agelast - definition and meaning agelast from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License n. one who never laughs (especially at jokes); a mirthless person from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia n. One who never laughs. Etymologies from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License Derived from the Greek agelastos ("not laughing"), itself stemming from gelaein ("to laugh"). Examples One minute you're learning that Sir Issac Newton chuckled only once in his life (scoffing at Euclidean geometry) and that the term for such people who don't laugh is 'agelast'; the next that the apparently nonsensical elephant jokes that were popular in the Sixties are believed to be racist in origin; the next how Bertrand Russell put down a heckler during one of his lectures on logic. Words! Bizarre, Obsolete, Odd, Outdated & Weird + Cartoon Fun! Brownielocks and The 3 Bears present and Check our listing below to understand the conversation in our cartoon! Every generation creates its own terms as a way of expressing themselves or the times they live in. So, as our world changes, words come and go.

Below are some words that have either been lost in time, or are very seldom used. They all look and sound a bit weird, which also makes them fun! A Abatude - Means money that's been clipped. In the old days, the edges of gold or silver coins would be clipped off to make change. So the entire image would not be showing. Think on today's term with a quarter having a nip out the corner to represent 12 cents because you don't have a dime and two pennies. Abligurition - Spending just an inconceivably large amount of money on food. Abnormous - Misshapen Absquatulate - To make off hurriedly; decamp; abscond. Acrasia - Lack of self-control; when you act against your better judgment. Accismus - When you pretend to be not interested in something or someone, when you really are interested. Agamous - To be unmarried. Agelast- A person who never laughs. Agiotage - A stock term that means the manipulating by speculations the raising and lowering of stock prices. Aglet - The ornamental end of a shoelace. Agliff - A verb meaning frightened.

Agonistarch - A person who trained combatants for games. (i.e. a coach) Agonous - Struggling. Agowilt - Sudden fear; sickening fear. Alexiteric - Adjective meaning to ward off a contagion or having the properties of an antidote. From a Greek word meaning "protection." Alogotrophy - Means excessive nutrition to any one part of the body resulting in deformity. From Greek word meaning "unreasonable nourishment." Anabiosis - A return to life after death (or apparent death). Anagnorisis - The moment of recognition or discovery (in a play, movie, etc.) Ananym - A name that is formed by reversing the letters of another name. Example is Oprah and Harpo. Anglewitch - Obsolete word meaning a worm used as bait in fishing. Anopisthograph - Anything that has writing on just one side of it (usually paper), Antapology - A reply to an apology (good or bad). Antonomasia - When a trademark is used as a generic term. An example is using Kleenex to refer to all tissues or Xerox to refer to all copied documents.

This is more of a legal term, than a social one. Apocrisiary- A person appointed to give answers. From the Greek word meaning "answer." Aprosexia - An abnormal inability to pay attention, characterized by near-complete indifference to everything. Opposite is hyperprosexia, meaning to concentrate on one thing to the exclusion of everything else; and, paraprosexia, meaning the inability to pay attention to anyone thing (a state of constant distraction). Argute - Ajective that means shrewd. Ascesis - The practice of self-discipline. From the Greek word meaning "to exercise." Aspectabund - Adjective that means you have an expressive face. Aspherterism - A belief that there should be no private property. This is a synonym for communism. From the Greek work meaning, "Nothing of one's own." Aucupate - A verb meaning to go bird watching. Figuratively it can mean "to lie in wait for or hunt." Comes from Latin meaning "bird catch." Autochthon- The name of a human being born from the soil where he or she lives. Today we call this person a hometown boy or a homeboy.

From the Greek word that means "sprung from the land itself." Autophoby - The fear of referring to yourself. The fear of using the pronouns "I" or "Me." A good example is Elmo of Sesame Street. He never says those pronouns! Autoschediastic - Done on the spur of the moment or improvised. Avatrol - A bastard. Avoy! - An expression of fear; surprise. B Bablatrice - A female babbler. Chaterestre is another name for talkative woman. And, leighster is a female liar. Badot - Means silly. Baithe - To agree or consent. Balbutiate - To stutter or stammer. Bangstry - Masterful violence. Barla-fumble - A wrestling term which means to call for a time out while playing. Barnumize - To advertise or promote with outlandish claims. Think of P.T. Barnum. Batie-bummil - A useless bungler. Obsolete Scottish word. Batta - Extra pay; overtime wages. Battologist - Someone who repeats the same thing needlessly. Beldam - Originally it meant a grandmother.

But this has now evolved to mean any old, ugly woman. Bematist - An official road surveyor in the time of Alexander the Great. It comes from the Greek word meaning "to measure by paces." Bever- A snack between meals. Blaguer - A person who talks pretentiously. Blandiose - Adjective describing something that wants to be grand (or has pretentious grandeur) but is only bland. Blesiloquent - To speak with a lisp or a stammer. Blive- Means immediately or right away. I guess this is like "chop chop" in the old days? Instead it's "blive! blive!" ? Bloncket - Refers to a color that's gray or a light, blue-ish gray. Blottesque - A painting style that is defined as having heavy brushstrokes or blots, which are not finely done. Bloviate - To speak in a pompous or overbearing way. Boeotian - Dull (as in personality) Bogglish - To be uncertain, doubtful or a wee bit skittish about something. Bombilation - A sound that is like a droning, buzzing or humming.

Borborygmus - A rumbling in the lower intestines. Bouquinist - A person who deals in second-hand books. Today, we'd call him a Used Book Salesman. Brume - A poetic term meaning mist or fog. Bubulcitate - It means to cry like a cowboy (whatever that is suppose to mean!) Bucculent - Wide-mouthed. Bullimong - Cattle feed that consists of many grains all mixed up. Bumbledom - Behavior such as pettiness, fussiness, pomposity, arrogance and inefficiency by minor officials. C Calamistrate - Means to curl the hair. From the Latin word meaning curling iron. Callipygian - Adjective meaning having shapely buttocks. Camorra - A secret society (usually one that's breaking the law somehow). Canossa - A place of humiliation; to humble or humiliate oneself, to eat humble pie. The usage is like telling someone to "go to Canossa." Campaniform - Means to be bell-shaped. Capilotade - A story that's hashed together. Carriwitchet - A pun or conundrum. Catoptromancy - Foretelling the future; divination.

A oneiromancy, means a divination from a dream. And, chiromancy is a divination from the lines on one's hands (palm reading). Cereologist - A person who specializes in investigating crop circles. Chadband - A person who is unctuous and hypocritical. Chantage- Blackmail. Chaston - A jewelry term that means the part of the ring that holds the stone. Chevisance - To acquire money by pawning something. Chiliad - Consisting of a thousand things, a thousand years, etc. Chirocracy - Means government by physical force. Chirography - The art of handwriting. Choller - A double chin or the hanging lip of a hound dog. Claque - A group of people hired to applaud. Cockyolly bird - Expression meaning "dear little bird" used either about birds or just as an endearment. A variant of the term dicky-bird. Codology - An Irish word meaning joculary or leg-pulling. Cod is an Irish term for joke or a hoax. A hoaxer is called a colologist. Coads-nigs! - An expression of surprise.

Concinnous - Neat and eloquent. Corrade - To gather together from many different sources; to scrape together. Couthy - Means a warm and friendly person (Scottish term). Or a place that is cozy. Cowin- Is tiny shellfish eaten straight from the shell using a hatpin. Crapulous - Relating to drunkenness or drinking of alcohol. Cromulent - Adjective meaning acceptable or legitimate. Cryptaesthesia - A supernormal perception such as telepathy or clairvoyance. Cultrivorous - To swallow (or pretend to be swallowing) knives. Cumber-ground - Someone who takes up space. Cunctipotent - Having all things. It is the same thing as our word omnipotent today. Curwhibble - A thing-a-ma-jig or a what-ya-ma-callit? D Dactylonomy - Counting on your fingers. Dendrochronology - The art of tree ring dating. Deasil - Means clockwise or in the direction of the sun's course. (Considered by some to bring good fortune or luck). The opposite is widdershins, meaning anticlockwise. Deglutition - The act of swallowing.

Deipnosophist - A master at the art of dining. Or, a good conservationist at meals. From the Greek word meaning "one learned in the mysteries of the kitchen. Dejerate - To take an oath or swear to something. Delassation - Tired, pooped, fatiqued. Deliciate - To make yourself happy or indulge in something. Delitescent - Hidden or concealed. Desticate - To squeak like a rat. Deturpate - To make something ugly or to defile something. Deuterogamist - Someone who marries for a second time. There's a lot of these in the USA considering the divorce rate if 50%. Diazingiber - A kind of ginger candy. Digitigradient - To walk on your toes like a dog or cat. Diglot - A bilingual person. Dignotion - A birthmark, tattoo, mole, just any sort of distingishing mark or sign. Disboscation - The clearing of woods to make farmland or pasture. Discerp- To tear something apart to shreds. Disembogue - Used of a river or stream.

It is a verb meaning "to emerge or pour out." Displume - To strip of honors. Dixit - An unconfirmed, dogmatic statement. Doolally - A person who is insane, irrational or crazy. Dord - Dense Draftsack - A bag of garbage. Figuratively meaning a big paunch or belly; a glutton. Draisine - Very early bicycle designed by Baron von Drais. Drawcansir - A person who kills both friends and foes. Drazel- A slut. Drumble - Moving in a slow or sluggish manner. Druxy - Having rotten spots concealed by healthy wood. Dulocracy - A government by slaves or those considered inferior. Dyslogistic- Disapproving. Echopraxia - When you mimic the moves of others whether consciously or unconsciously (i.e. yawning). Elaqueate - To free from a noose or other entanglements. Emacity - A fondness for buying things. Emmetropia - Visual term that means 20-20 vision. When you don't need any eye corrections done. Emunctory - Relates to the blowing of the nose.

Emunction is the act of wiping the nose. Both come from Latin word Emunct, meaning "of keen or acute judgment." So, it is like a man of keen scent or a man with a wiped nose. Encomiums - Formal praises Entermete - To meddle. Epagomenic - This is when you notice or celebrate something that's not on the calendar. In a way, this is a good term for our Bizarre, Unknown, Silly, Crazy, Fun, Obscure Holidays that we have on our site. They're not printed on most calendars, but they are observed in personal ways. This also can relate to someone's birthday, anniversary or any other special day just for that person, but it is not on the calendar. In the old days it has to do with worshipping certain gods on certain days. Epirot - Someone who lives inland and not on the coastal shores. Epithymy - Desire, Lust. Not to be confused with epiphany Equivoque - Something that has been given the same name as something else. For example, if you named your pet, Harpo and that's also the name of one of the Marx Brothers. Ergophobic - Someone who fears work.

Erinaceous - Adjective meaning people with prickly or bristly manners. Esquivalience - A copyright or plagiarism trap. Eustress - Stress that is a result from something good like a new baby, moving to a new home, getting married, etc. Eutrapely - An obsolete word meaning pleasantness in conversation. Exauctorate - To depose or oust from office; to deprive of authority. Exonym - This is the word for the name that foreigners will use for a place rather than the word that the locals use. An example is "Yellowstone" originated with the Minnetaree Indians' expression for the Yellowstone River. They called it Mi tse a-da-zi, or Yellow Rock River. It wasn't until 1805 that it was changed to "Yellowstone." Expergefaction - Waking up. From a Latin word meaning "make awake." You can call your alarm clock an expergefactor. Fagin - A person who trains others in crime, esp. children. Faineant - A person who is a do-nothing, loafer; or, something that is idle. Faitour - A cheat, an imposter.

Especially one who shams illness or tells fortunes. Festuceous - Adjective meaning "like a straw." A rare word. Finnimbrun - A knicknack or a trinket. Instead of a "Collectibles Store" you could call it a "Finnimbrun Store." ;) Fladge - pornographic literature. Funambulist - A tightrope walker. Figuratively it means someone who thinks quick on his feet. Furciferous- To be like a brat, rascal. G Gadzookery - Use of archaic words or expressions. Example is ye, thee, dost, etc. Galimatias - Stupid, meaningless talk. Gammerstang - A tall, awkward woman. Gamp - A large umbrella. Gangrel - A child who is just starting to walk. Geason - Rare, Amazing, Extraordinary, Uncommon. Geoponic - Anything that has to do with farming. Gilly-gaupus - Awkward person, foolish or silly person. Glaikery - Foolish conduct. Glaistig - Gaelic for beautiful fairy or; just the opposite a hag in the shape of a goat.

Gleed - A live coal. Can also mean a beam of light. Gloze - A note (comment or explanation) in the margin of a book or written document. Gnast- A spark or a snuff of a candle. Gongoozler - A person who sits and stares at activity on a canal. This has been now updated to mean any kind of idle person or rubbernecker. Gossoon - A boy or male servant. Godwottery - Use of archaic language; or... elaborate gardening. (What a difference huh?) Gradgrind - One who is interested in only the cold, hard facts. H Ha-Ha - A sunken fence or ditch that's between two land boundaries that divides the land without obstructing the view of the landscape of the land. Halch - To hug or embrace. Halieutic - Pertains to fishing. Harbergery - A place of entertainment, Inn. Hautain - Proud; Arrogant. Heimganger- Is a person who stays at home; a stay-at-home mother. Heinsby - A wretch. Heptamerous - Something that has 7 parts, sides, members.

Heterodyne - A signal that's created by mixing two other frequencies together in a nonlinear device. Heterography - Incorrect spelling; or a spelling that different than the one in current use. For example: Tire and Tyre or Catalog and Catalogue. Hibernacle - Winter retreat of a hibernating animal. I guess today one could refer to a winter cabin as one also? Hiccius doccius - An old phrase used by magicians, along the lines of 'abracadabra' is today. I think this is kind of a fun expression! Hippopotomonstrosequippedaliophobia - The fear of long words. Hoddypeak - A blockhead or fool. Imagine Lucy saying, "You're a hoddypeak, Charlie Brown!" Hodmandod - A strange person; a scarecrow. Hofles - Unreasonable, Excessive. Hoghenhine - A member of one's family. Hogo - A stink. Holaogue- A very old word medicine term that today refers to an antidepressent. Honeyfugle - To swindle or cheat. Hookum-snivey- A con, deceit or fakery.

Houghmangandy - Sexual intercourse with someone you are not married to. This is a rare word found mostly in Scottish writing of the 18th century. Today we just say someone is promiscuous. Huderon - A lazy person. Or a bum? I Iatraliptic - A medical term that refers to a doctor who cures ailments using lotions or creams. Ichane! - An expression of sorrow. Kind of like our "Alas" or "Ho Hum."? Ichnography - A building's floorplan. Igarape - A stream wide enough for a canoe. (South America) Ignoscency - Forgiveness. Illatration - The act of barking at someone or something. Illecebrous - Pretty, Attractive, Alluring Illeist - A person who refers to himself in the third person. Illywhacker - A small time confidence trickster (Australian). Impeticos - Any word written in a dialogue with the intention of making its presenter look foolish. Impignorate - To pawn or mortgage something. Impigrous - Quick; Dilligent. Inaniloquent - Full of idle talk; To babble.

Incompt - Lacking grace and eloquence; Messy. Indagatrix - Female searcher or investigator (obsolete). Infelicific - To make unhappy. Influous - When you see your horoscope and ignore it. It means to avoid "astral influence." Infucate - To use makeup. To paint your face. Inhebetate- Make something dull or blunt. This can be referred to an item, a story, a party, etc. Insangelous - A very rare word that means "To be equal to the angels." Internecine - Mutually destructive; confliction within a group Inunct - To apply ointment to someone or something. Ithand- To be busy, diligent or uninterrupted. Ithyphallic - Indecent or obscene. Kakistocracy - A government that's run by its worst citizens. Kemspeckle - Conspicuous; easily recognizable. (Scottish) Kench - To laugh really loud. Kilkenny Cats - People who fight relentlessly to the bitter end. Kinnikinnick - A substance of dried sumac leaves and willow or dogwood bark smoked by North American Indians as a tobacco substitute.

(Or mixed with tobacco) Knabble - To nibble or small bites. Knackatory - A very old word meaning a place to buy knick-knacks. Today I guess that's like a Collectibles Store? Kyriolexy - Speaking literally. From Greek meaning 'proper speaking.' L Laetificant - An adjective that means something is an anti-depressant. Lambrequins - During medieval times, this is a heavy cloth worn over a helmet; modern definition is that of an ornamental drapery for the top of a window or on a shelf. Lethean - A state of oblivion or forgetfulness. Leggiadrous - Graceful; elegant. Limbeck - To wear yourself out trying to come up with new ideas. Limerance - The initial exhilarating rush of falling in love; the state of being in love. Lipogram- A piece of writing that avoids one or more letters of the alphabet. For example, writing something and always leaving out a "g" for example. It has nothing to do with lips. :) Liripoop - The tail of a graduate's hood (an old feature of academic dress).

The liripoop hung down the back when the hood was off, and it was wrapped like a bandage around the head when the hood was on. The liripoop is both intimidating to others and uncomfortable for the wearer. Loon-slatt - An old Scottish coin worth thirteen pence (halfpenny); the proverbial amount of a hangman's fee. Lopeholt - A place that's safe; refuge. Lubitorium - A service station. Luculence - Beauty; Fineness; or..clear certainty. Luscition - Poor eyesight. Ludibrious - To be the butt of a joke. Also can imply scoffing. Lushburg - A counterfeit coin. M Macilent - Adjective meaning thin (as in weight) and lacking in substance (as in value); it is good for giving ambiguous compliments. Mackabroin - An old hag. Macroseism - Earthquake. Magirology - The science of cooking. So, a magirist is an excellent cook. Malist - Someone who feels that this world is just bad, not the worst or terrible place, but, nevertheless, still pretty bad. Mammothrept - A spoiled child.

Marcesible - Adjective meaning likely to fade or wither. Meliturgy - Honey-making or bee-keeping. (From Greek) Mesonoxian - Pertains to midnight. Milce-witter - Adjective meaning "knowing mercy." Misogynist - A person who hates women. Mogigraphia - Writer's Cramp! Moirologist - Someone who has been hired to mourn at a funeral. Morate - Moral; respectable; good manners. Monarsenous - This means having one male for several females. It is used more in the area of zoological content. It can also apply to an unbalanced number at a dinner party or at dances. Monkey's Wedding - A South African term meaning when you have a wedding that has both sunshine and rain. Portuguese call is a Vixen's Wedding. Motatorious - In constant motion Mournival - A term used to represent a set of 4 kings, queens, jacks or aces in one card hand. Or, it means any set of four things or people. Mucronate - Adjective meaning coming to a hard, sharp point. Muculency - Acting very snotty.

Mundation - The act of cleaning or the state of being clean. Mungo - A person who retrieves valuables from the garbage. Today we call them a "dumpster diver." Murgeon - Grimaces Musophobist - A person who doesn't like poetry and is suspicious of it. Mussitation - To mutter or murmur. Mututatial - Something that is borrowed. (rare) Mycterism - A sneer; a taunting. N Nabocklish! - An Irish explanation that is along the same lines as today's phrase, "Leave it alone!" Nacket - A male that is impertinent and rude. Nannicock - A ??? Would you believe that this word is so rare, the meaning is unknown. Possible meaning from Jeanette Schramm: "The word, "nanny" generally refers to a female caretaker, other than the mother - the idea of maternity or maternalism; feminine characteristics (which are oft thought of in partnership with children and childbearing). The term, "cock" often is used in reference to the male chicken or as a common suffix to a male personal title.

Given these two ideas, I see them to be a self-contradiction when combined. Along those lines, it could possibly mean "a man who raises a child single-handedly," or one who chooses to, at least. I also believe it could either mean an "effeminate male," or perhaps a transvestite. I do not know how prevalent transvestitism actually was a century or more ago, but I would assume it was not extremely common. If that is the case, it could be argued that the rarity of the term fits the rarity of the practice, making the proposed definition a likely candidate also." Naufragate - To wreck something. Nightwhat - Means nearly or almost. (Obsolete) Nihilarian - A person who deals with things of no importance. Nimfadoro - An effeminate fellow who is well-dressed and popular with women. Ninguid - Adjective meaning "having much snow" describing a place. Nithing - A contemptible or despicable person. Nittiness - When something is full of air bubbles. Niveous - Adjective meaning snowy or resembling snow. Nobodaddy - This is an old word that is used as a disrespect to God.

Nocency - guilt. Noceur - A person who stays up late. Nod-crafty - When someone nods with a manner of great wisdom. Nomothete - Lawgiver or legislator. Notarikon - When you take a word and create a new word from either the letters from the beginning of that original word or the letters from the end of that original word. I've seen this in on-line games. For example: You take the word "Example" and using the first two letters "EX" you then create = Extra. You take the last two letters LE and create = Letter. Both the words Extra and Letter are notarikons. Nudiustertian - I love this word! It means the day before yesterday. We should start to use this more again. Nullibicity - A situation where something doesn't exist (or can't be found) anywhere. Nundination - Buying or selling, trade. Nuppence - No money. To be paid nothing. Nychthemeron - A full period of a day and night: 24 hours. O Octiron - A metal (fictional) that is unaffected by anything except magic.

Octothorpe - On the telephone keypad or keyboard it is the # symbol; also called the pound symbol, number sign, hash or crosshatch. Oggannition - Snarling or growling. Oleaginous - Oily and greasy -- more so a person; excessive and false earnestness; ingratiating. Oligosyllable - A word of fewer than four syllable. Ombrifuge - A shelter from rain. Omophagy - The eating of raw food, especially raw meat. Oneirocritical - An adjective to describe a person who is an expert at dream interrpretations. Ooglification - To substitute an "OO" sound for another vowel sound to make a regular English word into a slang word or to make a slang word even more slangier. An example: Detroit turns into Detroot. Orcast - Poverty; indigence. Oredelf - The right to dig minerals; the digging of ore. An obsolete legal term. Orgulous - Proud or haughty. Ostrobogulous - Bizarre, unusual or interesting. Otacust - An eavesdropper; spy.

From Greek meaning "ear" and "listener." Oultrepreu - Extremely brave. Oxter - This is your armpit. P Paddereen - A rosary bead. (Irish word) Palestral - Pertains to wrestling. Pampination - To trim vines. Pandiculation - The stretching of one's body that often accompanies yawning. Parergon - Secondary work or business, separate from your main work or ordinary job. A synonym for moonlighting. From Greek roots for "beside" and "work." Parrhesia - Boldness of speech or Asking for forgiveness before speaking boldly. Partouse - Slang for orgy. Passiuncle - A petty or contemptible passion. Pax Romana - An uneasy peace, especially when imposed by a powerful group or country on a weaker one. Pedinomite - One who lives on a plain. Peenge - The act of complaining in a whiny voice. Pedotrophy - The bringing up or raising of children. British spell it paedotrophy. Pelf - wealth. Perculsion - A real severe shock.

Percunctorily - Lazy Perhendinancer - A traveler, lodger Perissology - Redundancy of speech. From Greek word meaning "speaking too much." Petrichor - After a dry spell, this is the nice smell that comes after it rains finally. Phenakism - Deception, Trick, Cheating Philocomal - Adjective for either love of hair or attention to the hair. Example: Browielocks is philocomal about her big, brown hair." :) Philopolemical - Loving to fight. Philoxenist - Someone who loves to entertain strangers in their home. Phlyarologist - A person who talks gibberish or nonsense. Pilgarlic - A bald person; or a person who is held in humorous contempt or treated with mock pity. Word means peeled garlic. Pilliver - A pillowcase. Pinguescence - The process of growing fat; obesity. (rare word) Piscation - Fishing. Plevisable - A legal term which means "able to be bailed out." Plongeur - A hotel dishwasher. Pluviculture - The science of making rain; or schemes for inducing rain.

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - a Coal Miner's lung disease. Pococurantish - Careless or indifferent. Pogey - Unemployment or Welfare Benefit (Canadian word). Pollinctor - A person who prepares a dead body for cremation or embalming. From Latin meaning "to wash a corpse." Today we say undertaker. Polydipsia - Having abnormal thirst. Polyhistor - A well-educated person; widely learned. Possident - A possessor; one who owns something. Pregustator - A person whose job it is to taste meats and drinks before serving them. Pronk - A weak or foolish person. Prothalamion - A wedding celebration song. Prufrockian - A personality type that is timid and indecisive and full of unfulfilled aspirations. Psilosopher - A person with a petty or shallow philosophy. Pulveratricious - Means dust-colored. Pyknic - Means a person who is stocky with a rounded body and head, thick trunk and a tendency to fat. Q Quaclsalver - A charlatan; a quack doctor.

Quadragenarian - A person who is 40 years old. Doesn't this make turning 40 sound really old? Quaestuary - Money Making. Quagswag - To shake back and forth. Quaintrelle - A well-dressed woman. Qualtagh - This is the first person you meet after leaving your house on some special occasion. Or, the first person entering a house on New Year's Day (or called a first-foot). The New Year's qualtagh is suppose to be a dark-haired man. A red-headed or female qualtagh unlucky. Other things that bring luck on New Year's Day are serving black-eyed peas, having the qualtagh bring shortbread and whiskey; and sweeping all the garbage in the house out through the front door before midnight on New Year's Eve (so that any misfortune of the past year is gone and not to return.) Quantophrenia - An obsessive reliance on mathematical methods or results. Quatervois - Crossroads. Rackensak - A native of Arkansas Rampallion or Rampallian - A scoundrel. Rassasy - To satisfy an hungry person.

Rastaquouere - A social climber who tries too hard to be in fashion. Rathskeller - A tavern or restaurant that's below street level. Rawky - Foggy, damp and cold. Relexification - Replacing a word (or phrase) in one language with a word (or phrase) in another language that corresponds to it. Resistentialism - The theory that inanimate objects demonstrate hostile behavior toward us. Retardataire - Behind the times (used mainly about artistic styles). Retcon - An often-condemned practice of writers for television and other serial stori (like comic books) where they mention previously unknown events in order to justify current plot points. The word is a blending of retroactive & continuity. Retroition - The act of returning; re-entrance. It also means to return to a party after all the good-byes to retrieve something you forgot. Rhathymia - Being cheerful, merry and optimistic. Rhinarium - The hairless and moist nose of some mammals. Rhyparographer - An artist whose subject matter is sorrowful or unpleasant topics. Ribazuba - Walrus Ivory Rimbombo - The sound of a booming roar.

S Sabaism - To worship the stars. Salami Technique - An old term for embezzlement where small amounts of money are put under a fake ID and transferred out of many customer's accounts into that one fake ID account. Salebrosity - Uneven roughness. Scibility - The power of knowing. From Latin word meaning "able to know." Scofflaw - Someone who contemptuously breaks the law, especially a law that's difficult to enforce. Scopperloit - Rude or rough play; playtime. Scrimshandrix - A woman who makes scrimshaw. A male is Scrimshander. Scriniary - Archivist Scripophily - The collecting of stocks and bond certificates, not as an investment, but as works of art. Scrippage - Your baggage and personal belongings. Selcouth - Adjective meaning unfamiliar, rare, strange, marvelous, wonderful. Semiopathy - The tendency to read humorously inappropriate meanings into signs. Example: Wet Paint (so the person tosses water on it). Sengilbond - Any encircling band. Seplasiary - A perfumer.

Sermocination - An irritating rhetorical device where a speaker asks a question and then immediately answers it himself! Variants are sermonicator (male) and sermocinatrix (female) for speakers. Shamal - The name of the hot, dry, north-westerly wind blowing across the Persian Gulf. Usually causes sandstorms. Shoful - Counterfeit money. Sitooterie - A summerhouse or gazebo; or an out-of-the-way corner to sit with your partner during a dance. Slangrel - A long, lean thing or person. Slidikins! - An exclamation meaning "By God's eyelids." I think this is the old way of saying, "As God is my witness."? Snollygoster - A dishonest politician, especially shrewd or calculating. Spartle - To thrash around (body actions). Spawling - Spitting. Squassation - A severe shaking. Squintifego - A person who squints a lot. Sprachgefuhl - A sensitivity to what is correct as far as a language is concerned. You have an ear for appropriate language. Steganography - The art of secret writing; cryptography.

The word is now means to hide secret data by encoding it electronically in another, innocuous file. Stellionate - A legal term meaning fraud committed in making contracts, especially involving selling the same thing (or rights to the same thing) to different people, often which isn't even owned by the person who is selling this to begin with. An example is selling shares in a company you don't own or plots of land. Stenotopic - When someone (or something) is able to tolerate only a certain type of habitat, or restricted range of ecological conditions. Example: Think of "Monk" who likes very sterile environments. ;) Sternutation - The act of sneezing or a sneeze. Stoop-gallant - A disease or illness. Subumber - To shelter. Superbious - Adjective meaning proud and overbearing. Supputation - The act of computing or calculating. Surfle - A face wash or cosmetic. Sursaut - Means "all of a sudden" as a noun. Or, to attack suddenly as a verb. Sybarite - A person who is devoted to the life of luxury and sensual pleasure. Sycophant - An informer. Could also mean a slanderer.

Swartrutter - An old word that represented a mercenary soldier that would dress in all black and would paint his face black as well. Swasivious - An adj. that referred to being agreeable persuasive. T Tegestology - The collecting of beer mats. Tellurian - Adjective meaning "of or inhabiting the earth." From Latin word meaning "the earth" this is often used in science fiction. Telmatology - The study of peat bogs. Temulent - Adjective meaning drunken or intoxicating. Terpsichorean - Relating to dancing. Testudineous - To be as slow as a tortoise. Thelytokous - Adjective meaning producing only female offspring. Theopneust - Adjective meaning divinely inspired. Therblig - Pertaining to the study of time and motion, this is any task that can be analyzed. Thixotropy - The property of certain gels becoming liquid when agitated and turning into a gel again when allowed to stand still. Tilly-vally! - An expession that means nonsense. Thwarterous - Adjective meaning twisted or gnarled. Tierce - The third part of a thing or group of people.

The 3rd of 7 canonical hours. It is also a band of soldiers. A flask of wine. Tmesis - The separation of the parts of a compound word by the interposition of another word or words. Example: Rather than saying the word hodgepodge, one says "hodge and podge." Torschlusspanik - (German word) means a sense of panic brought on by the feeling that life is passing you by. Today this is called a "mid life crisis." ;) Tracasserie - A state of annoyance or petty quarrel. Tractatrix - A female shampooer. Tragematopolist - A seller of candy. Tralatitious - Means traditional; handed down from generation to generation. Transmundane - Spiritual; Something that extends into the spiritual world or exists there. Not earthly. Trencherman - A hearty eater. Tripotage - Pawing, handling or fingering people. Tripudant - Dancing (usually triumphantly). Tristichous - Arranged in three rows or ranks. A tristich is a group of 3 lines of poetry or a stanza of 3 lines. A distich is a couplet.

Troke - To fail; unable to do something; or, to deceive. Tropism - The turning or bending (via growth) of an organism in response to an external stimuli. Tropology - The use of metaphors in writing or speaking. To tropologize is to use it as a metaphor such as "He is the Nixon of politics." Truandal - Beggars or camp followers; hobos. Trypall - Tall, lanky, slovenly person. Turveydrop - A person who pretends to be a perfect model of deportment; or he really is one! Tutoyant- Affectionate; Intimate. Typhlobasia - Kissing with the eyes closed. Typocrat - One who rules by controlling the press. Tyrotoxism - To be poisoned by cheese. U Ubiation - The act of occupying a new place. Ubiquarian - Someone who goes everywhere. Ugsomeness - Loathing; ugliness or the quality of being ugsome or horrible. A variant is Uglyography which means bad handwriting or uncouth spelling. Uliginous - Oozy, slimy, swampy.

Ultra-crepidarian - To give opinions on topics beyond one's own knowledge. Umtagati - A wizard (South African) Undaftiness - Untidiness. Upbigged - To be built up. V Vagarious - Erratic or unpredictable in behavior or direction. Vaticinate - To predict events; to speak as a prophet. Vease - This is a run you make before a leap. Can be spelled feeze or pheese. Veilleuse - A small and very decorated nightlight; or, a bedside food warmer. Velleity - A wish or inclination that has no action. Verecund - Adjective meaning shy, coy and bashful. Vernalagnia - Spring Fever. Verticordious - To turn the heart from evil. Viduous - Adjective meaning empty. Villiority - (rare) Means the fact of being cheaper or of less value. Vimineous - Being made of wicker. Vindemy - To take honey from beehives. Viron - To go totally around; to make the circuit. Visagiste - A makeup artist.

Viscerotonic - Having the type of personality that's sociable, comfortable, easy-going. Voculation - The type of speaking where you give proper pronunciation and enunciation; to give every word its proper accent. Voisinage - Neighborhood. (Obsolete) Voulu - Adjective meaning contrived, affected, deliberate. W Wabbit - (Scottish) Means exhausted or slightly unwell. Not what Elmer Fudd calls Buggs Bunny! Wahala - Inconvenience; a fuss, trouble. Weddinger - A wedding guest. Whelve - To turn something over and hide something underneath; to bury something. Whistness- Hush; hist; (onomatopoeic sounds) Widdendream - (Scottish) Means being in a state of confusion or mental disturbance. Widdiful - Someone who deserves to be hanged. Wifthing - (Obsolete) Means to have sexual intercourse or a wedding. Windlestraw - A person who is tall, thin and un-healthy looking. Winebibber - A person who habitually drinks a lot of alcohol. Today we just say this person is an alcoholic.

Woofits - An unwell feeling, especially a headache; a moody depression. Worble - (Scottish) Means to wriggle or wallow. X Xenization - To travel as a stranger. Xenology - The study of extraterrestrial phenomena. Xesturgy - To polish. Xylopyrography - The art of creating designs on wood by using a hot poker. Today, I believe this is an art form done via wood burning. Y We've nowgot a sing-along page for that to enjoy! For more word fun, visit our other pages: There were thousands of words to choose from! I chose those I felt were the most interesting and useful. To see all of them get these books: Source: "Weird and Wonderful Words" by Erin McKean Oxford University Press, Inc. ï¿½ 2003 "More Weird and Wonderful Words" by Erin McKean Oxford University Press, Inc. ï¿½ 2003 "Weird Words" by Irwin M. Berent and Rod L.

Evans Berkeley Press ï¿½ 1995 "The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words" By Anu Garg Penguin Group ï¿½ 2007 Like this background? Get one for your site! All graphics on this site (still and animated) have our embedded watermark. They are not public domain! All contents (Graphics and Text) are covered by U.S. Copyright Laws. No reproduction of any kind, downloading, copy, paste, save, etc. is allowed. All rights reserved! Like Brownielocks on Facebook Thanks for Visiting. We love you! A.Word.A.Day--Today's Word Today's Word Someone who never laughs. [From Greek agelastos (not laughing), ultimately from gelaein (to laugh).] The opposite of an agelast is an abderian person, one given to excessive or incessant laughter. "Between the obscene, crude buffoon of the old comedy and the boor, the dour agelast who takes offense at everything ..." Giuseppe Mazzotta; Playboys and Killjoys; Shakespeare Quarterly (Washington, DC); Autumn 1988.

"An hour of stand-up which the audience absolutely loves. I don't spot a single agelast." Deborah Ross; Interview: Sandi Toksvig - I'm Sorry; I Haven't a Hairdo; Independent (London), Jul 16, 2001. From the most noble soul to the most dastardly individual, we all share traits that span the spectrum. It would be rare to find a person who can be completely characterized by a single word. This week's AWAD discusses words to help us describe people we come across in our life. Can you see the face of a friend, relative, or co-worker in these assorted arrangements of the alphabet? X-Bonus You can sometimes count every orange on a tree but never all the trees in a single orange. -A.K. Ramanujan, poet (1929-1993) The Book: A Word A Day is now a book. Find it in your local bookstore or at Amazon.com . Join Us:

Question: An ‘Agelast’ is a person who never does what?
Answer: Laugh