Over the course of each year I compile a list of words that strike me amusing, or fun to say, or interesting, or bafflingly strange. Now that the end of the year is here, it’s time for me to unravel my self-compiled dictionary of strange for the amusement of many, or just me. Enjoy!
Previous Lists
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 – beginning with some unusual market words
1. Monopoly:n:one seller, many buyers
2. Duopoly::n:two sellers, many buyers
3. Oligopoly:n:a few sellers, many buyers
4. Monopsony: one buyer, many sellers
5. Duopsony:n:two buyers, many sellers
6. Oligopsony:n:a few buyers, many sellers
7. Abnormous: adj: irregular
8. Adoxography: n: fine writing in praise of trivial or base subjects
9. Adytum: n: sacred place that the public is forbidden to enter; an inner shrine.
10. Agraffe: n: a clasp, often richly ornamented, for clothing or armor.
11. Ambisinister: adj: Clumsy or unskillful with both hands.
12. Anatine: adj: resembling a duck.
13. Apricate: v: To bask in the sun.
14. Aureate: adj: haracterized by an ornate style of writing or speaking.
15. Autoschediastical: adj: Something improvised or extemporized.
16. Bandersnatch: n: An imaginary wild animal of fierce disposition.
17. Bedaub:v: to besmear, also to over-decorate
18. Bezoar: n: a counterpoison or antidote.
19. Bobbery: n: a disturbance or brawl
20. Bodger: adj & n: worthless or second-rate, a labourer who traditionally lived and worked in the forest, making chairs from felling trees
21. Boscage:n:A mass of trees or shrubs.
22. Buss n,v: a kiss, to kiss
23. Brontide: n: a rumbling noise heard occasionally in some parts of the world, probably caused by seismic activity.
24. Brux: v: to clench and grind the teeth; gnash.
25. Cacoethes:n:An irresistible urge; mania.
26. Callithump: n: A children’s parade, with prizes for the best costumes.
27. Canorous: adj: Richly melodious; pleasant sounding; musical.
28. Causeuse: n: an upholstered settee for two persons.
29. Caroche: n: (in the 17th century) a luxurious or stately coach or carriage.
30. Cento: n: a piece of writing, especially a poem, composed wholly of quotations from the works of other authors.
31. Charivari:n:A noisy, mock serenade to a newly married couple, involving the banging of kettles, pots, and pans.
32. Chatoyant: adj: changing in luster or color, twinkling
33. Clinquant: adj: Glittering with gold or silver; tinseled.
34. Cockshut: n: the close of the day; evening; twilight.
35. Collop: n: a small slice of meat
36. Cortege: n: A procession, especially a ceremonial one.
37. Corybantic:adj: Frenzied, agitated, unrestrained
38. Crepitate: v: to make a crackling sound; crackle
39. Daedal: adj: Skillful; artistic; ingenious.
40. Dapple: n: a small Corybantic block, also to mark with spots
41. Decollete: adj: Wearing a low-necked garment.
42. Dehisce: v: to burst open, as capsules of plants; gape.
43. Deray: n: Disorder; merriment
44. Dharna:n:In India,the practice of exacting justice or compliance with a just demand by sitting and fasting at the doorstep of an offender until death or until the demand is granted.
45. Digamy: n: a second marriage, after the death or divorce of the first husband or wife;
46. Ectype: n: A reproduction; copy
47. Epigamic: adj: Attracting the opposite sex, as the colors of certain birds.
48. Erubescent: adj: Becoming red or reddish; blushing.
49. Erumpent: adj: bursting forth
50. Esculent: adj: suitable for use as food; edible.
51. Factotum: n: a person employed to do all kinds of work, any employee or official having many different responsibilities.
52. Fain: adv: Gladly; Willingly.
53. Fascicle: n: A section of a book or set of books published in installments as separate pamphlets or volumes.
54. Fanfaronade: n: Swaggering; empty boasting; blustering manner or behavior; ostentatious display.
55. Ferrule:n:a ring or cap, usually of metal, put around the end of a post, cane, or the like, to prevent splitting. a short metal sleeve for strengthening a tool handle at the end holding the tool.
56. Feuilleton: n: a part of a European newspaper devoted to light literature, fiction, criticism, etc.
57. Garth: n: Also called cloister-garth. an open courtyard enclosed by a cloister.
58. Gangrel: n: a lanky, loose-jointed person.
59. Gnathonic: adj: sycophantic; fawning.
60. Hagiography: n: the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints
61. Hebetude: n: the state of being dull; lethargy.
62. Hogmanay:n:A gift given on New Year’s
63. Impignorate: v: To place in pawn; to pledge or mortgage.
64. Jumentous: adj: smelling strongly like a beast of burden;
65. Katzenjammer: n: the discomfort and illness experienced as the aftereffects of excessive drinking; hangover.
66. Kip:n: Sleep; a place to sleep; a bed.
67. Lyard:adj:Streaked or spotted with gray or white.
68. Macilent: adj: Lean, shrivelled, or excessively thin.
69. Mansuetude:n: Mildness; gentleness.
70. Malapert: adj: unbecomingly bold or saucy.
71. Mattoid: n: a person displaying eccentric behaviour and mental characteristics that approach the psychotic
72. Nautiform: adj: Shaped lik the hull of a ship.
73. Octer: n: Armpit
74. Paphian: adj: Of or pertaining to love, esp. illicit physical love.
75. Parergon: noun: work undertaken in addition to one’s principle work.
76. Pilgarlic: n: a person regarded with mild or pretended contempt or pity.
77. Plangent: adj: Beating with a loud or deep sound, as, “the plangent wave.” .Expressing sadness; plaintive.
78. Plenilune: n: The full moon or the time of a full moon.
79. Procellous: adj; Stormy, as the sea.
80. Postprandial: adj: Happening or done after a meal.
81. Purlieu: n: place where one may range at large; confines or bounds.
82. Scacchic: adj: Of or pertaining to chess.
83. Sennight: n: a week
84. Serry: v: To crowd closely together.
85. Sitzfleisch: n: The ability to sit through or tolerate something boring.
86. Sockdolager: n: A decisive reply, argument.
87. Sophrosyne: n: moderation; discretion; prudence.
88. Stertor: n: a heavy snoring sound
89. Tenterhooks:n: in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety.
90. Thrasonical: adj: boastful; vainglorious.
91. Tiffin: n: Lunch, or any light meal.
92. Titubant: n: A disturbance of body equilibrium in standing or walking, resulting in an uncertain gait and trembling
93. Ugsome: adj: horrid; loathsome.
94. Umquhile: Formerly, previously; former, late.
95. Usufruct: n: the right to use the property of another as long as it isn’t damaged
96. Uxorious: adj: excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.
97. Virilocal: adj: Living with or located near a husband’s father’s family.
98. Volvelle: n: a medieval instrument consisting of a series of concentric rotating disks, used to compute the phases of the moon and its position in relation to that of the sun.
99. Wanion: n: curse, vengeamce
100. Weltschmerz: n: Sentimental pessimism; sorrow that one feels and accepts as one’s necessary portion in life.
1. Monopoly:n:one seller, many buyers
2. Duopoly::n:two sellers, many buyers
3. Oligopoly:n:a few sellers, many buyers
4. Monopsony: one buyer, many sellers
5. Duopsony:n:two buyers, many sellers
6. Oligopsony:n:a few buyers, many sellers
7. Abnormous: adj: irregular
8. Adoxography: n: fine writing in praise of trivial or base subjects
9. Adytum: n: sacred place that the public is forbidden to enter; an inner shrine.
10. Agraffe: n: a clasp, often richly ornamented, for clothing or armor.
11. Ambisinister: adj: Clumsy or unskillful with both hands.
12. Anatine: adj: resembling a duck.
13. Apricate: v: To bask in the sun.
14. Aureate: adj: haracterized by an ornate style of writing or speaking.
15. Autoschediastical: adj: Something improvised or extemporized.
16. Bandersnatch: n: An imaginary wild animal of fierce disposition.
17. Bedaub:v: to besmear, also to over-decorate
18. Bezoar: n: a counterpoison or antidote.
19. Bobbery: n: a disturbance or brawl
20. Bodger: adj & n: worthless or second-rate, a labourer who traditionally lived and worked in the forest, making chairs from felling trees
21. Boscage:n:A mass of trees or shrubs.
22. Buss n,v: a kiss, to kiss
23. Brontide: n: a rumbling noise heard occasionally in some parts of the world, probably caused by seismic activity.
24. Brux: v: to clench and grind the teeth; gnash.
25. Cacoethes:n:An irresistible urge; mania.
26. Callithump: n: A children’s parade, with prizes for the best costumes.
27. Canorous: adj: Richly melodious; pleasant sounding; musical.
28. Causeuse: n: an upholstered settee for two persons.
29. Caroche: n: (in the 17th century) a luxurious or stately coach or carriage.
30. Cento: n: a piece of writing, especially a poem, composed wholly of quotations from the works of other authors.
31. Charivari:n:A noisy, mock serenade to a newly married couple, involving the banging of kettles, pots, and pans.
32. Chatoyant: adj: changing in luster or color, twinkling
33. Clinquant: adj: Glittering with gold or silver; tinseled.
34. Cockshut: n: the close of the day; evening; twilight.
35. Collop: n: a small slice of meat
36. Cortege: n: A procession, especially a ceremonial one.
37. Corybantic:adj: Frenzied, agitated, unrestrained
38. Crepitate: v: to make a crackling sound; crackle
39. Daedal: adj: Skillful; artistic; ingenious.
40. Dapple: n: a small Corybantic block, also to mark with spots
41. Decollete: adj: Wearing a low-necked garment.
42. Dehisce: v: to burst open, as capsules of plants; gape.
43. Deray: n: Disorder; merriment
44. Dharna:n:In India,the practice of exacting justice or compliance with a just demand by sitting and fasting at the doorstep of an offender until death or until the demand is granted.
45. Digamy: n: a second marriage, after the death or divorce of the first husband or wife;
46. Ectype: n: A reproduction; copy
47. Epigamic: adj: Attracting the opposite sex, as the colors of certain birds.
48. Erubescent: adj: Becoming red or reddish; blushing.
49. Erumpent: adj: bursting forth
50. Esculent: adj: suitable for use as food; edible.
51. Factotum: n: a person employed to do all kinds of work, any employee or official having many different responsibilities.
52. Fain: adv: Gladly; Willingly.
53. Fascicle: n: A section of a book or set of books published in installments as separate pamphlets or volumes.
54. Fanfaronade: n: Swaggering; empty boasting; blustering manner or behavior; ostentatious display.
55. Ferrule:n:a ring or cap, usually of metal, put around the end of a post, cane, or the like, to prevent splitting. a short metal sleeve for strengthening a tool handle at the end holding the tool.
56. Feuilleton: n: a part of a European newspaper devoted to light literature, fiction, criticism, etc.
57. Garth: n: Also called cloister-garth. an open courtyard enclosed by a cloister.
58. Gangrel: n: a lanky, loose-jointed person.
59. Gnathonic: adj: sycophantic; fawning.
60. Hagiography: n: the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints
61. Hebetude: n: the state of being dull; lethargy.
62. Hogmanay:n:A gift given on New Year’s
63. Impignorate: v: To place in pawn; to pledge or mortgage.
64. Jumentous: adj: smelling strongly like a beast of burden;
65. Katzenjammer: n: the discomfort and illness experienced as the aftereffects of excessive drinking; hangover.
66. Kip:n: Sleep; a place to sleep; a bed.
67. Lyard:adj:Streaked or spotted with gray or white.
68. Macilent: adj: Lean, shrivelled, or excessively thin.
69. Mansuetude:n: Mildness; gentleness.
70. Malapert: adj: unbecomingly bold or saucy.
71. Mattoid: n: a person displaying eccentric behaviour and mental characteristics that approach the psychotic
72. Nautiform: adj: Shaped lik the hull of a ship.
73. Octer: n: Armpit
74. Paphian: adj: Of or pertaining to love, esp. illicit physical love.
75. Parergon: noun: work undertaken in addition to one’s principle work.
76. Pilgarlic: n: a person regarded with mild or pretended contempt or pity.
77. Plangent: adj: Beating with a loud or deep sound, as, “the plangent wave.” .Expressing sadness; plaintive.
78. Plenilune: n: The full moon or the time of a full moon.
79. Procellous: adj; Stormy, as the sea.
80. Postprandial: adj: Happening or done after a meal.
81. Purlieu: n: place where one may range at large; confines or bounds.
82. Scacchic: adj: Of or pertaining to chess.
83. Sennight: n: a week
84. Serry: v: To crowd closely together.
85. Sitzfleisch: n: The ability to sit through or tolerate something boring.
86. Sockdolager: n: A decisive reply, argument.
87. Sophrosyne: n: moderation; discretion; prudence.
88. Stertor: n: a heavy snoring sound
89. Tenterhooks:n: in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety.
90. Thrasonical: adj: boastful; vainglorious.
91. Tiffin: n: Lunch, or any light meal.
92. Titubant: n: A disturbance of body equilibrium in standing or walking, resulting in an uncertain gait and trembling
93. Ugsome: adj: horrid; loathsome.
94. Umquhile: Formerly, previously; former, late.
95. Usufruct: n: the right to use the property of another as long as it isn’t damaged
96. Uxorious: adj: excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.
97. Virilocal: adj: Living with or located near a husband’s father’s family.
98. Volvelle: n: a medieval instrument consisting of a series of concentric rotating disks, used to compute the phases of the moon and its position in relation to that of the sun.
99. Wanion: n: curse, vengeamce
100. Weltschmerz: n: Sentimental pessimism; sorrow that one feels and accepts as one’s necessary portion in life.