WELCOME, WORDSMITHS!
WHAT IS A DICTIONARY?
A dictionary is a collection of words and their meanings.
Sometimes dictionaries are books you can hold, like
this book, and sometimes they're digital. Dictionaries
are written by LEXICOGRAPHERS (pages 51 and 53).
Lexicographers study how people use language, and then
write down what they learn in dictionaries.
You'll find many different types of words
in this dictionary. The longest words are
SPAGHETTIFICATION (pages 80-81) and
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA (page 84), and the shortest
word is X (page 99). Some of the words are used all
the time like OMINOUS (page 63), while others are so
rare that you might only find them in an old book, like
SESQUIPEDALIAN (page 79). Some words are fun to
say like HURDY-GURDY (pages 36-37), and others
have definitions that describe beautiful things in the
world like MOONBOW (page 56).
Words are wonderful! Without words, we wouldn't be able to share all our
ideas with the people around us. That's why we've put together a dictionary
that will take you on a journey through some of the most brilliant and
surprising words in the English language.
HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
There is no right way to read this book. Here are just a few
ideas, but feel free to come up with your own favorite way
of reading The Dictionary of Difficult Words.
1. You can read it straight through from A to Z.
2. You can read it backward from Z to A.
3. You can read one letter of the alphabet at a time.
4. You can read it out loud with loved ones.
5. You can read it silently by yourself.
6. You can look at the pictures and not read the words.
7. You can open up to a random page, close your eyes, put
your finger down, and then read what you're pointing at.
8. You can read a word out loud and then let someone
guess what the definition is.
9. You can read it in the dark with a flashlight.
10. You can read it to learn new things, or you can read it
just for fun.
Look out for the clouds around some
of our favorite definitions. You can
find extra information about the
word in a cloud, along with a big
illustration, on a nearby page.
HOW TO WORK OUT HOW TO SAY A WORD
If you're a big reader, you often learn new words from books. You might
know a word's meaning, but when it comes to saying it, you have no idea how
to pronounce it. This happens to people of all ages, so you're not alone. Many
of the words in this book are hard to say. English rules can be extremely
confusing. For instance, the letter X can sometimes be pronounced like Z,
and -ough can be said in many different ways in English, like in the
words cough, dough, and through. Luckily, there is a handy
pronunciation guide underneath each word to
help you work out how to say it.
PARTS OF SPEECH
A word's part of speech gives you information
about how it's used in a sentence. The definitions in
this book have one of these three parts of speech:
noun
A noun is a word used to talk
about a person, place, thing, or
idea. Sister, park, and love are
all nouns.
adjective
An adjective is a word used to
describe nouns and to give extra
information about someone or
something. Big, gray, and smart
are all adjectives.
verb
A verb is a word used to talk
about actions. Jump, learn, and
look are all verbs.
Turn the page to
start your journey
of discovery!
If a word ends in -ous,
it's probably an adjective
(see LUMINOUS on
page 52).
If a word ends in -ism,
it's probably a noun (see
ANACHRONISM on
page 8).
If a word ends in -phile,
it's about a person who
loves something (see
BIBLIOPHILE on page 11).
If a word has -graph in it,
it's often about writing (see
ORTHOGRAPHY on page 64).
If a word ends with -ology, it's
about something you study (see
CRYPTOZOOLOGY on page 16), and
if a word ends with -ologist, it's about
the people who study that thing (see
ICHTHYOLOGIST on page 39).
HOW TO WORK OUT HOW TO SAY A WORD
If you're a big reader, you often learn new words from books. You might
know a word's meaning, but when it comes to saying it, you have no idea how
to pronounce it. This happens to people of all ages, so you're not alone. Many
of the words in this book are hard to say. English rules can be extremely
confusing. For instance, the letter X can sometimes be pronounced like Z,
and -ough can be said in many different ways in English, like in the
words cough, dough, and through. Luckily, there is a handy
pronunciation guide underneath each word to
help you work out how to say it.
HOW TO WORK OUT WHAT A WORD MEANS
Sometimes we can find clues about a word's meaning if we look at how it's spelled.
7
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AMBIVALENT
[am-biv-uh-luhnt] • adjective
When you are ambivalent about
something, you feel two very different
ways about it at the same time.
AMBIDEXTROUS
[am-bi-dek-struhs] • adjective
When someone is
ambidextrous, they
can use both their
right and left hands
to write or draw.
ALOOF
[uh-loof] • adjective
When someone is aloof, they are not
very friendly or easy to talk to.
ALIENATE
[ey-lee-uh-neyt] • verb
If you alienate someone, you make them
feel sad and like they are all alone.
AILUROPHILE
[ahy-loor-uh-fahyl] • noun
An ailurophile is someone
who loves cats.
AFFABLE
[af-uh-buhl] • adjective
Someone who is affable is friendly
and fun to talk to.
AESTHETIC
[es-thet-ik] • noun
When someone uses the
word aesthetic, they
are talking about
what makes something
beautiful to them. People often use this
word when they're talking about art.
ABSQUATULATE
[ab-skwoch-uh-leyt] • verb
When someone
absquatulates,
they leave a
place very
quickly and without warning. People use
this word when they want to be funny.
ABECEDARIAN
[ey-bee-see-dair-ee-uhn] • noun
An abecedarian is someone
who is learning the alphabet
or who is a beginner in any subject.
8
ARACHNOPHOBIA
[uh-rak-nuh-foh-bee-uh] • noun
Arachnophobia is an
extreme fear of spiders.
AVUNCULAR
[uh-vuhng-kyuh-ler] • adjective
Avuncular is a word that describes uncles
and people who act like uncles. If someone
is avuncular, they are helpful and friendly
to people who are younger than them.
ARID
[ar-id] • adjective
If a place is arid, it is very dry and
it doesn't rain much there. Deserts
have arid climates.
ARCANE
[ahr-keyn] • adjective
When something is arcane, it is
mysterious or difficult to understand.
ARBITRARY
[ahr-bi-trer-ee] • adjective
When a rule is arbitrary, there is no
real reason why it is the way it is.
ANTITHESIS
[an-tith-uh-sis] • noun
The antithesis of
something is the
opposite of that thing.
ANATHEMA
[uh-nath-uh-muh] • noun
If something is anathema to someone,
they really hate it.
ANACHRONISM
[uh-nak-ruh-niz-uhm] • noun
An anachronism is something that doesn't
fit into its surroundings because it
belongs to a different time or era.
Sometimes
things that are
old-fashioned
are called
anachronisms.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ARID
One type of plant that thrives in hot
and arid climates is the cactus.
Cacti are extremely good at collecting
and storing water and can survive for
months and months without rain.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
11
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
BAILIWICK
[bey-luh-wik] • noun
Someone's bailiwick is something they
know a lot about, or a thing that
they are really good at.
BEDAZZLED
[bih-daz-uhld] • adjective
When you are
bedazzled by
something,
you are so
impressed
by it that
you don't
notice the
bad things
about it.
BEHEMOTH
[bih-hee-muhth] • noun
A behemoth is a monster or a very
large and powerful animal, person,
or thing.
BELLWETHER
[bel-weth-er] • noun
A bellwether is someone
,© 2019 Louise Lockhart.
Pronunciations provided by Dictionary.com, with modifications
made by Laura Patsko for UK pronunciations.
First published in 2019 by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books,
an imprint of The Quarto Group.
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA.
T (612) 344-8100 F (612) 344-8692 www.QuartoKnows.com
The right of Jane Solomon to be identified as the author and Louise Lockhart
to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 (United Kingdom).
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form, or by any means,
electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the publisher or a
license permitting restricted copying.
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-1-78603-811-1
The illustrations were created in Photoshop and using a pen on the iPad.
Set in Louise Lockhart’s handlettered type.
Published by Rachel Williams
Designed by Karissa Santos
Edited by Katy Flint
Production by Jenny Cundill
Manufactured in China 022019
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Digital edition: 978-0-71124-1-985
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Title
Copyright
Dedication
WELCOME, WORDSMITHS!
HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
PARTS OF SPEECH
Aa
ABECEDARIAN
ABSQUATULATE
AESTHETIC
AFFABLE
AILUROPHILE
ALIENATE
ALOOF
AMBIDEXTROUS
AMBIVALENT
ANACHRONISM
ANATHEMA
ANTITHESIS
ARACHNOPHOBIA
ARBITRARY
ARCANE
ARID
AVUNCULAR
Bb
BAILIWICK
BEDAZZLED
BEHEMOTH
BELLWETHER
BESPECTACLED
BIBLIOPHILE
BILDUNGSROMAN
BIOLUMINESCENT
BLATHERSKITE
BLITHESOME
BORBORYGMUS
BROWBEAT
BUGBEAR
BUMBERSHOOT
Cc
CACHINNATE
CACOPHONY
CANDOR
CANTANKEROUS
CATOPTROMANCY
CAVORT
CENTENARIAN
CERULEAN
CHILIAD
CHIMERA
CIRCUMLOCUTION
CLOWDER
co*ckALORUM
COGNIZANT
COMPUNCTION
CONNIVE
CRUCIVERBALIST
CRYPTOZOOLOGY
Dd
DABSTER
DARKLE
DEFENESTRATE
DEIPNOSOPHIST
DEMOGORGON
DENDRIFORM
DEVOUR
DILAPIDATED
DISPARATE
DOPPELGANGER
DORYPHORE
DRACONIAN
DROLL
DRUDGERY
DUBIOUS
DUMBFOUNDED
DUPLICITY
Ee
EARWORM
EBULLIENT
ECLECTIC
EGGHEAD
EMULATE
ENNUI
ENUNCIATE
EPIGRAM
EQUANIMITY
ERGOPHOBIA
ESTIVAL
EUPHEMISM
EUPHORIA
EXACERBATE
EXTEMPORANEOUS
Ff
FACETIOUS
FANDANGO
FESTINATE
FLAPDOODLE
FLIBBERTIGIBBET
FLOCCULENT
FLOTSAM
FLUMMOX
FORTUITOUS
FOURSCORE
FRABJOUS
FRAZZLED
FRENETIC
FUNAMBULIST
FUNICULAR
Gg
GABFEST
GAGGLE
GALE
GARGANTUAN
GARGOYLE
GELATINOUS
GENEALOGY
GESTICULATE
GLOCKENSPIEL
GONDOLA
GONZO
GOURMAND
GRANDILOQUENT
GRIMOIRE
GROTTO
Hh
HABERDASHERY
HAGIOGRAPHY
HA-HA
HAPPENSTANCE
HARBINGER
HEYDAY
HIPPOPHILE
HIRSUTE
HISTRIONIC
HOBNOB
HOMAGE
HOROLOGIST
HUMDINGER
HUMDRUM
HURDY-GURDY
HYPERBOLE
Ii
IANTHINE
ICEBLINK
ICHTHYOLOGIST
IDIOLECT
IKEBANA
IMAGINEER
IMMINENT
IMMORTALIZE
INANE
INDEFATIGABLE
INEFFABLE
INSIPID
INTERROBANG
IRREVERENT
IZZARD
INDEFATIGABLE
Jj
JABBER
JACKANAPES
JAMBOREE
JARGON
JEJUNE
JEOPARDY
JEST
JILLION
JILT
JOBBERNOWL
JOSTLE
JUBILANT
JUGGERNAUT
JUVENILIA
JUXTAPOSE
Kk
KAKISTOCRACY
KALEIDOSCOPE
KALIMBA
KAPUT
KARAOKE
KENSPECKLE
KERFUFFLE
KINETIC
KISMET
KNACK
KNAPSACK
KNAVE
KNEE-SLAPPER
KRAKEN
KVETCH
KRAKEN
Ll
LABORIOUS
LABYRINTH
LACKADAISICAL
LEAFDOM
LEXICOGRAPHER
LINCHPIN
LIONIZE
LOLLAPALOOZA
LOLLYGAG
LOVELORN
LUDDITE
LUGUBRIOUS
LUMINOUS
LUTE
LYCANTHROPE
Mm
MASTICATE
MAUDLIN
MAVEN
MAVERICK
MAXIM
METAGROBOLIZE
MICROCOSM
MINOTAUR
MIRTH
MISCELLANEOUS
MISHPOCHA
MOONBOW
MUGWUMP
MULLIGRUBS
MUMPSIMUS
Nn
NADIR
NAIVE
NARWHAL
NAUTICAL
NAYSAYER
NEBULOUS
NEOLOGISM
NEPOTISM
NEWFANGLED
NICTATE
NINNYHAMMER
NOCTURNAL
NOISOME
NOMADIC
NONCHALANT
NUCIVOROUS
Oo
OBELISK
OBFUSCATE
OBSOLETE
OGRE
OLFACTORY
OMBUDSMAN
OMINOUS
OMNISCIENT
OMPHALOSCOPY
ONEROUS
ONOMATOPOEIA
OOLOGY
OPAQUE
ORNERY
ORTHOGRAPHY
ONOMATOPOEIA
Pp
PALINDROME
PARADIGM
PENULTIMATE
PERENNIAL
PETRICHOR
PHANTASMAGORIC
PIEBALD
PITHY
PLETHORA
POLYMATH
PORTMANTEAU
PRECOCIOUS
PRESTIDIGITATION
PUGNACIOUS
PULCHRITUDINOUS
QIVIUT
QUACKSALVER
QUAGMIRE
QUAINT
QUANDARY
QUARANTINE
QUARRELSOME
QUIBBLE
QUIDNUNC
QUILL
QUINQUENNIUM
QUIP
QUIVER
QUIXOTIC
QUOTIDIAN
Rr
RAMBUNCTIOUS
RAMFEEZLED
RAPSCALLION
RAVENOUS
REBUS
REDOLENT
REPLICA
RESPLENDENT
RETICENT
REVEL
REVERIE
RHETORICAL
RIFE
RIPSNORTER
ROSARIUM
ROTUND
Ss
SALUBRIOUS
SCARAMOUCH
SCHADENFREUDE
SERENDIPITY
SESQUIPEDALIAN
SIDEREAL
SKULDUGGERY
SLUGABED
SMORGASBORD
SNUGGERY
SOCKDOLAGER
SOMNAMBULIST
SPAGHETTIFICATION
SPELUNKING
SPHINX
SQUAMOUS
STERNUTATION
Tt
TACITURN
TANDEM
TEMPESTUOUS
TESTUDINAL
THALASSIC
THESPIAN
THIGMOTROPISM
TINTINNABULUM
TOME
TRANSLUCENT
TRANSMOGRIFY
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
TROGLODYTE
TULIPOMANIA
TUROPHILE
Uu
UBIQUITOUS
UFOLOGY
UGGLESOME
UKULELE
ULIGINOUS
ULTRACREPIDARIAN
UMBRAGE
UMBRIFEROUS
UMLAUT
UNCTUOUS
UNDULATE
UNKEMPT
UPEND
URSINE
UTOPIA
Vv
VAINGLORIOUS
VARIEGATED
VERBOSE
VERMILION
VERNACULAR
VERSATILE
VIBRASLAP
VILIFY
VISTA
VOCIFEROUS
VOID
VOLATILE
VOLCANOLOGIST
VOMITORIUM
VORTEX
Ww
WANDERLUST
WHANGDOODLE
WHIMSICAL
WHIPPERSNAPPER
WHIZGIG
WILY
WINSOME
WISECRACK
WISHY-WASHY
WORMHOLE
WORRYWART
WRACKFUL
WRANGLE
WUNDERKIND
WUTHERING
Xx
X
XANADU
XANTHIC
XEBEC
XENIAL
XENIZATION
XENOPHOBIA
XERISCAPE
XERUS
XESTURGY
XIPH
XIPHOID
X-RAY
XYLOGRAPHY
XYLOPHONE
XYST
Yy
YAHOO
YAK
YEANLING
YEARN
YEASAYER
YEPSEN
YESTERYEAR
YETI
YEX
YODEL
YOMP
YONDER
YORE
YURT
YUZU
Zz
ZAATAR
ZEAL
ZEDONK
ZEITGEIST
ZENOGRAPHY
ZEPHYR
ZEPPELIN
ZEST
ZEUGMA
ZEUSAPHONE
ZILCH
ZOETROPE
ZONK
ZOOLOGIST
ZYGODACTYL
END NOTES
,who does
things in a new way that changes how
others think about the world. Often,
a bellwether is not aware of the
effect that they have on others.
BESPECTACLED
[bih-spek-tuh-kuhld] • adjective
Someone who is
bespectacled is wearing glasses.
BIBLIOPHILE
[bib-lee-uh-fahyl] • noun
A bibliophile is a person who
collects or loves books.
BILDUNGSROMAN
[bil-doongz-roh-mahn] • noun
A Bildungsroman is a story about
someone who is growing up and
learning about who they are. This is
sometimes called a coming-of-
age story.
12
BIOLUMINESCENT
[bahy-oh-loo-muh-nes-uhnt] • adjective
When a living thing is bioluminescent,
it glows in the dark.
BLATHERSKITE
[blath-er-skahyt] • noun
A blatherskite is a person who
talks a lot, but says things that are
meaningless or foolish.
BLITHESOME
[blahyth-suhm] • adjective
When someone is blithesome, they
are full of light-hearted joy.
If something is blithesome, it is
so wonderful that it can make
others happy.
BORBORYGMUS
[bohr-buh-rig-muhs] • noun
Borborygmus is the rumbling
sound that comes from
someone's stomach.
BROWBEAT
[brou-beet] • verb
If you
browbeat
someone
into doing
something, you
bully them
into acting a
certain way.
BUGBEAR
[buhg-bair] • noun
A bugbear is something that makes
you feel needlessly
scared or annoyed.
BUMBERSHOOT
[buhm-ber-shoot] • noun
A bumbershoot is
an umbrella.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
BIOLUMINESCENT
Fireflies are bioluminescent, and this
helps them find and recognize one
another. Different types of fireflies
flash in different patterns and colors.
The flash of a firefly can appear as
yellow, white, green, or blue.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
15
CACHINNATE
[kak-uh-neyt] • verb
When someone cachinnates,
they laugh very loudly.
CACOPHONY
[kuh-kof-uh-nee] • noun
A cacophony is a mixture of loud and
annoying sounds, all happening at the
same time.
CANDOR
[kan-der] • noun
Candor is being honest and telling the
truth, even if it's hard to do.
CANTANKEROUS
[kan-tang-ker-uhs] • adjective
When someone is cantankerous, they
want to argue and complain about
everything.
CATOPTROMANCY
[ka-top-truh-man-see] • noun
Catoptromancy is when people use
mirrors to uncover hidden knowledge.
The queen in Snow White is practicing
catoptromancy when she looks into her
mirror and asks Mirror, mirror, on the
wall, who's the fairest one of all?
CAVORT
[kuh-vohrt] • verb
When someone
cavorts, they
dance or jump
around with
excitement.
CENTENARIAN
[sen-tn-air-ee-uhn] • noun
A centenarian is
someone who is 100
years old or older.
CERULEAN
[suh-roo-lee-uhn] • noun
Cerulean is a deep blue color, like a
cloudless daytime sky.
POLICE
Beep!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
16
study the Loch Ness Monster or unicorns.
CHILIAD
[kil-ee-ad] • noun
A chiliad is a period of 1,000 years or
any group of 1,000 things.
CHIMERA
[kahy-meer-uh] • noun
A chimera is a fire-
breathing monster with
the head of a lion, the body of a goat,
and the tail of a snake.
CIRCUMLOCUTION
[sur-kuhm-loh-kyoo-shuhn] • noun
Circumlocution is when someone uses
a lot of words to say something they
could have said with very few words.
CLOWDER
[klou-der] • noun
A clowder is a
group of cats.
co*ckALORUM
[kok-uh-lohr-uhm] • noun
A co*ckalorum is someone who thinks that
they are more important than they
actually are.
COGNIZANT
[kog-nuh-zuhnt] • adjective
When someone is cognizant of something,
they are aware of it.
COMPUNCTION
[kuhm-puhngk-shuhn] • noun
If someone has no compunction about
something they've done, they don't feel
bad or guilty about it.
CONNIVE
[kuh-nahyv] • verb
If you connive with someone to do
something, you work together to make
a secret plan that will benefit both
of you.
CRUCIVERBALIST
[kroo-suh-vur-buh-list] • noun
A cruciverbalist is someone who creates
or loves solving crossword puzzles.
CRYPTOZOOLOGY
[krip-toh-zoh-ol-uh-jee] • noun
Cryptozoology is the study of animals
or creatures that many people think
are imaginary. A cryptozoologist might
CRYPTOZOOLOGY
Are unicorns real? This is a question a
cryptozoologist might ask. Unicorns have popped up in
the stories and art of various cultures since ancient
times. However there is no scientific
evidence that these horned
creatures exist.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
19
DABSTER
[dab-ster] • noun
A dabster is someone who is
an expert at something.
DARKLE
[dahr-kuhl] • verb
If something darkles, it becomes less
and less light or more and more dark.
DEFENESTRATE
[dee-fen-uh-streyt] • verb
If you defenestrate something, you
throw it out of a window.
DEIPNOSOPHIST
[dahyp-nos-uh-fist] • noun
A deipnosophist is someone who is
very good at having interesting
conversations with others while sitting
down for a meal.
DEMOGORGON
[dem-uh-gohr-guhn] • noun
A demogorgon is
a mysterious and
powerful mythological
god or demon.
DENDRIFORM
[den-druh-fohrm] • adjective
Something that is dendriform is
shaped like a tree.
DEVOUR
[dih-vou-uhr] • verb
If you devour food, you eat it very
quickly. If you devour a book, you read
it really fast.
DILAPIDATED
[dih-lap-i-dey-tid] • adjective
When something is dilapidated,
it is old and falling apart.
People often use this
word to talk about
buildings.
DISPARATE
[dis-per-it] • adjective
When things are disparate, they are
very clearly different from each
other, like chalk and cheese.
DOPPELGANGER
[dop-uhl-gang-er] • noun
A doppelganger is someone who looks
exactly like someone else. They might
look so much like another person that
it's spooky.
DORYPHORE
[dohr-uh-fohr] • noun
A doryphore is someone who is
annoying because they like to point out
when others make small mistakes.
DRACONIAN
[druh-koh-nee-uhn] • adjective
When rules or laws are called
draconian, they are thought to be
cruel or unfair.
DROLL
[drohl] • adjective
When something is droll, it is funny in
a strange or surprising way.
DRUDGERY
[druhj-uh-ree] • noun
Drudgery is hard work
that is very boring, but
has to be done.
DUBIOUS
[doo-bee-uhs] • adjective
When something is dubious, it is
doubtful or uncertain.
DUMBFOUNDED
[duhm-found-id] • adjective
When someone is
dumbfounded, they are so
surprised by something that
they don't know what to do.
DUPLICITY
[doo-plis-i-tee] • noun
People use the word duplicity when
they are talking about misleading or
untrustworthy behavior.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
20
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
DOPPELGANGER
In German folklore, your doppelganger is a supernatural being
that looks exactly like you. It's like a ghost, but it appears
while someone is still alive. Seeing your own doppelganger is
not a good thing because, according to legend, they appear
shortly before someone dies. Usually when people use the word
doppelganger, they're not talking about death. They just mean
that someone looks a lot like you.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
23
EARWORM
[eer-wurm] • noun
An earworm is a song
that keeps on playing
over and over in
your head, even when
you try not to think
about it.
EBULLIENT
[ih-buhl-yuhnt] • adjective
Someone who is ebullient
is extremely excited
or enthusiastic about
something.
ECLECTIC
[ih-klek-tik] • adjective
When a group of things is eclectic,
everything that makes up that group
comes from different places. If
someone has eclectic taste in music,
it means they like a lot of different
styles of music.
EGGHEAD
,[eg-hed] • noun
An egghead is someone who is very
smart, but not always in ways that
are useful for day-to-day life. People
sometimes use this word when they
don't value someone's knowledge.
EMULATE
[em-yuh-leyt] • verb
If you emulate someone, you try to
be just like them because you think
they're great.
ENNUI
[ahn-wee] • noun
If someone feels
ennui, they are
bored and tired and
have no interest in
the things going on
around them.
ENUNCIATE
[ih-nuhn-see-eyt] • verb
When someone enunciates, they say
words very clearly and carefully.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
24
EPIGRAM
[ep-i-gram] • noun
An epigram is something you say that
is quick, clever, and funny. The Irish
writer Oscar Wilde is famous for his
many epigrams. For example: When
people agree with me I always feel
that I must be wrong.
EQUANIMITY
[ek-wuh-nim-i-tee] • noun
Equanimity is being
calm and thoughtful,
especially in a stressful
or difficult situation.
ERGOPHOBIA
[ur-guh-foh-bee-uh] • noun
Ergophobia is a fear of
work. People use this
word when they want to
be funny.
ESTIVAL
[es-tuh-vuhl] • adjective
When something is described as estival,
it's related to summertime.
EUPHEMISM
[yoo-fuh-miz-uhm] • noun
A euphemism is a nice or polite way
of saying something, especially
something that people don't like to
talk about because it makes them feel
uncomfortable or embarrassed.
EUPHORIA
[yoo-fohr-ee-uh] • noun
Euphoria is a very
intense feeling
of happiness.
EXACERBATE
[ig-zas-er-beyt] • verb
When something exacerbates a bad
situation, it makes it much worse than
it already was.
EXTEMPORANEOUS
[ik-stem-puh-rey-nee-uhs] • adjective
When someone makes an
extemporaneous speech, they do it
off-the-cuff or without preparation.
ommmmmm
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ESTIVAL
Estival comes from the Latin word meaning heat.
If you describe a day in the spring as estival, this means
that it's warm and sunny, like it is in the summer. A related
word is estivation, which is kind of like hibernation, but it
happens during the summer and not the winter.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
27
FACETIOUS
[fuh-see-shuhs] • adjective
If someone is being facetious, they are
trying to be funny and make jokes in
a situation where they should be
acting seriously.
FANDANGO
[fan-dang-goh] • noun
The fandango is an energetic
Spanish dance.
FESTINATE
[fes-tuh-neyt] • verb
When you festinate, you hurry or move
very quickly.
FLAPDOODLE
[flap-dood-l] • noun
Flapdoodle is nonsense, or words and
ideas that are absurd or ridiculous.
FLIBBERTIGIBBET
[flib-er-tee-jib-it] • noun
A flibbertigibbet is someone who is
silly and likes to gossip or daydream.
FLOCCULENT
[flok-yuh-luhnt] • adjective
If something is flocculent, it is soft
and fluffy like a clump of wool.
FLOTSAM
[flot-suhm] • noun
Flotsam are the pieces of a ship that
float in the sea and wash up to the
shore after a shipwreck.
FLUMMOX
[fluhm-uhks] • verb
When something flummoxes you, it
makes you feel confused.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
28
FORTUITOUS
[fahr-too-i-tuhs] • adjective
Something that is fortuitous is a good
and lucky thing
that happens
unexpectedly.
FOURSCORE
[fohr-skohr] • noun
Fourscore is an old-fashioned way to
say the number 80. When people use
this word, they are usually quoting
something that was written a long
time ago.
FRABJOUS
[frab-juhs] • adjective
Something that is frabjous is
wonderful, joyous, and amazing. This
word was made up by Lewis Carroll,
the author of Alice in Wonderland.
FRAZZLED
[fraz-uhld] • adjective
When someone is
frazzled, they feel
tired, overwhelmed,
or exhausted.
FRENETIC
[fruh-net-ik] • adjective
When something is frenetic, it's
energetic and fast, and usually not
very controlled.
FUNAMBULIST
[fyoo-nam-byuh-list] • noun
A funambulist is a tightrope
walker.
FUNICULAR
[fyoo-nik-yuh-ler] • noun
A funicular is a type of train that
goes up the side of a
very steep hill or
a mountain.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
FUNAMBULIST
There are records of funambulists from ancient times. Famous ancient
Roman authors wrote about the funambulist performances they attended.
Illustrations from this period show funambulists gracefully walking across
tightropes while doing difficult tasks, like playing musical instruments.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
31
GABFEST
[gab-fest] • noun
A gabfest is a casual conversation
that's usually about fun or
entertaining things. Sometimes people
use this word when they're talking
about gossip.
GAGGLE
[gag-uhl] • noun
A gaggle is a flock of geese.
GALE
[geyl] • noun
A gale is a very strong wind.
GARGANTUAN
[gahr-gan-choo-uhn] • adjective
If something is gargantuan, it is
enormous.
GARGOYLE
[gahr-goil] • noun
A gargoyle is a stone statue that looks
like a frightening or ugly creature.
Gargoyles appear on older buildings
and are often part of the
water-draining system.
GELATINOUS
[juh-lat-n-uhs] • adjective
If something is gelatinous, it is thick,
sticky, and wet, like jam.
GENEALOGY
[jee-nee-al-uh-jee] • noun
Genealogy is the
study of family
histories. In
genealogy,
family trees
show different
generations of a
family and how
everyone is related to one another.
GESTICULATE
[je-stik-yuh-leyt] • verb
If you gesticulate when you're talking,
you use hand and arm movements
or gestures
to express
yourself. You
can gesticulate
without saying
anything
out loud.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
32
GLOCKENSPIEL
[glok-uhn-shpeel] • noun
A glockenspiel is a type of musical
instrument. It's similar to a xylophone,
but the keys are made out of metal.
GONDOLA
[gon-doh-luh] • noun
A gondola is a long, narrow boat used in
long, narrow bodies of water, like canals.
It's moved by someone who stands at one
end with a pole or an oar.
GONZO
[gon-zoh] • adjective
If a story in the news is
written in a gonzo style,
the reporter talks more
about their feelings
or reactions to
something than
about facts or
what actually
happened.
GOURMAND
[goor-mahnd] • noun
A gourmand is someone
who really enjoys
food, and sometimes
eats too much.
GRANDILOQUENT
[gran-dil-uh-kwuhnt] • adjective
If someone speaks in a grandiloquent
style, they use big words and say
things in a fancy way, usually because
they're showing off.
GRIMOIRE
[greem-wahr] • noun
A grimoire is a
book of magic spells
that witches and
wizards use.
GROTTO
[grot-oh] • noun
A grotto is a small cave, sometimes one
that is built by people as decoration in
a garden.
NEWS
Magic
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
GONDOLA
In addition to being a type of boat, a gondola is also a
form of transportation that moves through the air, high
above the ground. It has a cabin that hangs from a
thick cord, or a cable. People go up and
down mountains in it.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
35
HABERDASHERY
[hab-er-dash-uh-ree] • noun
When someone uses the word
haberdashery, they are talking about
small things used to make clothing, like
buttons, thread, and zippers.
HAGIOGRAPHY
[hag-ee-og-ruh-fee] • noun
A hagiography is a book
about someone that
only says very positive
things about them. The
first hagiographies were
stories about the lives of saints.
HA-HA
[hah-hah] • noun
A ha-ha is a type of fence that is dug
into the ground around a garden or
park, so it's hard to see. This is so the
garden or park looks larger than
,it is.
HAPPENSTANCE
[hap-uhn-stans] • noun
If something occurs by happenstance,
it's a coincidence and there's no real
reason why it happened.
HARBINGER
[hahr-bin-jer] • noun
A harbinger of something is a sign that
it will happen soon. Dark clouds can be
a harbinger of a storm and flowers
can be a harbinger of spring.
HEYDAY
[hey-dey] • noun
Someone's heyday is the time when
they were most successful and popular.
Things can also have heydays.
HIPPOPHILE
[hip-uh-fahyl] • noun
A hippophile is someone
who loves horses.
HIRSUTE
[hur-soot] • adjective
Someone who is hirsute has lots
of hair all over their body.
I LOVE
HORSES
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
36
HISTRIONIC
[his-tree-on-ik] • adjective
If someone is being
histrionic, they are
being dramatic and
emotional in a way that
seems exaggerated
and fake.
HOBNOB
[hob-nob] • verb
If you hobnob with others, especially
rich and powerful people, you are
friendly with them.
HOMAGE
[hom-ij] • noun
Homage is respect that someone shows
to people or things that inspire them.
HOROLOGIST
[hoh-rol-uh-jist] • noun
A horologist is someone who makes
and fixes clocks.
HUMDINGER
[huhm-ding-er] • noun
A humdinger is an exciting and amazing
person or thing.
HUMDRUM
[huhm-druhm] • adjective
If something is humdrum, it's extremely
boring.
HURDY-GURDY
[hur-dee-gur-dee] • noun
A hurdy-gurdy is a type of musical
instrument with strings, a keyboard,
and a crank.
HYPERBOLE
[hahy-pur-buh-lee] • noun
If someone uses
hyperbole, they are
exaggerating or saying
something is much
bigger, smaller, better,
or worse than it really
is. To say that a very
tall person is 1,000
feet tall is an example
of hyperbole.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
HURDY-GURDY
A hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument
like a violin, but you don't play it with a
bow. You play a hurdy-gurdy by turning a
crank while pressing keys. Not many people
play the hurdy-gurdy today, though it was
very popular in the past.
39
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
IANTHINE
[ahy-an-thin] • adjective
Something that is ianthine
is the color violet.
ICEBLINK
[ahys-blingk] • noun
An iceblink is a patch of brightness in
the sky over the sea. It's caused by the
reflection of light from a large piece
of ice.
ICHTHYOLOGIST
[ik-thee-ol-uh-jist] • noun
An ichthyologist is
someone who studies fish.
IDIOLECT
[id-ee-uh-lekt] • noun
An idiolect is the way that someone
speaks that is unique to them and
them alone.
IKEBANA
[ik-uh-bah-nuh] • noun
Ikebana is the Japanese
art of arranging flowers
in a beautiful way.
IMAGINEER
[ih-maj-uh-neer] • noun
An imagineer is someone who turns
creative ideas into reality.
IMMINENT
[im-uh-nuhnt] • adjective
When something is imminent, it's
expected to happen very soon.
IMMORTALIZE
[ih-mohr-tl-ahyz] • verb
When someone is immortalized in
a song, painting, or other work of
art, they are in it, and they will be
remembered for a very long time
because of it.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
40
INANE
[ih-neyn] • adjective
If a question, idea,
or behavior is
inane, it's silly
and foolish.
INDEFATIGABLE
[in-di-fat-i-guh-buhl] • adjective
Someone who is indefatigable never
gets tired and always has the
energy to do things.
INEFFABLE
[in-ef-uh-buhl] • adjective
When something is ineffable, it is too
wonderful to be described by words.
INSIPID
[in-sip-id] • adjective
If someone has an insipid personality,
they are boring. Food that is
insipid doesn't have
much flavor.
INTERROBANG
[in-ter-uh-bang] • noun
An interrobang is
a punctuation mark
that combines the
exclamation mark
with the question
mark. It's used when
someone is surprised
or really excited
while asking
a question.
IRREVERENT
[ih-rev-er-uhnt] • adjective
When someone is irreverent, they
might make fun of things that are
usually taken very seriously.
IZZARD
[iz-erd] • noun
Izzard is an
old-fashioned
way to say the
letter Z.
INDEFATIGABLE
People can be indefatigable, and so can things. For
example, if someone runs a race, studies, and then
makes dinner, they might be called indefatigable.
If a ship moves quickly and never breaks down or
sinks, it might be called indefatigable.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
jam
43
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
JABBER
[jab-er] • verb
If you jabber, you talk quickly and
make no sense.
JACKANAPES
[jak-uh-neyps] • noun
A jackanapes is
someone who is impolite
and disrespectful. A
jackanapes can also be
a child who has a lot of
energy and likes to cause trouble.
JAMBOREE
[jam-buh-ree] • noun
A jamboree is a
party, usually one
that is big and loud.
JARGON
[jahr-guhn] • noun
When someone uses the word jargon,
they're talking about the special words
and expressions used by a specific
group, usually a group of people who
do the same job. People outside this
group don't understand these words.
JEJUNE
[ji-joon] • adjective
Someone or something that is jejune is
boring and not very important.
JEOPARDY
[jep-er-dee] • noun
If something is in jeopardy, it is in
danger of not working out as planned.
JEST
[jest] • noun
If you say
something in
jest, you're
saying it as a
joke.
JILLION
[jil-yuhn] • noun
When someone uses the word jillion,
they want to talk about a very large
number, but they don't want to say an
exact number.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
44
JILT
[jilt] • verb
If you jilt someone,
you end a romantic
relationship with
them quickly and in an upsetting way.
JOBBERNOWL
[job-er-nohl] • noun
A jobbernowl is someone who is foolish
and not very smart.
JOSTLE
[jos-uhl] • verb
If someone jostles
you in a crowd,
they bump up
against you or push you to get past.
JUBILANT
[joo-buh-luhnt] • adjective
When someone is jubilant,
they are extremely happy
because of a triumph or
success. Someone might
feel jubilant after
winning a game.
JUGGERNAUT
[juhg-er-not] • noun
A juggernaut is a large and powerful
object or force that destroys things.
JUVENILIA
[joo-vuh-nil-yuh] • noun
The juvenilia of a writer or artist
is the work that they create before
they've fully developed the style
they're known for. This work is
created when they're a child,
teenager, or young adult.
JUXTAPOSE
[juhk-stuh-pohz] • verb
When you juxtapose two things, you
place them next to each other so it's
easy to see all the ways that they're
different.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
JUXTAPOSE
An artist might juxtapose dark and
light colors, and a musician might
juxtapose slow and fast parts of a song.
A writer might juxtapose ideas like
happiness and sadness.
47
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
KAKISTOCRACY
[kak-uh-stok-ruh-see] • noun
Kakistocracy is government ruled by
the worst people.
KALEIDOSCOPE
[kuh-lahy-duh-skohp] • noun
A kaleidoscope is a tube
that has small, colorful
chips and mirrors at
one end. When someone
looks into the other
end, they see beautiful
patterns that change
as they turn the tube.
KALIMBA
[kuh-lim-buh] • noun
A kalimba is a small musical instrument
with metal keys. It's played with the
thumbs and is sometimes called a
thumb piano.
KAPUT
[kah-poot] • adjective
If something goes
kaput, it doesn't
work anymore.
KARAOKE
[kar-ee-oh-kee] • noun
Karaoke is when
people sing songs into
a microphone for fun,
while a machine plays
the music.
KENSPECKLE
[ken-spek-uhl] • adjective
If something is kenspeckle, it's easy to
recognize
,or easy to see.
KERFUFFLE
[ker-fuhf-uhl] • noun
A kerfuffle is a noisy and confusing
thing that happens.
48
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
KINETIC
[ki-net-ik] • adjective
When someone uses the
word kinetic, they are
talking about
what makes
things start and stop moving.
KISMET
[kiz-met] • noun
When someone talks about kismet,
they're talking about fate, or what
they believe controls everything that
happens in the universe.
KNACK
[nak] • noun
A knack is a special skill or talent that
someone has.
KNAPSACK
[nap-sak] • noun
A knapsack is
a backpack.
KNAVE
[neyv] • noun
A knave is someone who is dishonest
and cannot be trusted.
KNEE-SLAPPER
[nee-slap-er] • noun
A knee-slapper
is a joke or
story that
is extremely
funny and makes
others laugh
very hard.
KRAKEN
[krah-kuhn] • noun
The kraken is a legendary Norwegian
sea monster.
KVETCH
[kvech] • verb
When you kvetch about something, you
complain about it.
ha ha ha
!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
KRAKEN
According to legend, the kraken is so large that it can be
mistaken for an island. While there have been many reported
sightings over the years, there is no proof of the
kraken's existence. Scientists believe that when
people thought they were seeing the kraken,
they were actually looking at a giant squid,
which can grow to be up to 43 feet long.
lem
ona
de
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
51
LABORIOUS
[luh-bohr-ee-uhs] • adjective
Something that is laborious is very
difficult and takes a lot of time and
careful attention.
LABYRINTH
[lab-uh-rinth] • noun
A labyrinth is a maze, or something
that is very easy to get lost in.
LACKADAISICAL
[lak-uh-dey-zi-kuhl] • adjective
If someone is lackadaisical, they do
not seem excited or interested in the
things they do.
LEAFDOM
[leef-duhm] • noun
A leafdom is an area with a lot of
plants and leaves that feels like its
own world.
LEXICOGRAPHER
[lek-si-kog-ruh-fer] • noun
A lexicographer is someone who
writes and edits dictionaries.
LINCHPIN
[linch-pin] • noun
The linchpin
of something
is the person
or thing that
holds it all
together,
or the most
important part
of something.
LIONIZE
[lahy-uh-nahyz] • verb
When you lionize someone, you treat
them as if they are very important
and special.
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52
LOLLAPALOOZA
[lol-uh-puh-loo-zuh] • noun
A lollapalooza is a person, thing,
or event that is extraordinary
or impressive.
LOLLYGAG
[lol-ee-gag] • verb
If you lollygag around, you are not
doing anything when there's probably
something you should be doing.
LOVELORN
[luhv-lohrn] • adjective
When someone is
lovelorn, they're
sad because they're
in love with someone
who doesn't love
them back.
LUDDITE
[luhd-ahyt] • noun
A luddite is
someone who is
against using new
technologies.
LUGUBRIOUS
[loo-goo-bree-uhs] • adjective
Someone or something
that is lugubrious is
extremely sad
and mournful.
LUMINOUS
[loo-muh-nuhs] • adjective
When something is
luminous, it's bright,
shining, and full
of light.
LUTE
[loot] • noun
A lute is a musical instrument
with strings and a pear-
shaped body.
LYCANTHROPE
[lahy-kuhn-throhp] • noun
A lycanthrope is
a werewolf.
NEW
COMPUTER
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
LEXICOGRAPHER
Lexicographers study how
people use words, and then they
write down what they learn in
dictionaries. Though it doesn't
always feel like it, language is
constantly changing and growing.
Sometimes people invent new
words, and sometimes old words
get new meanings.
jane
Milk
55
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
MASTICATE
[mas-ti-keyt] • verb
When you masticate
food, you chew it.
MAUDLIN
[mawd-lin] • adjective
Someone or something that is maudlin
is too sentimental or emotional.
MAVEN
[mey-vuhn] • noun
A maven is someone who knows a lot
about a subject or is extremely good
at something.
MAVERICK
[mav-rik] • noun
A maverick is someone who is
independent and has their own way of
doing things.
MAXIM
[mak-sim] • noun
A maxim is a short saying
that gives advice on how
to live your life. For
example, Don't put all
your eggs in one basket
means that you should
always have a back-up plan in case
something doesn't work out.
METAGROBOLIZE
[met-uh-grob-uh-lahyz] • verb
If you are metagrobolized by
something, you are puzzled or
confused by it. People use this word
when they want to be funny.
MICROCOSM
[mahy-kruh-koz-uhm] • noun
A microcosm is a small thing that
can represent something that is
much bigger.
56
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
MINOTAUR
[min-uh-tawr] • noun
The Minotaur is a mythological
monster with the head of a bull and
the body of a man.
MIRTH
[murth] • noun
If someone is filled
with mirth, they
think something is
so entertaining that
they laugh with joy.
MISCELLANEOUS
[mis-uh-ley-nee-uhs] • adjective
Something that's miscellaneous is hard
to put into one category or another.
MISHPOCHA
[mish-pookh-uh] • noun
Someone's mishpocha is their family
and very close friends.
MOONBOW
[moon-boh] • noun
A moonbow is a nighttime rainbow
that's made from the light of the Moon.
MUGWUMP
[muhg-wuhmp] • noun
A mugwump is someone who has a hard
time making decisions. People often use
this word when they're talking about
politicians.
MULLIGRUBS
[muhl-i-gruhbz] • noun
If someone has the mulligrubs, they
feel very sad and are in a bad mood.
MUMPSIMUS
[muhmp-suh-muhs] • noun
A mumpsimus is a person who believes
something because they've always
believed it, even though it's wrong or
makes no sense.
MINOTAUR
According to Greek mythology,
the Minotaur lived in the
center of a giant labyrinth, or
maze. Some stories say he had
the head of a bull and the body
of a man, but some say it was
the other way around. He was
killed by Theseus, who later
became King of Athens.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
59
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
NADIR
[ney-der] • noun
The nadir of something is the lowest or
worst possible place it could be.
NAIVE
[nah-eev] • adjective
If someone is naive, they don't have
a lot of life experience. They believe
what they are told, even if it's not
true, and they tend to trust people
who are not very trustworthy.
NARWHAL
[nahr-wuhl] • noun
A narwhal is a type of whale that lives
in the Arctic. Male narwhals have a
long, twisted, and pointy tusk coming out
of their heads.
NAUTICAL
[not-i-kuhl] • adjective
If something is
nautical, it's related
to sailors, ships, or
the sea.
NAYSAYER
[ney-sey-er] • noun
A naysayer is
someone who says
no a lot, and who
often views things
in a negative way.
NEBULOUS
[neb-yuh-luhs] • adjective
If an idea is nebulous, it's hard to
describe because it's not completely
clear what the idea is.
NEOLOGISM
[nee-ol-uh-ji*z-uhm] • noun
A neologism is a new word or phrase.
NEPOTISM
[nep-uh-tiz-uhm] • noun
Nepotism is when powerful people give
jobs to their family
and close friends,
whether or not those
people deserve
those jobs.
NO
OFFIC E
60
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
NEWFANGLED
[noo-fang-guhld] • adjective
When a person calls something
newfangled, they're saying it's new in
a way that they don't like because it's
different from what they're used to.
NICTATE
[nik-teyt] • verb
When you nictate,
you blink or wink.
NINNYHAMMER
[nin-ee-ham-er] • noun
A ninnyhammer is someone who is silly
or
,foolish.
NOCTURNAL
[nok-tur-nl] • adjective
If something is nocturnal, it's
related to the night.
NOISOME
[noi-suhm] • adjective
If something is noisome, it's very
unpleasant or disgusting, like the smell
of something rotting.
NOMADIC
[noh-mad-ik] • adjective
If a group is nomadic, they roam
from place to place without a
permanent home.
NONCHALANT
[non-shuh-lahnt] • adjective
When someone acts in a nonchalant
way, they seem like they're calm and
not worried.
NUCIVOROUS
[noo-siv-er-uhs] • adjective
If an animal
is nucivorous, it eats
nuts. Squirrels are
nucivorous.
NOCTURNAL
Nocturnal animals are awake at
night and sleep during the day.
Bats are nocturnal, and they're
the only mammals that can fly.
To figure out where they're going,
bats make high-pitched noises and
listen to those sounds bounce
off objects and walls. This is
called echolocation.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
63
OBELISK
[ob-uh-lisk] • noun
An obelisk is a tall stone
statue with a pointy top.
They're often built in
honor of an important
person or event.
OBFUSCATE
[ob-fuh-skeyt] • verb
If you obfuscate something, you make it
very confusing and hard to understand
on purpose.
OBSOLETE
[ob-suh-leet] • adjective
If something is
obsolete, it is not
used anymore
because something
newer or better has
come along.
OGRE
[oh-ger] • noun
In fairy tales,
an ogre is
a giant monster.
OLFACTORY
[ol-fak-tuh-ree] • adjective
When someone uses
the word olfactory,
they're talking about
the sense of smell.
OMBUDSMAN
[om-buhdz-muhn] • noun
The job of an
ombudsman is to
research complaints
people have about
an organization
or government.
OMINOUS
[om-uh-nuhs] • adjective
If something is ominous, it makes people
worry that something bad will happen.
com
plaints
64
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
OMNISCIENT
[om-nish-uhnt] • adjective
If someone is omniscient, they know
everything. If a book has an omniscient
narrator, the story is told from the
point of view of different characters.
OMPHALOSCOPY
[om-fuh-luh-skohp-ee] • noun
Omphaloscopy is when
someone focuses too much
on one idea and never gets
anything done, also known
as navel-gazing. People use
this word when they want to
be funny.
ONEROUS
[oh-ner-uhs] • adjective
If someone thinks a
task or responsibility is
onerous, it is really hard to
do, and they don't like doing it.
ONOMATOPOEIA
[on-uh-mah-tuh-pee-uh] • noun
An onomatopoeia is a word that sounds
like a noise when you say it aloud.
OOLOGY
[oh-ol-uh-jee] • noun
Oology is the
study of eggs,
especially birds'
eggs.
OPAQUE
[oh-peyk] • adjective
If something is opaque, you can't see
through it. If an idea is opaque, it's
hard to understand.
ORNERY
[ohr-nuh-ree] • adjective
If someone is ornery,
they are difficult to
be around and they're
always in a bad mood.
ORTHOGRAPHY
[ohr-thog-ruh-fee] • noun
When someone uses the word
orthography, they're talking about
how to spell words correctly.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ONOMATOPOEIA
Cows moo, horses neigh, birds tweet,
frogs ribbit, mice squeak, and sheep
baa. In different languages, animals
make different sounds. In English the
onomatopoeia for the sound a cat makes
is meow, and in Japanese it's nyan.
EUREKA!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
67
PALINDROME
[pal-in-drohm] • noun
A palindrome is a word or phrase that,
when read backward, spells the same
word or phrase. Pop, noon, racecar,
and Was it a bat I saw ? are all
palindromes.
PARADIGM
[par-uh-dahym] • noun
A paradigm is the
typical example
or model of what
a thing is. If
something is called
a paradigm shift, it is a
new way of thinking that changes how
people view the world.
PENULTIMATE
[pi-nuhl-tuh-mit] • adjective
When someone uses the word
penultimate, they're talking about the
second to last thing in a list or series.
PERENNIAL
[puh-ren-ee-uhl] • adjective
If something is perennial, it happens
every year or it is always happening.
Perennial flowers bloom from the
same plant year after year.
PETRICHOR
[pe-trahy-kohr] • noun
Petrichor is the
earthy smell that
comes from rain
falling on soil,
especially after it
hasn't rained in a
while.
PHANTASMAGORIC
[fan-taz-muh-gor-ik] • adjective
If something is phantasmagoric, it's
like a fantasy from a dream.
PIEBALD
[pahy-bawld] • adjective
If an animal is
piebald, it has
patches of black and white fur.
EUREKA!
Was it a bat
I saw ?
68
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
PITHY
[pith-ee] • adjective
When you say something that's pithy,
it's short, to the point, and full of
meaning.
PLETHORA
[pleth-er-uh] • noun
A plethora of something is a large
amount of that thing—usually more
than is wanted or needed.
POLYMATH
[pol-ee-math] • noun
A polymath is someone who is very
good at learning and knows a lot about
different subjects.
PORTMANTEAU
[pohrt-man-toh] • noun
A portmanteau is when two or
more words squeeze into one
new word.
PRECOCIOUS
[pri-koh-shuhs] • adjective
If a child is precocious, they are a
very fast learner who knows things
that kids their age don't usually know.
PRESTIDIGITATION
[pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuhn] • noun
Prestidigitation is the art
of moving your hands
skillfully, so others
think they're seeing
something that they're
not actually seeing.
PUGNACIOUS
[puhg-ney-shuhs] • adjective
Someone who is
pugnacious is always
arguing or fighting with
others.
PULCHRITUDINOUS
[puhl-kri-tood-n-uhs] • adjective
If someone is
pulchritudinous, they
are very beautiful.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
PORTMANTEAU
Brunch is a portmanteau that combines
the words breakfast and lunch, and
spork combines the words spoon and
fork. Some dog breed names are
portmanteaus. A puggle is part pug
and part beagle. A labradoodle is part
labrador retriever and part poodle.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QIVIUT
[kee-vee-uht] • noun
Qiviut is the soft
fuzzy hair on a musk
ox that is under its
longer layer of hair.
Musk oxen live in the Arctic, a very
cold environment, and they shed their
qiviut in the warmer months.
QUACKSALVER
[kwak-sal-ver] • noun
A quacksalver is someone who says
that they have skills or knowledge
that they don't actually have.
QUAGMIRE
[kwag-mahyuhr] • noun
A quagmire is a confusing and
complicated situation that's hard to
get out of. A quagmire is also an area
of land that's so soft and squishy that
you sink into it when you walk there.
QUAINT
[kweynt] • adjective
When something is quaint, it's charming
or cute in an old-fashioned way.
QUANDARY
[kwon-dree] • noun
If someone is in a quandary, they have
to make a decision but they're not sure
what the right decision is.
QUARANTINE
[kwor-uhn-teen] • verb
If someone who is sick is
put in quarantine, they
are separated from
others for a period of
time to stop the spread
of disease.
QUARRELSOME
[kwor-uhl-suhm] • adjective
If someone is
quarrelsome, they
often get into fights
with others.
71
QUIBBLE
[kwib-uhl] • verb
When people quibble,
they're having a
pointless argument
about something that doesn't really
matter. A quibble is also a complaint
about something that is not important
at all.
QUIDNUNC
[kwid-nuhngk] • noun
A quidnunc is someone who is very nosy
and likes to gossip about the lives of
other people.
QUILL
[kwil] • noun
A quill is a type of pen
that's made out of the
feather of a bird.
QUINQUENNIUM
[kwin-kwen-ee-uhm]
,• noun
A quinquennium is a
period of five years.
QUIP
[kwip] • noun
A quip is a clever thing that
someone says.
QUIVER
[kwiv-er] • verb
If something quivers, it trembles or
shakes a small amount at a fast speed.
QUIXOTIC
[kwik-sot-ik] • adjective
If an idea is
quixotic, it's
wonderful, but
it's not very
realistic.
QUOTIDIAN
[kwoh-tid-ee-uhn] • adjective
If an activity is quotidian, it's a
regular everyday
thing that
happens all the
time.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QUAINT
Quaint is often used to describe small
towns or villages and the houses and shops
in them. However, this is not what quaint
originally meant when people first started
using it, about 800 years ago. Back then it
was used to describe a clever person who
was very good at tricking others.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
RAMBUNCTIOUS
[ram-buhngk-shuhs] • adjective
If someone is
rambunctious, they have
a lot of energy and are
being very noisy because
they're excited
and happy.
RAMFEEZLED
[ram-fee-zuhld] • adjective
If someone is ramfeezled, they are
worn out and exhausted.
RAPSCALLION
[rap-skal-yuhn] • noun
A rapscallion is
someone
who is dishonest
and is always
causing
trouble.
RAVENOUS
[rav-uh-nuhs] • adjective
If someone is ravenous,
they are
very hungry.
REBUS
[ree-buhs] • noun
A rebus is a puzzle that uses pictures,
symbols, and letters to represent
sounds and words. For example, an
image of a bee next to an image of a
leaf might be used to mean the
word believe.
REDOLENT
[red-l-uhnt] • adjective
If something is redolent of something
else, it reminds you of that thing.
REPLICA
[rep-li-kuh] • noun
A replica is a copy of something—
often a piece of art.
75
sqwawk!
RESPLENDENT
[ri-splen-duhnt] • adjective
When something
is resplendent, it
sparkles and shines.
If a person is
resplendent, they look
so beautiful, it's as if they're glowing.
RETICENT
[ret-uh-suhnt] • adjective
Someone who is reticent doesn't usually
talk about what they're thinking or
how they're feeling.
REVEL
[rev-uhl] • verb
If you revel in
something, you feel
happiness and joy when
you experience it.
REVERIE
[rev-uh-ree] • noun
A reverie is a dreamlike thought that
you have when you're awake.
RHETORICAL
[ri-tor-i-kuhl] • adjective
A rhetorical question is a question
that is not meant to be answered,
often because there is no right
answer.
RIFE
[rahyf] • adjective
If a place is rife with something, that
thing is extremely common in that
place. If a town is rife with cats,
there are cats everywhere you look.
RIPSNORTER
[rip-snohr-ter] • noun
A ripsnorter is something that's
extraordinary and amazing.
ROSARIUM
[roh-zair-ee-uhm] • noun
A rosarium is a rose garden.
ROTUND
[roh-tuhnd] • adjective
Something that is rotund is
round or rounded.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
REPLICA
An artist might create a replica
of a painting they love in order to
understand how that work was made. This
can help them learn new techniques for
their own paintings.
How to
paint
like Leo
SUCCESSFUL FORGERY
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
SALUBRIOUS
[suh-loo-bree-uhs] • adjective
If something is salubrious,
it's enjoyable and good for
your health.
SCARAMOUCH
[skar-uh-mouch] • noun
A scaramouch is a cowardly and
dishonest person.
SCHADENFREUDE
[shahd-n-froi-duh] • noun
Schadenfreude is when someone feels
extremely happy when bad things
happen to other people.
SERENDIPITY
[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee] • noun
Serendipity is the luck someone has
when they discover something fun or
interesting without looking for it.
SESQUIPEDALIAN
[ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn] • adjective
If someone is sesquipedalian, they
know a lot of big words and they love
using them.
SIDEREAL
[sahy-deer-ee-uhl] • adjective
When something is
sidereal, it's related
to the stars.
SKULDUGGERY
[skuhl-duhg-uh-ree] • noun
Skulduggery is dishonest behavior
that's used to trick and take
advantage of others.
SLUGABED
[sluhg-uh-bed] • noun
A slugabed is someone
who is lazy and loves
sleeping in late when
they should be awake.
SMORGASBORD
[shmohr-guhs-bawrd] • noun
A smorgasbord is a wide variety of
things that can all be found together
in one place.
79
SNUGGERY
[snuhg-uh-ree] • noun
A snuggery is a comfortable
and cozy place.
SOCKDOLAGER
[sok-dol-uh-jer] • noun
A sockdolager is a very clever reply
that wins an argument.
SOMNAMBULIST
[som-nam-byuh-list] • noun
A somnambulist is someone
who walks in their sleep.
SPAGHETTIFICATION
[spuh-get-uh-fi-key-shuhn] • noun
Spaghettification is the idea that
objects get long and skinny like
spaghetti when they're sucked into
black holes.
SPELUNKING
[spi-luhngk-ing] • noun
Spelunking is the
hobby of exploring
caves.
SPHINX
[sfingks] • noun
The sphinx is a
mythological monster
with the head of a
human, the body of a
lion, and wings. In stories, the sphinx
asks people riddles.
SQUAMOUS
[skwey-muhs] • adjective
If something is squamous, it's covered
with scales. Fish are squamous.
STERNUTATION
[stur-nyuh-tey-shuhn] • noun
Sternutation is when
someone sneezes.
80
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
SPAGHETTIFICATION
Spaghettification could not exist without black
holes. Black holes are spots in space that have
a lot of gravity, and because of that, they pull
anything nearby into them. Gravity
is the same force that makes
objects fall to the earth
when we drop them.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
TACITURN
[tas-i-turn] • adjective
Someone who is taciturn is very quiet
and doesn't talk a lot.
TANDEM
[tan-duhm] • adjective
A tandem bicycle is a bicycle for two
riders, where
one rider sits
behind the
other.
TEMPESTUOUS
[tem-pes-choo-uhs] • adjective
A tempestuous relationship has a lot of
strong emotions, fighting, and
hurt feelings.
TESTUDINAL
[te-stood-n-l] • adjective
If something is
testudinal, it's related
to tortoises, turtles,
or their shells.
THALASSIC
[thuh-las-ik] • adjective
Something that is thalassic
is related to the sea.
THESPIAN
[thes-pee-uhn] • noun
A thespian is
an actor.
THIGMOTROPISM
[thig-mo-truh-piz-uhm] • noun
Thigmotropism
is the sense of
touch that some
plants have
that makes
them grow in
spirals around
things.
83
TINTINNABULUM
[tin-ti-nab-yuh-luhm] • noun
A tintinnabulum is a
small bell.
TOME
[tohm] • noun
A tome is a very
large and heavy book.
TRANSLUCENT
[trans-loo-suhnt] • adjective
If a window is translucent, you can
see light through it, but you can't see
exactly what's on the other side.
TRANSMOGRIFY
[trans-mog-ruh-fahy] • verb
If something has transmogrified, it's
changed in a strange and surprising
way.
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
[tris-kuh-dek-uh-foh-bee-uh] • noun
Triskaidekaphobia is a
fear of the number 13.
TROGLODYTE
[trog-luh-dahyt] • noun
A troglodyte is someone who
lives in a cave.
TULIPOMANIA
[too-luh-puh-mey-nee-uh] • noun
When someone uses the word
tulipomania, they're talking about
Holland in the 1630s. At this time
people were so excited about tulips
that they became extremely expensive
and people made and lost a lot of
money buying and selling them.
TUROPHILE
[toor-uh-fahyl] • noun
A turophile is a
cheese lover, or
someone who
knows a lot about
cheese.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
TROGLODYTE
The first troglodytes were from prehistoric
times. We know they lived in caves because they
left paintings on their walls telling stories
about their lives. A person might be
called a troglodyte if they act as if
they're from
,a different time and
don't understand things other
people understand.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
UBIQUITOUS
[yoo-bik-wi-tuhs] • adjective
If something is ubiquitous, it's so
common it feels like it's everywhere.
UFOLOGY
[yoo-fol-uh-jee] • noun
Ufology is the study of UFOs, or
unidentified flying objects.
UGGLESOME
[uhg-uhl-suhm] • adjective
Something that is
ugglesome is horrible
and scary.
UKULELE
[yoo-kuh-ley-lee] • noun
A ukulele is a type of
musical instrument. It's
similar to a guitar,
but it's smaller.
ULIGINOUS
[yoo-lij-uh-nuhs] • adjective
If a plant is uliginous, it grows in wet
and swampy environments.
ULTRACREPIDARIAN
[uhl-truh-krep-i-dair-ee-uhn] • noun
An ultracrepidarian is someone who
has big opinions about things they know
nothing about.
UMBRAGE
[uhm-brij] • noun
If someone takes umbrage to
something, they think it's rude
or offensive.
87
UMBRIFEROUS
[uhm-brif-er-uhs] • adjective
If a tree is umbriferous, there is shade
underneath it.
UMLAUT
[oom-lout] • noun
An umlaut is the two dots that appear
over vowels in some languages.
UNCTUOUS
[uhngk-choo-uhs] • adjective
If someone is an unctuous person, they
say extremely nice things, but they
don't mean what they say.
UNDULATE
[uhn-juh-leyt] • verb
If something undulates, it moves back
and forth like a wave.
UNKEMPT
[uhn-kempt] • adjective
When something is
unkempt, it's very
messy or dirty.
UPEND
[uhp-end] • verb
If something is
upended, it's turned
upside down.
URSINE
[ur-sahyn] • adjective
If something is ursine, it's
related to, or like, a bear.
UTOPIA
[yoo-toh-pee-uh] • noun
A utopia is an imaginary place where
everything is perfect.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
UFOLOGY
Do aliens exist? And if they do, what sort
of spacecraft would they use to travel
around the universe? Ufologists believe
aliens are out there, and they're especially
interested in collecting evidence of
their forms of transportation.
vinegar
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
VAINGLORIOUS
[veyn-glohr-ee-uhs] • adjective
When someone is vainglorious, they
have a very high opinion of themselves
and they talk about how wonderful
they are all the time.
VARIEGATED
[vair-ee-i-gey-tid] • adjective
If something is
variegated, it has
different patches or
spots of color on it.
VERBOSE
[ver-bohs] • adjective
When someone is verbose, they use
more words than needed to say
something.
VERMILION
[ver-mil-yuhn] • noun
Vermilion is a bright
red color.
VERNACULAR
[veh-nak-yuh-ler] • noun
The vernacular of a place is the
language and style of speaking that
people use in that place.
VERSATILE
[vur-suh-tl] • adjective
If something is versatile, it can be used
in many different ways.
VIBRASLAP
[vahy-bruh-slap] • noun
A vibraslap is a musical instrument
that makes a rattling noise when you
hit it.
VILIFY
[vil-uh-fahy] • verb
If you vilify someone, you say bad
things about them.
91
TELEPHONE
VISTA
[vis-tuh] • noun
A vista is the view from a
beautiful place.
VOCIFEROUS
[voh-sif-er-uhs] • adjective
If someone is vociferous, they
say their opinions in a loud and
intense way.
VOID
[void] • noun
A void is a large and empty space.
VOLATILE
[vol-uh-tl] • adjective
If something is volatile, it's not
predictable and it can
change at any moment
without warning.
VOLCANOLOGIST
[vol-kuh-nol-uh-jist] • noun
A volcanologist is someone
who studies volcanoes.
VOMITORIUM
[vom-i-tohr-ee-uhm] • noun
Vomitoriums are the passageways
people used to enter and exit ancient
Roman amphitheaters.
VORTEX
[vohr-teks] • noun
A vortex is a spinning funnel of water
or air that moves so fast that things
are pulled into its center.
92
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
V O M I T O R I U M
VOLCANOLOGIST
Volcanologists use their knowledge of
geology to try and figure out when
volcanoes might erupt. This is a very
important job because it can help people
who live near volcanoes understand when
it's not safe for them to be in the area.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
WANDERLUST
[won-der-luhst] • noun
Someone with wanderlust loves
traveling. They often get bored
if they stay in the same place for
too long.
WHANGDOODLE
[wang-dood-l] • noun
A whangdoodle
is an imaginary
creature.
WHIMSICAL
[wim-zi-kuhl] • noun
If something is whimsical, it's playful,
fun, and imaginative.
WHIPPERSNAPPER
[wip-er-snap-er] • noun
A whippersnapper is someone who
thinks they know a lot more
than they actually do.
Usually an older
person uses this word
about a younger person
who they think has a lot
to learn.
WHIZGIG
[wiz-gig] • noun
A whizgig is something that
spins around very quickly, like a
spinning top.
WILY
[wahy-lee] • adjective
If someone is wily, they are good at
tricking others.
WINSOME
[win-suhm] • adjective
If someone is winsome, they are
charming. A winsome smile is a warm
and
pleasant
smile.
95
JOKE
BOOK
WISECRACK
[wahyz-krak] • noun
A wisecrack is a joke.
WISHY-WASHY
[wish-ee-waw-shee] • adjective
If someone is wishy-
washy, they're
not sure what
they want, and
they have trouble
making decisions.
WORMHOLE
[wurm-hohl] • noun
A wormhole is a tunnel in space that
connects one area of the universe to
another.
WORRYWART
[wur-ee-wohrt] • noun
A worrywart is someone who spends a
lot of time thinking about all the ways
things could go wrong.
WRACKFUL
[rak-fuhl] • adjective
If something is
wrackful, it causes
destruction.
WRANGLE
[rang-guhl] • verb
When people
wrangle with
each other,
they argue
loudly.
WUNDERKIND
[voon-der-kind] • noun
A wunderkind is a child
with amazing talents and
abilities. A wunderkind is
also a younger adult who
is successful in whatever
they do.
WUTHERING
[wuhth-er-ing] • adjective
If a place is wuthering,
there are strong
winds there.
96
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is a German loanword. A
loanword is a word from one language
that people who speak another language
borrow and start using. This is sometimes
because there's no good way of saying
the same thing in the other language.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
X
[eks] • verb
If you x something out,
you cross it out.
XANADU
[zan-uh-doo] • noun
A Xanadu is a place that is so
beautiful and perfect that it
seems like it's from a dream.
XANTHIC
[zan-thik] • adjective
Something that
is xanthic is the
color yellow.
XEBEC
[zee-bek] • noun
A xebec is a type of sailing ship with
three masts.
XENIAL
[zee-nee-uhl] • adjective
When something is
xenial, it's about the
relationship between a
host and their guests.
XENIZATION
[zen-uh-zey-shuhn] • noun
When someone uses the word
xenization, they're talking about a
person's travels as a stranger.
XENOPHOBIA
[zee-nuh-foh-bee-uh] • noun
Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of
people from other countries.
XERISCAPE
[zeer-i-skeyp] • noun
A xeriscape is a garden with plants
that grow in very dry climates. People
create xeriscapes to save water.
99
IDEAS
XERUS
[zeer-uhs] • noun
A xerus is a type of squirrel
that lives in Africa.
XESTURGY
[zes-tur-jee] • noun
When someone uses the
word xesturgy, they're
talking about polishing
objects, like stones.
XIPH
[zif] • noun
Xiph is an old name for the swordfish.
XIPHOID
[zif-oid] • adjective
If something is xiphoid, it's shaped like
a sword.
X-RAY
[eks-rey] • noun
An X-ray is a special type
of picture that shows the
inside of things. Doctors
use X-rays to look at bones inside
our bodies.
XYLOGRAPHY
[zahy-log-ruh-fee]
,• noun
Xylography is the art
of carving a design or
image into wood.
XYLOPHONE
[zahy-luh-fohn] • noun
A xylophone is a type of musical
instrument. It's similar to a
glockenspiel, but the
keys are made out
of wood.
XYST
[zist] • noun
A xyst is a long garden
walkway with trees,
which people used for
exercising in ancient Rome.
100
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
XANADU
Xanadu was a palace in Mongolia. It belonged
to the fifth emperor of the Yuan dynasty,
Kublai Khan, who ruled from the years 1260 to
1294. Five hundred years later Samuel Taylor
Coleridge wrote about Xanadu in his poem
about the emperor. Because that poem
became very popular, the word Xanadu
is now used to describe all sorts
of dreamy places.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
YAHOO
[yah-hoo] • noun
A yahoo is someone who
is loud and rude. Yahoo is
also a word someone might
shout if they're excited.
YAK
[yak] • noun
A yak is a type
of ox that has long
hair and lives in Tibet.
YEANLING
[yeen-ling] • noun
A yeanling is a young sheep or goat.
YEARN
[yurn] • verb
If someone yearns for something, they
really want it, but they might never
get it.
YEASAYER
[yey-sey-er] • noun
A yeasayer is someone
who always has a positive
attitude. A yeasayer
might also be someone
who has a hard time
saying no to others.
YEPSEN
[yep-suhn] • noun
A yepsen is the
bowl shape two
hands make when
they're cupped
together. A yepsen
is also the amount
of something that
can be held when the hands are in this
position.
YESTERYEAR
[yes-ter-yeer] • noun
When someone uses the word
yesteryear, they're talking about a
time in the past, and they're usually
talking about good memories from
that time.
103
104
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
YETI
[yet-ee] • noun
The yeti is a
legendary monster
that lives in the
Himalayan mountains.
YEX
[yeks] • verb
When someone yexes,
they're either hiccupping
or crying.
YODEL
[yohd-l] • verb
When someone yodels, they sing in a
special way where they quickly go back
and forth from lower notes to very
high notes.
YOMP
[yahmp] • verb
If someone yomps, they
go on a difficult hike
while carrying heavy
equipment.
YONDER
[yon-der] • adjective
Yonder is an old-fashioned way to say
over there.
YORE
[yohr] • noun
If someone talks about
the days of yore,
they're talking about
a period of time from
long ago.
YURT
[yoort] • noun
A yurt is a type of circular
tent traditionally used as
a home for traveling
groups of people in
Central Asia.
YUZU
[yoo-zoo] • noun
A yuzu is a type of
citrus fruit that's
round and yellow and
has a sour flavor.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
YODEL
Yodeling is very popular in Switzerland, Austria, and
other areas with a lot of mountains. This style of
singing is used to help people communicate with each
other. When you're high up on a mountain, you can
hear people yodel from far away.
105
107
ZAATAR
[zah-tahr] • noun
Zaatar is a mixture of
herbs and spices that's
popular in Middle
Eastern cooking.
ZEAL
[zeel] • noun
Zeal is a feeling of passion and
excitement about something.
ZEDONK
[zee-dongk] • noun
A zedonk is an
animal that is half
zebra and half donkey.
ZEITGEIST
[tsahyt-gahyst] • noun
When people use the word zeitgeist,
they are talking about the popular
feelings and ideas of an era.
ZENOGRAPHY
[zee-nog-ruh-fee] • noun
Zenography is the study
of the planet Jupiter.
ZEPHYR
[zef-er] • noun
A zephyr is a soft and
pleasant breeze.
ZEPPELIN
[zep-lin] • noun
A zeppelin is a type of large airship
that was popular in the early 20th
century. Airships are flying machines
that were used to take people and
things from place to place before
airplanes were common.
ZEST
[zest] • noun
If someone has zest for an
activity or thing, they really
enjoy it.
ZEUGMA
[zoog-muh] • noun
A zeugma is a type of play on
words where one word is used in two
different ways in relation to the other
words in the sentence. For example: She
devoured her book and a sandwich.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
108
ZEUSAPHONE
[zoos-uh-fohn] • noun
A zeusaphone is a type of
electronic musical instrument
that releases electricity in the
form of bolts of light and sound.
Another name for the zeusaphone is
the singing Tesla coil.
ZILCH
[zilch] • noun
Zilch is a casual
way to say
nothing or
zero.
ZOETROPE
[zoh-ee-trohp] • noun
A zoetrope is a hollow cylinder-shaped
object with small slits
around the outside
and a series of
images inside. When
it spins, the images
inside look like
they're animated,
like a cartoon.
ZONK
[zongk] • verb
If someone zonks out, they fall asleep
very quickly and suddenly.
ZOOLOGIST
[zoo-ol-uh-jist] • noun
A zoologist is someone
who studies animals.
ZYGODACTYL
[zahy-guh-dak-til] • adjective
If a bird is
zygodactyl, its feet
have two talons
or toes facing
forward and
two facing
backward.
z zz
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ZEPPELIN
The first time a zeppelin flew through
the air was in the year 1900. It was 420
feet long and had two propellers. It
could go as fast as 20 miles per hour.
z zz
ZEPPELIN
END NOTES
Now that you've read this book from cover to cover, what is your favorite
word? Has it changed since reading The Dictionary of Difficult Words?
Jane's favorite word is: DEIPNOSOPHIST (page 19)
Louise's favorite word is: AILUROPHILE (page 7)
WHY ARE THERE ONLY DIFFICULT WORDS IN THIS DICTIONARY?
Usually when we think about dictionaries, we think about a resource that has any word we
could ever possibly want to know the meaning of. However, that's not how dictionaries always
were. The first dictionaries in English were dictionaries of difficult words, just like this
book. They were often collections of vocabulary from very specific topics like gardening,
law, medicine, and words borrowed from other languages. It's only in the last few hundred
years that dictionaries have been thought of as general-purpose reference books.
THEY
Though it might seem like a very simple word, there's a lot of debate over they.
Some people don't like it when you use they when you're talking about one person.
Instead, they think you should use he or she. However, this can sometimes be a problem.
What if you don't know the gender of the person you're talking about?
What if a person asks you to use they when you're talking about them?
The good news is, it's perfectly fine to use they when you're talking about one person.
If we look at writing from a long time ago, we can see that the word
they has been used for at least 700 years to talk about one individual person.
This book has used they in this way, and you can too!
WHAT MAKES A WORD REAL?
Lexicographers don't decide when a word becomes real. You do! Anyone can make up
a word. All you have to do is start using it. If you use it, it's real.
Just because a word isn't in any dictionary doesn't mean it isn't a real word. Each time a new
word is added to a dictionary, it takes a lot of time and energy. Lexicographers wouldn't be
able to add all the words that exist to a dictionary even if they knew every single word.
So go forth into the world and be creative with language! Make up as many words as you
want. Your words might not ever make it into a dictionary, but they are still real.
To my favorite centenarian, Minnie Solomon.—J. S.
To Betty Lockhart, who loved words, especially crosswords.—L. L.
The Dictionary of Difficult Words © 2019 Quarto Publishing plc.
Text © 2019 Jane Solomon. Illustrations
