October 16th is National Dictionary Day. Of course, October 16th makes perfect sense to be Dictionary Day since it is also the birthdate of Noah Webster, the father of the American Dictionary.
In celebration of Dictionary Day, I’ve decided to share an alphabetical list of words I know only because I saw them in a dictionary. Hmm, I wonder how many I can try to use while talking with someone today.
Achromatopsia – Total lack of color vision
Brevirostrate – Having a Short Nose
Clithridiate – Key-hole shaped
Dactylonomy – Counting using one’s fingers
Eccedentesiast – One who fakes a smile
Floccinaucinihilipilification – Estimation that something is valueless.
Gargalesthesia – The sensation caused by tickling
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian – pertaining to a very, very long word
Interfenestration – The space between two windows
Jentacular – Pertaining to Breakfast
Kakorrhaphiophobia – fear of failure
Libanotophorous — producing incense
Margaritomancy — divination using pearls
Nudiustertian – the day before yesterday
Omphalopsychite – One who meditates by gazing at the navel
Pandiculation – Stretching and yawning before going to bed or after waking up
Quomodocunquize – To make money by any means possible
Rhonchisonant – making a snorting or snoring noise
Scolecophagous – One who eats worms
Tinctumutation – Chance of color
Ultrichous – Having wooly hair
Vigesimation – The act of killing every 20th person
Wasserman – Man shaped sea monster
Xenoglossia – The alleged power of a person to communicate with others in a language which he has never learned.
Yogibogeybox – materials used by a spiritualist
Zoanthropy – delusion of a person who believes himself changed into an animal
How many new to you words can you find today? — Crystal
P.S. Editor’s Note: When Crystal submitted this post, she said, “That was the LONGEST spell check ever!” We can see why 🙂
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Crystal is Store Manager at Half Price Books Flagship in Dallas, Texas.