- Do you want to speak briefly while also being completely incomprehensible? These words are just for you!
Words are specific by their definition — they mean a certain thing. Well, sometimes two or more, depending on the context.
But then there are words describing such hyper-specific situations that you may have never even heard of them. And you don’t need to because you can say the same thing using five common words, with the added bonus that everyone understands you.
Some languages — like German — are infamous for words like this. But there are plenty of them in English as well.
Here are 11 words in English that describe bizarrely specific actions or situations. Learn them and discombobulate the crap out of your friends.
1. Abecedarian
If you guessed being an abecedarian has something to do with the alphabet, you’d be correct. An abecedarian is somebody currently learning the alphabet.
So, if you’re reading this, you were once an abecedarian. As was I, because I’m writing this list.
This is probably the most pointlessly specific and widely applicable world. Isn’t every kindergartener in the world an abecedarian?
Sample usage: “My little brother’s not a great abecedarian, he’s only up to ‘O’ and he’s 37.”
2. Cancatervate
A cancatervating person is a neat freak’s worst enemy. When you cancatervate, you pile things in an unstructured heap.
It could be clothes, dishes, or pretty much anything else. As long as you’re heaping it high, you’re doing some fine cancatervating.
Sample usage: “It’s not a pile of clothes, mom, it’s my cancatervation project.”
3. Defenestrate
Defenestration might sound a bit naughty, but it’s not. If you were defenestrated, your brief thrill would come to a sudden, painful stop.
After all, the word means “to throw out the window.” We couldn’t find out whether you have to throw the person or thing through the glass for it to count as defenestration.
Sample usage: “Watch it, bro, or I’m gonna totally defenestrate you.”
4. Estrapade
Now here’s a word most people today will never have to use. But back in the days of the cowboys, it meant bad news.
An estrapading horse is actively attempting to throw its rider off its back. Next time you’re out riding, you now know a simple word you can use if your horse gets out of control.
Sample usage: “Help! Help! My horse is estrapading!”
5. Halfpace
Any architects out there might already know what a halfpace is. To the rest of us, it sounds like something to do with slow movement.
But in reality, a halfpace is the platform in a staircase where the stairs turn around and continue in the opposite direction of the lower flight. Talk about hyper-specific.
Sample usage: “I twisted my ankle when I tripped and fell down onto the halfpace.”
6. Krukolibidunous
When encountering an attractive person, don’t let your eyes wander. Or if you, at least keep them above the belt.
A krukolibidunous person is someone who’s looking at another’s crotch and getting aroused. Try as we might, we couldn’t find a word to describe the opposite reaction.
Sample usage: “Ugh, that creep at the bar is being, like, totally krukolibidunous.”
7. Pentapopemptic
Got a relative who can’t hold a marriage together to save their life? Well, after their fifth divorce, they’ve officially graduated to being pentapopemptic — someone who has divorced five times.
Remember this word on your next Thanksgiving dinner. You can subtly burn somebody while making it sound suave.
Sample usage: “My nephew called me pentapopemptic, he’s so sweet!”
8. Quomodocunquizing
If you’d told us that this is a word, we wouldn’t have believed you. But the Oxford English Dictionary accepts it, so we suppose it has to be.
Quomofocunquizing describes someone or something “that makes money in any possible way.” Now that we’ve clarified that, hopefully we never have to type this awful word again.
Sample usage: “I’m so broke, I need to become more quomodocunquizing.”
9. Snickersnee
A snickersnee can be one of two things. First, it’s a large knife used for cutting or thrusting.
But it can also be a fight with similar (or any) knives. So, if you here there’s a snickersnee going down the street, it’s better to stay away — although it does sound funny.
Sample usage: “Yeah? You want to take this outside? Want to have a little snickersnee, huh?”
10. Tittynope
Despite what you might think, tittynope doesn’t describe a woman turning down your advances. Instead, it’s a tiny amount or quantity of something that’s been left over.
If you’re wondering where that “titty” comes from, this word is based on the word “tittle,” meaning small or tiny.
Sample usage: “There’s just a tittynope of pie. Please, somebody eat this, my fridge is all full.”
11. Valetudinarian
It sounds like valedictorian, but being around a valetudinarian is much more exhausting. This is a person who’s overtly preoccupied with their health.
That said, a valetudinarian must have at least some reason for their worries. If they do not, well, then they’re just hypochondriac.
Sample usage: “The patient shows valetudinarian tendencies by ingesting horse tranquilizers after one poorly slept night.”
Hits: 0
