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20 Of The Weirdest Words For Writers To Try Using

Using one of these oddities would be impressive, but try using or even saying them all.

By Jason Ray Morton Published about a year ago 4 min read
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20 Of The Weirdest Words For Writers To Try Using
Photo by Piotr Łaskawski on Unsplash

Weirdest Words From The English Language

English is spoken in nearly every country to one degree or another. While it’s a simple language, some words are strange to say and even stranger to read. These words prove it takes a lifetime to master the language, and it might take a lifetime to find a use for some words I’m about to share.

  • Donkeyman — A donkeyman is a man with certain responsibilities in the engine room of a ship. This word could also be used in slang to describe current-era politicians.
  • Kerfuffle — Kerfuffle has been around a long time, likely coming from Scottish Gaelic or Celtic Irish roots. It means to make a fuss or bother.
  • AA — Originating in Hawaii, it is basaltic lava forming rough and jagged masses during eruptions on the islands. In theory, it’s an abbreviation for people’s exclamations when they saw the lava coming out of the volcano.
  • Kakorphaphiophobia — This is a noun and is defined as an abnormal fear of failure. Good luck saying it twice.
  • Hullabaloo — A commotion or a loud noise made by humans during arguments is called a hullabaloo. Who hasn’t had a good hullabaloo in their lives?
  • Flibbertigibbet — A flighty, irresponsible, or talkative person. Huh, I think I know a few people that are flibbertigibbets. Say that three times and fast.
  • Quire — Not to be confused with inquiry, a quire is a quantity of paper. It’s 25 sheets of same-sized and quality machine-made paper or 24 sheets of specially-made paper.
  • Woebegone — An adjective that means to be surrounded by sadness.
  • Frankenfood — This seems to be a slang term born out of the 90s to refer to genetically modified foods. It’s a combination of Frankenstein and food.
  • Cacophony — A cacophony is a combination of horrible sounds all happening together. Nails on a chalkboard, screaming babies, the loud roar of a nearby train, birds screeching, and alarm bells together would be a cacophony.
  • Flummox (Flummoxed) — This is an adjective to describe the feeling of being very discombobulated, or confused and out of sorts.
  • Qwerty — Describes the standard layout of an English keyboard.
  • Oxyphenbutazone — Another word that should win any kid a spelling bee, this one is a metabolite of phenylbutazone.
  • Valetudinarian — Having nothing to do with your education, other than if you use it correctly you’re obviously not just the average high school graduate,, this word refers to a weak or sickly person.
  • Abibliophobia — Have you ever run out of things to read? Could you? With the millions of articles, books, magazines, and various other forms of the written word, is it even possible? Well, if you suffer from Abibliophobia you suffer from an intense fear of running out of things to read. This word might have been brought to you by the people at Amazon Publishing or Barnes and Noble.
  • Nudiustertian — According to thefreedictionary.com, this word is an adjective pertaining to the day before yesterday.
  • Pauciloquent — Have you ever been to a speech that droned on and on? This word refers to who you wished was speaking, a person of few words.
  • Absquatulate — Gone in a flash. This is a word for people who have left suddenly. It’s more slang terminology, but it’s definitely not used in everyday conversation.
  • Zoanthropy — This one is relevant in a world where we allow people to identify as whatever they want. Stories about people identifying as animals have been on the internet since the culture clashes with identity heated up. So, if someone identifies as a sheep or a dog, they’re experiencing zoanthropy.
  • Erinaceous — Sonic the Hedgehog fans will love this one. It refers to a person that resembles a hedgehog. Feel free to give people all the grief in the world if they ever say you look erinaceous, especially if they give you their plastic surgeon’s business card.

There are many other words that are bizarre, hard to interpret, and harder to say. So I leave this list at 20. Online there are dozens of lists like this one, and some of them admittedly needed to be looked up to verify they are real. These 20 are the real McCoy of weird words from our language, and I thought some of the languages I’ve heard over the years were hard to follow.

Good luck using these, if you dare.

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About the Creator

Jason Ray Morton

I have always enjoyed writing and exploring new ideas, new beliefs, and the dreams that rattle around inside my head. I have enjoyed the current state of science, human progress, fantasy and existence and write about them when I can.

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Comments (2)

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  • Canuck Scriber L.Lachapelle Authorabout a year ago

    This is a great idea, to write of the meaning of words. I enjoyed reading this.

  • Mariann Carrollabout a year ago

    Interesting, I learn new words today. Thanks 🥰

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