Many others from Shakespeare’s time through to the early 20th century have fallen out of common usage, and we are undoubtedly the poorer for it. Here are 20 words that could only serve to add a bit more colour to our daily lives if they happened to come back into regular use.
1. Bunbury
noun
An imaginary person whose name is used as an excuse to some purpose, especially to visit a place.
“Auntie Jane the cottage dweller” was my go-to bunbury whenever I wanted to take a day off to go play in the forest.
The description of something said or done unfairly to make people have a bad opinion of someone.
Mrs. Mumford had spread rather scurrilous gossip about Miss Violet in the hope of tarnishing her reputation. Honestly, who would do that sort of thing with a llama?
A hodge-podge, or jumbled medley (can also refer to an edible dish).
Lydia’s casserole was a veritable gallimaufry of beans, raisins, cauliflower, sausage, cheap wine, and cabbage. Guests never asked for second helpings.
Three times.
I’ve told you twice not to eat raw pork with mustard or you’ll get sick—don’t make me say it thrice!
Talking utterly and completely foolishly, OR used to describe a foolish person.
The blithering idiot was blithering on about something or other, but I tuned him out.
A person who takes great joy and comfort in rainy days.
Your average pluviophile will be in utter glory when thunder roils, as she can curl up with blankets and books while rain pours down outside.
One who reads in bed.
When you’re married to a librocubularist, you can rest assured that you’ll have to compete with a stack of books for nighttime attention.
A slight and transient fever.
Attending the opening of Twilight’s 17th sequel gave Arabella a mild febricula, but the air-conditioned cinema interior cleared it up quickly.
To decorate with stars.
The student council would starrify the high school gym every year in preparation for the homecoming dance.
To imbue with sound moral principles or self-control.
It’s vital that parents sophronize children, not just expect them to behave properly of their own volition—you know what havoc they’d wreak.
Rubbish, nonsense, or waste matter.
I don’t know what kind of mullock you’re gibbering on about today, but you really need to stop reading those conspiracy magazines.
Poor handwriting, and bad spelling.
His uglyography was so heinous that his essay was used as kindling, but the flames extinguished themselves rather than be tainted by association.
Those bearing the same name.
There were six boys named Jason in that particular class, prompting the teacher to address them all by their last names. When faced with namelings who both answered to “Jason Birch”, she called them “Birch” and “tree”, respectively.
The habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge.
Child-free people who try to give parenting advice are often guilty of the worst kind of ultracrepidarianism.
An all-night feast or ceremony.
Edmund took another energy drink, hoping that its caffeine content would help him survive this raucous pannychis.
To gobble greedily; to cram food into one’s gut.
The dinner guests watched in horror as Lord Penderquist guttled an entire roasted boar into his maw.
A person, especially a politician, who is guided by personal advantage rather than by consistent, respectable principles.
The snollyguster who won the mayoral election just lines his pockets with cash to support his drug habit.
The upper sky; “vault” of heaven.
Icarus would have passed through the welkin on his legendary flight, but we all know how that turned out for him.
Characterized by having a beard. My
I had wanted to compliment him on his fiancee’s beauty, but her barbigerous aspect was so dominant that I had to remain silent.
The end of the day, just as evening approaches.
Moonflowers only bloom at eventide, opening their petals as the sun slips below the horizon.
My own example: My uglyography (not bad spelling though) was really bad in school, but I still managed to have good grades! Ha Ha Ha!!
Can you make your own examples?
An imaginary person whose name is used as an excuse to some purpose, especially to visit a place.
“Auntie Jane the cottage dweller” was my go-to bunbury whenever I wanted to take a day off to go play in the forest.
2. Scurrilous
adjectiveThe description of something said or done unfairly to make people have a bad opinion of someone.
Mrs. Mumford had spread rather scurrilous gossip about Miss Violet in the hope of tarnishing her reputation. Honestly, who would do that sort of thing with a llama?
3. Gallimaufry
nounA hodge-podge, or jumbled medley (can also refer to an edible dish).
Lydia’s casserole was a veritable gallimaufry of beans, raisins, cauliflower, sausage, cheap wine, and cabbage. Guests never asked for second helpings.
4. Thrice
adverbThree times.
I’ve told you twice not to eat raw pork with mustard or you’ll get sick—don’t make me say it thrice!
5. Blithering
adjectiveTalking utterly and completely foolishly, OR used to describe a foolish person.
The blithering idiot was blithering on about something or other, but I tuned him out.
6. Pluviophile
nounA person who takes great joy and comfort in rainy days.
Your average pluviophile will be in utter glory when thunder roils, as she can curl up with blankets and books while rain pours down outside.
7. Librocubularist
nounOne who reads in bed.
When you’re married to a librocubularist, you can rest assured that you’ll have to compete with a stack of books for nighttime attention.
8. Febricula
nounA slight and transient fever.
Attending the opening of Twilight’s 17th sequel gave Arabella a mild febricula, but the air-conditioned cinema interior cleared it up quickly.
9. Starrify
verbTo decorate with stars.
The student council would starrify the high school gym every year in preparation for the homecoming dance.
10. Sophronize
verbTo imbue with sound moral principles or self-control.
It’s vital that parents sophronize children, not just expect them to behave properly of their own volition—you know what havoc they’d wreak.
11. Mullock
nounRubbish, nonsense, or waste matter.
I don’t know what kind of mullock you’re gibbering on about today, but you really need to stop reading those conspiracy magazines.
12. Uglyography
nounPoor handwriting, and bad spelling.
His uglyography was so heinous that his essay was used as kindling, but the flames extinguished themselves rather than be tainted by association.
13. Namelings
plural nounThose bearing the same name.
There were six boys named Jason in that particular class, prompting the teacher to address them all by their last names. When faced with namelings who both answered to “Jason Birch”, she called them “Birch” and “tree”, respectively.
14. Ultracrepidarianism
nounThe habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge.
Child-free people who try to give parenting advice are often guilty of the worst kind of ultracrepidarianism.
15. Pannychis
nounAn all-night feast or ceremony.
Edmund took another energy drink, hoping that its caffeine content would help him survive this raucous pannychis.
16. Guttle
verbTo gobble greedily; to cram food into one’s gut.
The dinner guests watched in horror as Lord Penderquist guttled an entire roasted boar into his maw.
17. Snollyguster
nounA person, especially a politician, who is guided by personal advantage rather than by consistent, respectable principles.
The snollyguster who won the mayoral election just lines his pockets with cash to support his drug habit.
18. Welkin
nounThe upper sky; “vault” of heaven.
Icarus would have passed through the welkin on his legendary flight, but we all know how that turned out for him.
19. Barbigerous
adjectiveCharacterized by having a beard. My
I had wanted to compliment him on his fiancee’s beauty, but her barbigerous aspect was so dominant that I had to remain silent.
20. Eventide
nounThe end of the day, just as evening approaches.
Moonflowers only bloom at eventide, opening their petals as the sun slips below the horizon.
My own example: My uglyography (not bad spelling though) was really bad in school, but I still managed to have good grades! Ha Ha Ha!!
Can you make your own examples?
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