Word of the Week

Word of the Week

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Most of the definitions aren't verbatim. Counter-intuitively, the most recent words are at the bottom.

Word of the Week

The Word of the Week is no longer updated, but here are all the ones that I made, in the order they were published. If you want some more words, try A Word A Day.

1. syndactyl
2. slubberdegullion
3. mungo
4. balmacaan
5. foofaraw
6. warple
7. skinker
8. quitclaim
9. niblick
10. taxwax
11. cagmag
12. putsch
13. agouti
14. rhabdomancy
15. azygous
Bonus! embrequist
16. otorhinolarynchologist
17. myxomatosis
18. gobbertooth
Another Bonus! Happy Day! dinkerup
19. pharyngeal
20. zzxjoanw
21. oligophagous
22. oyez
23. chernozem
24. indubitably
25. onomatopoeia
26. froward
27. incunabulum
28. flibbertigibbet
29. flitterwochen
30. scandaroon
31. cymmhorth
32. gleek
33. crinkum-crankum
34. loblolly
35. dilligrout
36. doppelganger
37. fershlugginer
38. mumpsimus
39. catawampus
40. zozzled
41. prickmedainty
42. mocteroof
43. quaquaversal
44. yclept
45. congius
46. absquatulate
47. esurient
48. bastard toadflax
49. chert
50. caconym

syndactyl: Having two or more at least partially fused digits (American Heritage Dictionary).

slubberdegullion

mungo: Reclaimed wool, used for cheap cloth (AHD).

balmacaan

foofaraw: 1. Excessive or flashy ornamentation.
2. A commotion or disturbance over a trifling matter; a fuss (AHD).

warple: 1. To entangle, to intertwine.
2. To move sinuously, also to walk unsteadily.
3. To twist or wind (OED).

skinker: One who draws, serves, or pours out liquor; a tapster (OED).

quitclaim: The transfer of a title, right, or claim to another (AHD).

niblick: An iron-headed golf club with the face slanted at a greater angle than any other club except a wedge; a nine-iron (AHD).

taxwax: The tendon of the neck (OED).

cagmag: A tough old goose; tough meat (OED).

putsch: A sudden overthrow of government (a coup) (Merriam-Webster).

agouti: 1. Any of a genus (Dasprocta) of tropical American rodents about the size of a rabbit.
2. A grizzled color of fur resulting from the barring of each hair in several alternate dark and light bands (M-W).

rhabdomancy: Divination by rods or wands (M-W).

azygous: Not being one of a pair (M-W).

embrequist: A vanity license plate whose meaning is unfathomable (Me). The original embrequist said EMBRQST1. No one can figure out what this means. Other examples have been seen; one is 4PRIT4.

otorhinolaryngologist: A doctor who specializes in the ear, nose, and throat (An otolaryngologist or E-N-T) (M-W).

myxomatosis: A condition caused by the presence of myxomas in the body; specifically, a severe virus disease of rabbits that is caused by a poxvirus transmitted by mosquitos and that has been used in bunny-control in overpopulated areas. Poor bunnies! (M-W)

gobbertooth: A projecting front tooth (OED).

dinkerup: Two hills in a row, with a valley in between. Especially if a road lies on them (Me).

pharyngeal: Having to do with the pharynx (the space behind the mouth into which the nostrils, esophagus, and trachea open (M-W).

zzxjoanw: A Maori (a New Zealand tribe) drum (Superior Person's Book of Words).

oligophagous: Eating only a few kinds of food (M-W).

oyez: An imperative call by a public crier or court official, usually said 3 times, to command silence and attention when a decision, proclamation, etc. is made (OED).

chernozem: One of a group of dark-colored zonal dirts with a rich humus horizon (whatever that means), like in Iowa or wherever, of a temperate or cool climate (M-W).

indubitably: Unquestionably, too obviously to doubt (M-W).

onomatopoeia: A word that imitates its meaning; like "woof" or "cock-a-doodle-doo" or "meow." (Me)

froward: Obstinate; stubbornly disagreeable and contrary (AHD).

incunabulum: A book printed from movable type before 1501. An artifact of an early period (AHD).

flibbertigibbet: A silly, flighty person (M-W).

flitterwochen: Honeymoon; literally "fleeting weeks" (Forgotten English).

scandaroon: A pigeon native to North Africa, whose name is from that of the Turkish seaport Iskanderun (Forgotten English).

cymmhorth: A Medieval Welsh word meaning a boozathon for a good cause, like a wedding reception—in other words, a benefit (Forgotten English).

gleek: A game or amusement; after the mid-1600s, it became a trio of anything (Forgotten English).

crinkum-crankum: Anything twisty and turny (Me).

loblolly: A "hearty gruel commonly served to soldiers" (Forgotten English).

dilligrout

A porridge dish made in noblemans' kitchens for kings on their coronation days between 1662-1820 in England. (Forgotten English).

UPDATE:
I got this email message from reader John Gumbley:


hi,
    just to let you know that after a 180 years dilligrout is back on the
menu!

i'm a TV producer making a royal documentary and the other week we went down
to Addington Palace near London. The palace is now a ritzy hotel, so we got
the head chef to concoct a "mess of dilligrout". 

it's made of pigs brawn, chicken and dill, all mixed up in almond, sugar and
milk. the manor of addington had the duty of providing a "mess of
dilligrout" at the monarch's coronation and the last time it was made was
for the enthronment of George IV in 1821.

now tell me you don't learn some weird things on the web!!

john

doppelganger

Also known as a doubleganger. A living person's identical double, who exists independently From Achilles' heel to Zeus's Shield).

fershlugginer

A pejorative adjective that I got from reading the reprints of the original Mad comics. It is used in roughly the same way that "goddamn" might be. (Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad).

mumpsimus

An incorrigible old pedant. (Forgotten English).

catawampus

Also known as catywampus. Either evil or kitty-corner (AHD).

zozzled

Drunk (Slang and Euphemism).

prickmedainty

An excessively dainty man (Forgotten English).