sheer happiness; happiness to the point of delirium

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

Ratatouille: a type of French dish, vegetable stew

Realm: a region, kingdom, plane, domain, or territory

Recherché: elegant; refined or tasteful; sophisticated

Recidivism: act of repeating punished act; chronic tendency to repeat crimes

Reciprocity: the quality or state of requiting; mutual dependence

Redivivus: revived; come back to life; resurrected; resuscitated

Redolent: piquant, aromatic, or memory-invoking

Regalia: the emblems and symbols of royalty, such as the crown and scepter; jewelry

Relinquish: voluntarily cease to keep or claim; surrender

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

Renaissance: a rebirth or revival; renewal of cultural and intellectual thought

Repartee: swift, witty reply; conversation marked by the exchange of witty retorts

Palimpsest: erased parchment, which is then reused; manuscript written over earlier ones

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

Resonance: quality of being resonant; extension of sound via sympathetic vibration

Resplendent: sublime, full of color, or dazzling; splendid

Revenant: specter; ghost; one who returns after a long absence

Reverie: an idle daydream; a thought of idle desire; a surrendering to imagination

Rhapsody: impassioned, inspired, or vibrant literature or music

Rimulose: characterized by or having small chinks, fissures, or cracks

Risorgimento: a time of renewal or renaissance; revival

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

Roué: a rake; rouge; philanderer; lothario

Rupestrian: of or composed of rock; sculpted with or by rock

Sable: black; type of animal with a deep, black pelt

Salient: prominent or conspicuous; most important

Saline: salty; pertaining to salt

Salubrious: health-giving; healthy; healthful; relating to good health

Salve: remedial lotion or substance to soothe or allays

Sangfroid: composure or coolness as shown in danger; imperturbability

Sanguine: of a healthy reddish color; ruddy; blood-red; of the color of blood

Sapience: rationality, compare sentience; wisdom or sagacity

Sapphire: bright blue; valuable gemstone of a bright yet deep blue

Sardonyx: type of stone (onyx) with sandy bands

Satellite: celestial body that orbits a planet; a moon; object designed to orbit a planet

Scarlet: a type of bright-red color

Scepter: a rod or wand, usually adorned in regalia

Schefflera: a type of shrubby, tropical plants which are cultivated for their showy foliage

Scialytic: dispersing or dismissing shadows, typically with light, often of a lamp

Scilicet: to wit, that is; namely

Scintilla: an infinitesimal item or mote; tiny thing

Scion: an heir or descendant; a twig or shoot used for grafting, of a tree, shrub, or plant

Sclera: the whites of the eyes

Scoliosis: abnormal lateral curvature of the spine; affliction thereof

Scythe: agricultural implement with a long, curving blade fastened to a long handle

Seizure: act, condition, or instance of seizing or being seized; fit; spasm, convulsion

Selcouth: unusual; rare, unique, or strange

Selenian: designating, relating to, pertaining to, or of the moon

Semblance: apparent form of something, especially when the reality is different

Semiotician: one who studies, applies, or explains the theories of semiotics

Sempiternal: eternal, endless, lasting forever, ceaseless

Senescence: state of being old or growing old; cellular decomposition, studies thereof

Sentient: aware; characterized by the ability to feel or perceive; conscious

Sequacious: pertaining to sequence or order; following

Sequence: succession; an arrangement, either a related or continuous series

Sequester: to relegate to a small space; to cause to withdraw into seclusion

Seraglio: harem, harem house, brothel; living quarters thereof

Seraphim: pl. six-winged angels

Serenade: courtesy performance given to honor or express love for someone; to serenade

Serendipity: occurrence and progress of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

Serenity: calmness, tranquility, relaxation

Sesquipedalian: having many syllables; long-winded with words; given to or typified by the use of long words

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

Seven: the seventh integer in a series, “7”

Sforzando: direction in music, suddenly or strongly accented

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

Shadow: a shade within clear boundaries, produced by obscuration of light

Shallow: lacking physical depth; lacking depth of intellect, emotion, or knowledge

Shimmer: to shine with a subdued, flickering, or wavering light

Shiver: a tremble; to tremble, shudder, or shake

Shrivel: to wither due to lack of moisture; to cause to contract; to cause to lose momentum

Sibilant: hissing; making a sound that resembles hissing

Sibyl: prophetess; fortune-teller; female prognosticator

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

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

Sienna: yellowish-brown; a type of clay

Sierra: ridge of a mountain or mountains

Sigil: a seal, signet, or glyph; sign or image considered magical

Silence: state or quality of soundlessness; lack of sound

Silhouette: a picture as an outline, often a human profile, filled in by a solid color

Silkscreen: stencil method of printing, in which a design is put on silk or other fine mesh

Tristiloquy: a speech characterized by sadness or gloominess

Silver: shimmering gray color; a type of metal

Simplicity: state or quality of being simple; freedom of complexity or intricacy

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

Sinecure: an easy occupation or one which requires almost no responsibility

Siphon: to suck through; to absorb through an appendage

Sirocco: hot, humid south or southeast wind of southern Italy

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

Sittella: a small, gregarious songbird

Sleep: state of slumber; position of rest for the physical and mental being of a living being

Slender: long and thin; tall

Slice: a thin section of something; to slash or remove a small section of

Slither: to glide or slide like a reptile

Sluice: artificial channel for conducting water, with a valve or gate to regulate the flow

Smolder: to burn without an accompanying flame; to undergo slow and compressed combustion

Sobriquet: nickname; moniker; adopted name

Soigné: elegant; sophisticated; well-groomed

Sojourn: brief visit; stopover; jaunt

Solace: comfort or consolation in a time of sadness or distress

Solecism: an impropriety; nonstandard grammatical construction; a violation of etiquette

Solemn: serious; dignified; formal; stern

Soliloquy: dramatic monologue; intense speech with exposition but not addressed

Solipsism: philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist

Solstice: one of two times in the year when the sun is furthest from the equator

Sommelier: a waiter expertly trained in alcoholic beverages; wine steward

Sonata: music, series of three solos

Sonnet: fourteen-line poem with specific rhyme scheme

Soothe: to allay, alleviate; to relax; pacify

Sorcerer: practitioner of sorcery; wizard; warlock; magician

Sotto Voce: soft-voiced; emphasis on quiet speech

Soubrette: saucy, coquettish woman in comedies

Soufflé: a light, fluffy baked dish

Sough: a soft, gentle sigh; a murmuring, purling, or rustling sound

Souvenir: keepsake; memento; something of sentimental value

Specious: superficially plausible, but actually wrong; misleading in appearance

Spinal: pertaining to, relating to, of, or using the spine

Spiral: helix; string in a successively concentric pattern

Splice: to infuse, join, or interweave; unite

Spool: cylinder with ridges that has spirals string around it

Stasis: equilibrium causing a peaceful inactivity via equal opposing forces

Stiletto: high-heel with sharp point; a small dagger

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

Sublime: noble; exalted; majestic; empyreal

Succinct: briefly stated; laconic; terse

Succor: to aid or assist in a time of need; assistance

Suffuse: gradually spread through or over, typically with light, color, music, or liquid

Suicide: the act of murdering oneself

Surreptitious: stealthy; kept secret; hidden

Sussurant: whispering; making a continuous, low, and indistinct sound

Sussurous: pertaining to whispering; whispering

Susurrus: a whisper; something which resembles a whisper

Svelte: suave, urbane, and savvy; slender; lithe; polished; sophisticated

Swain: a young man; suitor; ephebe

Swath: width of a scythe-stroke; strips or radii made by something

Swerve: to abruptly turn or deviate from an otherwise straight course

Sweven: dream; vision; premonition

Swoon: fainting spell; a collapse from ecstasy

Syllable: unit of spoken language consisting of a single uninterrupted sound

Sylph: graceful woman; fairy; air elemental

Sylvan: relating to or characteristic of woods or forest regions; forest sprite

Symbiosis: mutual biological synergy between two dissimilar organisms

Symphony: extended orchestral movements

Symposium: conference for discussion of a particular topic

Synchronicity: theory of, study of the coincidences of two or more curiously similar events

Synecdoche: a reference to a part as opposed to the whole, girl as “skirt” ship as “sail”

Syzygy: alignment or unity of specific objects, notably in space terms or literary terms

Tableaux: deliberate picture; arrangement; vivid, graphic description

Tacenda: things to not be mentioned or things to be passed over in silence

Taciturn: reticent; quiet, not talkative; insouciant

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

Tapestry: heavy cloth woven with rich, varicolored designs or scenes, often hung on walls

Teleology: the study of the philosophical concept of the telos

Tellurian: terrestrial; inhabiting the earth; pertaining to the earth; earthen

Tenuous: long and thin; slender; flimsy; without great substance; diluted

Tercet: group of three lines of verse, often rhyming together or with another triple

Terpsichorean: pertaining, relating to, or referring to dancing or the art thereof

Tessellation: tile pattern sans gaps or extraneous spaces; a specific mathematical pattern

Tête-à-tête: a private conversation between two people

Theophany: religious epiphany or appearance of God to a person

Thionine: artificial red or violet dyestuff, usually for microscopic stains

Threnody: song, hymn, or poem reflecting on mourning or a tribute to the deceased

Thylacine: the extinct Tasmanian Tiger

Tilt: to cause to slope, as by raising one end; incline

Tintinnabulation: ringing or sounding of bells; the sound of bells

Tiramisu: a type of dessert made with cake and espresso

Tolutiloquent: speech characterized by rapidity

Torrential: resembling, flowing in, or forming torrents

Tourmaline: multifarious gemstone of grossly differing colors

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

Tranquility: peace, serenity, calmness, relaxation

Transience: brevity, briefness; evanescence; shortness; the state of being temporary

Tregetour: juggler; mummer; conjurer

Tremulous: marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking

Trillium: a type of flower

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

Triste: sad; mournful; dismal; depressed

Tryst: agreement, as between lovers, to meet at a certain time and place; a date between two people

Turquoise: a type of blue-green color

Ubiquitous: being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent

Ultramarine: a type of intense bluish-purple

Umbrage: offense; affront; the shade beneath a tree; shade; suspicion; reason for doubt

Umbrella: apparatus used as a personal rain repellant

Vaccinate: to inoculate with a vaccine of prepared medicine

Vacillate: to waver between actions or decisions; to hesitate

Vacivity: emptiness; absence; space with a lack of matter

Vacuity: emptiness; absence; lack of matter in a space; vacuum

Valance: an ornamental drapery hung across a top edge, as of a bed, table, or canopy

Vale: the world; life; mortal or earthly life

Valiant: possessing valor; brave; marked by or done with valor

Vanilla: ordinary; conventional; flavored with vanilla; flavor extracted from vanilla bean

Vaticinate: prophesy, prognosticate, augur, foretell

Vaudeville: a bygone slapstick era of specific comedic style(s)

Vavasor: superior vassal with other vassals beneath

Velleity: flimsy wish or desire; perfunctory hope or dream

Vellum: mammal skin prepared for writing or printing on

Velvet: soft type of material used in clothing

Veneer: thin surface layer; superficial layer as an enhancement to inferior material

Venial: pardonable; easily excused or pardoned; trivial

Ventriloquist: puppeteer utilizing vocal techniques and manipulations

Veracity: truth; state of being true, trueness

Veranda: open, roofed porch or portico on the outside of a building

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

Vernal: pertaining to spring

Verve: energy; brio; élan; vigor; joie de vivre

Vespertine: crepuscular; pertaining to, of, or related to the evening

Vestibule: a small entryway between the outer door and the interior of a building

Vestigial: of, relating to, or constituting a vestige (trace, mark, or sign left by something)

Vesuviate: to erupt; explode; fulminate

Vetanda: taboo or forbidden things or topics

Vexation: the act of annoying, irritating, or vexing; quality or condition of being vexed

Vicennial: happening every twenty years

Viceroy: governor; representative of a sovereign

Vicious: having the nature of vice; evil, immoral, or depraved

Vicissitudes: changes of circumstances of fortune

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

Videlicet: to wit, that is; namely

Vigesimal: based on, pertaining to, or related to 20

Vignette: a sketch; brief literary or visual event; description; tableau

Villain: dramatic or fictional character who is typically at odds with the hero

Vincible: able to be harmed; vulnerable, susceptible, or vulnerable

Vinyl: a type of multi-use plastic resin

Viola: a musical instrument having similar qualities and appearance to a violin

Violet: a shade of deep purple

Violin: a stringed instrument played with a bow

Viridian: a type of blue-green pigment

Virtuoso: ace; someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field, especially music

Vis-à-vis: “face to face” opposite to; in relation to; in regard to; a meeting of two people

Visceral: pertaining to the viscera; relating to deep emotions as opposed to the intellect

Vista: view; prospect; perspective; spectrum of peripheral boundaries

Visurient: hungry for visual stimuli; pertaining to the desire evoked from vision

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

Vivacity: brio; esprit; alacrity

Vivify: to invigorate; revive; energize; galvanize

Vivisepulture: the act of being buried alive or burying alive

Vociferous: loud; stentorian; vehement; angrily impassioned

Voluminous: having great volume, fullness, size, or number; large

Wan: pallid; of a sickly complexion

Warble: trill; croon; purr; chirrup

Weather: state of the atmosphere at a given time and place

Whilom: formerly; former; erstwhile

Whimsy: quaint or fanciful idea; a whim; capricious humor or playful disposition

Whisper: soft speech produced without full voice; something uttered very softly

Winceyette: cotton cloth; cloth made of cotton that has a raised surface

Winnow: to filter out; to remove unnecessary or undesirable parts

Wisteria: a genus of twisting, woody, and climbing vines

Wyvern: a type of dragon, typically portrayed without legs

Xenodochial: friendly or especially kind to strangers or foreigners

Xenoglossy: language learned spontaneously and without prior knowledge

Xysti: pl. covered portico of a gymnasium

Yowl: to utter a loud long cry of grief, pain, or distress; to wail; wail

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

Zephyr: slight burst of gentle wind; gentle breeze

Zitella: maiden; unmarried woman, bachelorette

Zyzzyva: a type of weevil