The Dictionary of Difficult Words With more than 400 perplexing - Inglês (2024)

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

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Brimming with creative inspiration, how-to projects, and useful

information to enrich your everyday life, Quarto Knows is a favorite

destination for those pursuing their interests and passions. Visit our

site and dig deeper with our books into your area of interest:

Quarto Creates, Quarto Cooks, Quarto Homes, Quarto Lives,

Quarto Drives, Quarto Explores, Quarto Gifts, or Quarto Kids.

Digital edition: 978-0-71124-1-985

Hardcover edition: 978-1-78603-8-111

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

COCKALORUM

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

Qq

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.

COCKALORUM

[kok-uh-lohr-uhm] • noun

A cockalorum 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.

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

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-jiz-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.

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

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.

72

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.

76

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.

84

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.

88

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

The Dictionary of Difficult Words With more than 400 perplexing - Inglês (2024)

FAQs

What's the hardest word to say in the dictionary? ›

7 most difficult English words that will let you forget what you wanted to say
  • Rural. ...
  • Sixth. ...
  • Sesquipedalian. ...
  • Phenomenon. ...
  • Onomatopoeia. ...
  • Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. ...
  • Worcestershire.

What are 30 difficult words a to z? ›

30 Difficult Words to Pronounce
  • Anathema.
  • Anemone.
  • Antarctic.
  • Asterisk.
  • Brewery.
  • Cavalry.
  • Comfortable.
  • Defibrillator.
Feb 1, 2020

What are the 20 difficult words with meaning in English? ›

Here's a list of difficult words in English from A to Z, along with their meanings: A – Aberration: A departure from what is normal or expected, typically an unwelcome one. B – Bombastic: High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated. C – Cacophony: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Which is the hardest word in English? ›

List of 100+ Hardest English Words Pronounce Spell
  • Antidisestablishmentarianism.
  • Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism.
  • Floccinaucinihilipilification.
  • Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
  • Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
  • Worcestershire.
  • Colonel.
Mar 1, 2024

What is the rarest word? ›

Do you know what a quincunx is? Here are 15 of the most unusual words in the English dictionary
  • ​Deliquescent. Adjective: Becoming liquid, or having a tendency to become liquid.
  • Flabbergast. Verb: Surprise someone greatly.
  • Flimflam. ...
  • Floccinaucinihilipilification. ...
  • Limerence. ...
  • Loquacious. ...
  • Obdurate. ...
  • Omnishambles.

What is the most confusing word in the dictionary? ›

20 of the most confusing words in English
  1. Affect vs. effect. ...
  2. Complement vs. compliment. ...
  3. Principal vs. principle. ...
  4. Stationary vs. stationery. ...
  5. Desert vs. dessert. ...
  6. Advice vs. advise. ...
  7. Loose vs. lose. ...
  8. Ensure vs insure. “Ensure” is a verb that means to make sure something will happen.
Dec 7, 2023

What are 20 tricky words? ›

  • Accept vs. Except. These two words sound alike yet have completely different meanings. ...
  • Affect vs. Effect. Both can be used as either a noun or a verb. ...
  • Lie vs. Lay. The lie is pretty clear , we all know that means 1) an untruth. ...
  • Bring vs. Take. ...
  • Imply vs. Infer. ...
  • Nauseous vs. Nauseated. ...
  • Comprise vs. Compose. ...
  • Farther vs. Further.
Dec 29, 2016

What are 10 unfamiliar words? ›

10 unusual words to add to your English vocabulary
  • Anachronism. An anachronism is something (or someone) that is out of place in terms of time or chronology. ...
  • Accismus. A form of irony in which someone feigns indifference to something he or she desires. ...
  • Cacophony. ...
  • Draconian. ...
  • Limerence. ...
  • Pareidolia. ...
  • Riposte. ...
  • Sanctimony.

What is the most unique word in the world? ›

Mamihlapinatapai (Yagán)

Yagán, one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, boasts with this tongue-twisting word. Mamihlapinatapai was listed as the most succinct word by The Guinness book of world records and is considered one of the most difficult words to translate.

What are the top 1000 English words? ›

a, about, above, across, act, active, activity, add, afraid, after, again, age, ago, agree, air, all, alone, along, already, always, am, amount, an, and, angry, another, answer, any, anyone, anything, anytime, appear, apple, are, area, arm, army, around, arrive, art, as, ask, at, attack, aunt, autumn, away.

What are the 100 new words with meaning? ›

New Words In English With Meaning
S.No.WordMeaning
1.AntecedentSomething or some event that comes before another
2.AnomalySomething that is different from normal
3.AnathemaSomething you hate as it is opposite to what you believe
4.AcumenThe ability to understand and decide things well
96 more rows
Sep 19, 2023

What are 10 big words? ›

Full list of words from this list:
  • grandiloquent. lofty in style.
  • prognosticator. someone who makes predictions of the future.
  • magniloquence. high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation.
  • quintessence. the most typical example or representative of a type.
  • kaleidoscopic. ...
  • confabulation. ...
  • flibbertigibbet. ...
  • discombobulate.
Apr 27, 2012

What is the trickiest word? ›

10 of the hardest words in English to pronounce
  • Rural. [ˈrʊrəl] There's no way you can pronounce this word without twisting your tongue! ...
  • Mischievous. [ˈmɪsʧəvəs] ...
  • Colonel. [ˈkɜrnəl] ...
  • Epitome. [ɪˈpɪtəmi] ...
  • Draught. [dræft] ...
  • Hyperbole. [haɪˈpɜrbəˌli] ...
  • Nauseous. [ˈnɔʃəs] ...
  • Sixth. [sɪksθ]
Jan 31, 2023

What are complex words? ›

Updated on June 21, 2019. In English grammar and morphology, a complex word is a word made up of two or more morphemes. Contrast with monomorphemic word. A complex word may consist of (1) a base (or root) and one or more affixes (for example, quicker), or (2) more than one root in a compound (for example, blackbird).

What is the hardest word to spell ever? ›

10 of the hardest words to spell in English
  • Nauseous.
  • Dilate.
  • Fuchsia.
  • Minuscule.
  • Ingenious.
  • Sacrilegious.
  • Orangutan.
  • Paraphernalia.
7 days ago

What is the 1st longest word in the dictionary? ›

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. In most English dictionaries, the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest one you are going to find at a whopping 45 letters long. This word refers to a lung disease caused by silica dust.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 6636

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.