If you walked into my paternal grandfather’s office on any given day, you were bound to see a piece of paper tacked to the wall with seemingly arbitrary and unrelated words listed upon it. For him, these were his latest study materials. My grandpa would regularly update this list with new words that he learned. I should note, of course, he updated the list only AFTER testing himself on the meaning of the words and successfully passing his self-examination. I never asked what his pass rate was. I’m assuming pretty high. The man was smart.
In his spirit, I have made an effort to regularly record new words that I learn. Though I do not quiz myself on them, I find that taking the initiative to define unfamiliar words and to write the words down helps me to learn them and build my vocabulary. I keep a handy dandy sticky note on my laptop’s home screen. That way, whenever I look up a definition or research a new word, I can easily type it onto my running list. After a year or so of doing this, I’ve decided its time to start a new sticky note. BIG MOVES. BIG. BIG. MOVES
In defining all the terms to follow, I am making a giant list for myself and for posterity. But my inkling for researching these words goes far beyond mere vocabulary acquisition. I think this is, on a broader scale, an appreciation for the power of words and language at large. How interesting it is to think that words have meaning solely because we attribute meaning to them. Sort of like currency. A name is an arbitrary reference to an object, much like a word represents a concept or an idea that is shared by many. How powerful it is that 26 tiny letters work together in countless combinations to define and transmit almost every idea and feeling across the human race. I say “almost” because one may believe in some moments that truly can’t be described in words.
Everybody uses words. We speak, sing, read, write, listen, and think using words. Some people have a knack for knowing exactly what to say and how to say it. I think it’s a talent that needs continual work and diligent effort. But, it can never hurt to have lots of weapons in your arsenal. If you’re looking to level up YOUR lexicon, I encourage you to keep track of new words that you come across in your reading and day-to-day life. Maybe you overheard a conversation in which somebody used a particularly poignant word, or maybe you just heard something that sounded so smooth coming out of a speaker’s mouth. Find new words and keep track of them in a spot where you can see them. Having them handy will encourage you to use them more often.
Here are some of the words I’ve gathered over the past year. How many of them do you know? And who knows, maybe one or two of them will make its way into your holiday dinner conversations. . .
après-ski
abate
abecedarian
aberrant
abnegation
acquiesce
adjudicate
adjuvant
aggrandize
agog
“albatross around my neck”
albeit
amalgamation
ameliorate
anathema
antipodes
arbitrage
arcane
artifices
asceticism
assiduous
atrophy
axiomatic
beguile
bequeath
biomimicry
bodacious
boon
bourgeois
brigand
burgeon
cacophony
capricious
clairvoyant
cloy
cogent
cognizant
columbarium
complement vs. compliment
concatenate
conduit
connivance
covert
dearth
decrepitude
demarcate
despotism
desultory
dialectical
didactic
dilettante
dilineate
dissemination
dissension
efficacious
effluvium
encroach
ephemeral
erudite
erudition
eschatological
eschew
esoteric
especial
evanescent
extricate
exude
fain
fallow
fiat
flippant
fodder
foist
foray
gadfly
galling
garrisons
gerrymander
gewgaw
glib
gobbledygook
graft
hackneyed
harbinger
harried
hegemony
humectant
idiosnycratic
inbecile
impasse
impertinent
impetus
impunity
inbued
incorrigible
indelible
ineffable
ingratiating
inocuous
intransigence
intrepid
irascible
kerygma
lacerating
lackey
languish
ludacris
masochist
maudlin
mien
milieu
militant
militate
mint Julep
modicum
mogul
monolithic
mulatto
mythomania
nescience
officious
opine
ornery
overt
paltry
panacea
pare down
pedal
pedantry
perfunctory
petit bourgeois
phallocratic
phlegmatic
platitude
platonic
pogrom
portent
potable
praxis
predilection
premonition
proclivity
proffer
propensity
propitious
proselytism
providence
puerile
pugnacious
pundits
purloin
quasi
query
raiment
rancor
recalcitrant
recant
recondite
redolent
relegate
relegation
reliquary
repertory
replete
rescience
rescind
reticent
rhapsodize
rife
salient
sanctimonious
sardonically
scintillating
scrupulous
sedistic
sequestered
sinew
solecism
solipsism
soporific
sordid
St. Vitus’s Dance
stalwart
stratification
stupor
stymied
sublate
sublime
sundry
tantamount
tedentious
tepid
transient
trite
trompe-l’oeil
trove
unctuous
unduly
usurped
utmost vs. upmost
vacillate
veneer
vicissitude
vilify
vitriol
weal
So that was DEFINITELY a lot of words.
A lot of them are very niche too so I’m not TOO sure how often you’ll hear me say them on the street. But, nonetheless, this exploration of language is a great insight into the amazing power of words. Hopefully one from the list above piqued your interest or curiosity. Some of them are just so fun to say. Recalcitrant. Clairvoyant. I think the #1 spot is a close race between “bequeath” and “usurped”. If only I lived in a royal family in which case these words would be our vernacular. Alas, a girl can dream.
This may all seem like a bunch of gobbledygook to you, but to me, its art. If you like learning new words, I recommend getting the Dictionary.com app on your phone. It gives you a “word of the day” and lets you guess the definition in a multiple-choice fashion. Low pressure, big reward. A solid way to start your day!
I hope you have a great rest of your day, and thank you so much for reading my latest post 🙂
~Katherine
Comments