DIRECTORY OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS
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DIRECTORY OF OBSCURITY
​The Old, Rare & Unusual
OBSCURE | WEIRD | OBSOLETE
Obscurity WordMap

WORD LISTS SPECIAL FEATURES ​WORDS FROM OTHER CATEGORIES ​ARTICLES FROM THE REFERENCE CORNER Learn about weird and wacky words

WEIRD AND WACKY WORDS
strange and bizarre old and rare words
OBSCURITY OF THE NORM
obscure words for everyday things

BRINGING BACK
the old, rare & archaic​OBSOLETE WORDS

DIRECTORY OF WORD LISTS
SEE ALSO FROM THE REFERENCE CENTER:
​Death March for an Obsolete Word
Classifying Words by Usage - New to Obsolete
​Ye Olde Fossils Keep On Kicking
​Tracing the Etymology of a Word

Obsolete Words
THAT DESERVE A SECOND LOOK


ALACK - expression of sorrow or regret

AMBUSCADE - an ambush

APPETENCY - a longing or desire

APRICITY - sun is warm on a cold winter day

BEDLAM - an asylum

BEEF-WITTED - Having an inactive brain, thought to be from eating too much beef.

BIJOUX - jewelry or trinkets

BOREISM - The act or condition of being a bore.

BRABBLE - To bicker loudly about nothing.

BRANNIGAN - A drinking bout; a spree or binge.

BUMPER - generous glass of an alcoholic drink

BUSS - a kiss

CALIFORNIA WIDOW - A married woman whose husband is away from her for any extended period

CHICANE - deceive; hoodwink

CICISBEOV - a married woman’s male companion or lover

COLLOGUE - talk confidentially

COXCOMB - a vain and conceited man; a dandy

CORRADE - to scrape together; to gather together from various sources

DELICIATE - to take one’s pleasure, enjoy oneself, revel, luxuriate

ELFLOCK - if you have wavy hair and you wake up with it tangled and mangled, that’s elflock, as though the elves have tied it into knots during the night.

ENGLISHABLE - that which may be rendered into English

ESURIENT - hungry

EXCOGIGATE - to plot, plan, or devise

FAIN - pleased or willing under the circumstances

FAINÉANT - an idle or ineffective person

FUDGEL - pretending to work when you’re really just goofing off.

FUZZLE - to intoxicate or confuse.

GORGONIZE - from the early 17th century, this word means to have a mesmerizing effect on someone.

GARBOIL - confusion

GROWLERY - created by Charles Dickens. It means “a place where you can retreat from the world when you’re in bad mood.”

GRUMPISH - alternative to sullen or grumpy.

HEARKEN - listen

HIDEOSITY - state or condition of being hideous; extreme ugliness.

ILLECEBROUS - alluring and enticing

JADE - a bad-tempered or disreputable woman

JOLLUX - slang to refer to a fat person.

KENCH - to laugh loudly

LEVANT - abscond leaving unpaid debts

LUDIBRIOUS - apt to be a subject of jest or mockery. This word describes a person, thing or situation that is likely to be the butt of jokes.

LUNTING - go for a walk and smoke a pipe.

MALAGRUGROUS - dismal. This adjective is from Scots and may be derived from an old Irish word that refers to the wrinkling of one’s brow.

MONSTERFUL - out of the 1810s, this word refers to something rather extraordinary and wonderful.

NITHING - a contemptible or despicable person

OVERMORROW - the day after tomorrow

PEREGRINATE - travel or wander from place to place

PERIAPT - a charm or amulet

​PISMIRE - literally a word that’s derived from small insect and piss.

POSY - short motto or line of verse inscribed inside a ring

PUSSYVAN - a flurry, temper

QUIDNUNC - an inquisitive, gossipy person

QUOTHA - expression of surprise or contempt

RECREANT - cowardly

RESISTENTIALISM - the seemingly spiteful behavior shown by inanimate objects

SALAMANDER - a red-hot iron or poker

SANATIVE - healing

SCIOLIST - a person who pretends to be knowledgeable

SCRIPTITATION - a 17th-century word meaning “continual writing.”

SHRIFT - forgiveness

SNOWBROWTH - dating back to the 1590s, snowbrowth refers to freshly melted snow.

SPERMOLOGER - a picker-up of trivia, of current news, a gossip monger

TITTYNOPE - a small quantity of something left over.

TWATTLE - to chatter mindlessly or gossip.

TWITTER-LIGHT - a 1600s alternative to the time of day we call twilight

TYROMANCY - divining by the coagulation of cheese

VERILY - truly; certainly; confidently

WELLAWAY - expression of sorrow or lamentation

WHITHERWARD - toward what or which place

WIDDENDREAM - a state of mental disturbance or confusion.

WITH SQUIRREL - pregnant

WONDER-WENCH - a sweetheart

WOOD MAD - insane; wild

YEMELES - an Old English and Middle English word meaning careless, heedless, or negligent

YOICKS - expression of surprise or excitement

ZAFTY - a person very easily imposed upon

ZOUNDS - an expression of surprise or indignation

​See Also:
​Whippersnapper! How We Define Old
The Old, Rare & Unusual
OBSCURE | WEIRD | OBSOLETE
Obscurity WordMap
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A SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS
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