Vocabulary

Any interesting words / phrases I come across that I find worth remembering i.e. likely to be used:

1.
limina
'limɪnə
(n.) The smallest feeling you can notice
Examples
  1. The limina of human hearing vary among individuals.
  2. Scientists study the limina of sensory perception.
Synonyms
threshold minimum boundary limit brink
Origin
From Latin 'limen' meaning 'threshold'.
2.
mendacious
menˈdeɪʃəs
(adj.) Dishonest or untruthful in speech or conduct
Examples
  1. The newspaper story was mendacious and hurtful.
  2. That tabloid routinely publishes the most moronically mendacious stories about celebrities.
Synonyms
dishonest lying untruthful misleading erroneous false
Origin
From Latin 'mendac-' meaning 'lying' (from 'mendax' meaning liar, derived from 'mendum' meaning fault or defect) + 'mendax'.
3.
benignity
bɪˈnɪɡnəti
(n.) Being kind and gentle to others
Examples
  1. Her benignity was evident in her charitable work.
  2. The teacher's benignity created a warm classroom atmosphere.
Synonyms
kindness graciousness benevolence compassion charity
Origin
From Latin 'benignitas' meaning 'kindness' (from 'benignus' meaning kind, from 'bene' meaning well + 'genus' meaning born).
4.
noumena
ˈnuːmənə
(n.) The true nature of something beyond our senses
Examples
  1. Scholars debate the noumena unseen by ordinary senses.
  2. Mystics seek the noumena beyond the scope of ordinary perception.
Synonyms
essence reality
Origin
From German and Greek: 'nooumenon' means 'that which is apprehended by thought', derived from 'noein' (to think, from 'nous' meaning mind).
5.
clairvoyant
klɛrˈvɔɪənt
(adj.) Able to perceive things that normal people cannot
Examples
  1. Some people have a nearly clairvoyant intuition for hidden truths.
  2. Her clairvoyant sense unveiled details unseen by most.
Synonyms
perceptive insightful extrasensory
Origin
Borrowed from French: 'clair' (clear, from Latin 'clarus' meaning bright) + 'voyant' (seeing, from Latin 'vidēre' meaning to see).
6.
occhiolism
ˈɒk.i.ə.lɪz.əm
(n.) A humbling awareness of how limited your perspective is in the grand scheme
Examples
  1. Reading ancient history books often induces occhiolism.
  2. Travelling to new countries can bring about occhiolism.
Synonyms
self-awareness humility modesty introspection perspective
Origin
From Italian 'occhiolino' meaning 'little eye'.
7.
poppycock
ˈpɒpi.kɒk
(n.) Nonsense or foolishness
Examples
  1. That's a lot of poppycock!
  2. Starting with the cherry tree, much of what was written by Washington's early biographers was pure poppycock.
Synonyms
balderdash baloney hogwash malarkey nonsense
Origin
From Dutch dialect 'pappekak', literally 'soft dung', derived from Dutch 'pap' (soft, meaning porridge) + 'kak' (dung, meaning excrement).
8.
aphorist
ˈæfərɪst
(n.) A person who shares wise sayings
Examples
  1. The aphorist captivated the room with his timeless wisdom.
  2. The aphorist offered a succinct saying that left a lasting impact.
Synonyms
adage apothegm byword epigram maxim proverb saw saying sententia word
Origin
From Middle French 'aphorisme', from Late Latin 'aphorismus', and from Greek 'aphorismos' (from 'aphorizein' meaning to define, via 'apo-' meaning from + 'horizein' meaning to bound).
9.
nadir
ˈneɪdɪr
(n.) The lowest point or worst moment of something
Examples
  1. The relationship between the two countries reached a nadir in the 1920s.
  2. The discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling.
Synonyms
bedrock bottom depth zero
Origin
From Arabic 'naẓīr' meaning opposite (to the zenith), from 'naẓara' meaning to see.
10.
jaded
ˈdʒeɪdɪd
(adj.) Tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm because of overexposure or overindulgence
Examples
  1. He became jaded from years of work as a police officer.
  2. A public jaded by political scandals.
Synonyms
exhausted fatigued tired weary worn-out
Origin
From 'jade' (to tire or wear out a horse), of uncertain origin, possibly from Old Norse 'jalda' (mare).
11.
contumacious
ˌkɒntjuˈmeɪʃəs
(adj.) Stubbornly disobedient, rebellious
Examples
  1. The judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court.
  2. The contumacious student ignored school rules, triggering a prompt suspension.
Synonyms
rebellious rebel defiant willful stubborn
Origin
From Latin 'contumacia' meaning stubbornness, from 'contumax' (insolent, stubborn).
12.
smellfungus
ˈsmɛlfʌŋɡəs
(n.) A person who complains excessively
Examples
  1. He was such a smellfungus about every little mishap.
  2. That smellfungus never misses a chance to gripe over minor faults.
Synonyms
complainer grouch
Origin
From the character Smelfungus in Laurence Sterne's A Sentimental Journey, satirising Tobias Smollett.
13.
arcane
ɑrˈkeɪn
(adj.) Unknown to most people
Examples
  1. Scholars studied the arcane symbols on ancient walls.
  2. Ancient scrolls described an arcane procedure hidden for centuries.
Synonyms
abstruse deep esoteric hermetic profound recondite
Origin
Borrowed from Latin 'arcānus' (secret, private, intimate), from 'arca' (chest, coffer, box) with suffix '-ānus'.
14.
corpulent
ˈkɔːpjʊlənt
(adj.) Having a large, bulky body; fat
Examples
  1. The corpulent man struggled to fit into the narrow seat.
  2. His corpulent frame made physical activity challenging.
Synonyms
obese overweight portly rotund stout
Origin
From Latin 'corpulentus' meaning fleshy or stout, from 'corpus' meaning body.
15.
ethereal
ɪˈθɪərɪəl
(adj.) Heavenly, exceptionally delicate or refined
Examples
  1. The windows give the church an ethereal glow.
  2. That ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma.
Synonyms
bodiless formless immaterial incorporeal spiritual unbodied
Origin
From Latin 'aethereus', from Greek 'aitherios', from 'aither' meaning upper air or pure, fresh air.
16.
erudition
ˌerʊˈdɪʃən
(n.) Deep, wide knowledge about various subjects
Examples
  1. A scholar of remarkable erudition.
  2. A scientist of impressive erudition but with a down-to-earth manner.
Synonyms
education knowledge learnedness learning scholarship
Origin
From Latin 'eruditio', from 'erudire' meaning to educate, from 'e-' (out) + 'rudis' meaning rough, unlearned.
17.
nincompoop
ˈnɪŋkəmˌpuːp
(n.) A foolish or silly person
Examples
  1. The people running that company are a bunch of nincompoops.
  2. Quit acting like a nincompoop, I know you're smarter than that.
Synonyms
fool lunatic goose moron idiot
Origin
Origin uncertain; possibly from Latin 'non compos mentis' (not of sound mind) or French 'Nicodemus'.
18.
cosset
ˈkɒsət
(v.) To spoil or care for someone very gently
Examples
  1. The hotel cossets its guests with friendly service.
  2. She had a safe, cosseted childhood.
Synonyms
baby cocker coddle dandle indulge mollycoddle pamper spoil
Origin
From Anglo-Norman, referring to a lamb brought up by hand as a pet.
19.
magnanimous
mægˈnænəməs
(adj.) Generous, forgiving
Examples
  1. She was too magnanimous to resent all the things others had said to her.
  2. He was magnanimous in welcoming the apology without a second thought.
Synonyms
noble great honorable high gallant sublime
Origin
From Latin 'magnanimus', from 'magnus' meaning great and 'animus' meaning spirit.
20.
foible
ˈfɔɪbəl
(n.) Weakness
Examples
  1. We could tolerate my uncle's foibles because we loved him dearly.
  2. My foible was my habit of overindulging in sweets.
Synonyms
demerit dereliction failing fault shortcoming weakness
Origin
Obsolete French (now 'faible'), from obsolete 'foible' meaning weak, from Old French 'feble' meaning feeble.
21.
convivial
kənˈvɪvɪəl
(adj.) Friendly, sociable
Examples
  1. The hiking club attracts a wide range of convivial people who share a love of the outdoors.
  2. A convivial dinner sparked smiles and relaxed chatter among the guests.
Synonyms
social outgoing hospitable companionable friendly
Origin
Late Latin 'convivialis', from Latin 'convivium' meaning banquet, from 'com-' (together) + 'vivere' meaning to live.
22.
volubility
ˌvɒljʊˈbɪləti
(n.) The ability to speak or write easily
Examples
  1. Her volubility impressed the audience.
  2. The professor's volubility kept the lecture engaging.
Synonyms
fluency eloquence articulateness glibness loquacity
Origin
From Latin 'volūbilitās', meaning fluency, from 'volūbilis' (rolling, fluent).
23.
guileless
ˈɡaɪl.ləs
(adj.) Honest and straightforward
Examples
  1. She was an easygoing, guileless young woman who was comfortable just being herself.
  2. His guileless honesty bridged all differences in the room.
Synonyms
artless genuine honest ingenuous innocent sincere
Origin
From 'guile' (deceit, cunning, from Old French) + '-less' (without).
24.
idiosyncratic
ˌɪdɪəsɪŋˈkrætɪk
(adj.) Unique to one person
Examples
  1. Her idiosyncratic style set her apart from her peers.
  2. The artist's idiosyncratic approach captivated the audience.
Synonyms
distinctive eccentric quirky peculiar unique
Origin
From Greek 'idiosynkrasia' meaning peculiar temperament, from 'idios' (own, personal) + 'synkrasis' (mixture).
25.
sapiosexual
ˌseɪpɪəˈsɛkʃuəl
(n.) Attracted to intelligence
Examples
  1. Sapiosexual individuals prioritise intellect over appearance.
  2. Engaging in deep conversations is essential for sapiosexuals.
Synonyms
sapiophile
Origin
From Latin 'sapiens' meaning wise + '-sexual'.
26.
puerile
ˈpjʊərəɪl
(adj.) Childish, immature, or silly in a way that is not appropriate for an adult
Examples
  1. Told the teenagers that such puerile behaviour would not be tolerated during the ceremony.
  2. The chairman dismissed the puerile remark that broke the meeting's decorum.
Synonyms
childish immature adolescent juvenile inexperienced
Origin
From French 'puéril' and Latin 'puerilis', from 'puer' meaning boy or child, akin to Sanskrit 'putra' and Greek 'pais'.
27.
irascible
ɪˈræsəbəl
(adj.) Easily provoked to anger, irritable
Examples
  1. My football coach was extremely irascible.
  2. She has an irascible disposition.
Synonyms
choleric crabby cranky cantankerous surly grouchy irritable
Origin
From Middle French, derived from Late Latin 'irascibilis', from Latin 'irasci' meaning to become angry (from 'ira' meaning anger).
28.
gobbledygook
ˈɡɒbəldɪˌɡuːk
(n.) Language that is overly complex, jargon-filled, or unintelligible
Examples
  1. The report is just a bunch of gobbledygook.
  2. Cut through the gobbledygook and just tell me what the final cost of the car would be.
Synonyms
bafflegab double-talk gibberish rigmarole rhetoric hype
Origin
Coined in 1944 by US Congressman Maury Maverick, likely imitative of turkey sounds to suggest incomprehensible speech.

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