Rare word of the day

Let’s learn a new word every day! Browse our ‘word of the day’ collection of interesting, sophisticated, and rare words that describe relatable emotional states and give a new meaning to ordinary things. Whether you are a logophile, a lifetime learner, or just a person who would like to expand their vocabulary, then you will certainly enjoy our compilation!

Language isn’t just a medium of communicating your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. It’s a whole different world in itself. Language shapes our perception, personality, and passion.

There’s a word for almost every feeling that you feel. There’s a word for almost everything that you see. There’s a word for almost everything you can think of. Every word for sure carries a certain beauty and uniqueness describing really incredible things. 

More than a million words are there in the English language. Many of them have faded, many of them aren’t much used. And nearly 171,476 words are commonly used in the current scenario. The infrequently used words belong to psychology, biology, medicine, astronomy, and other fields. They remain in a state of vernacular obscurity because of their extraordinary specificity. 

Neither heard nor spoken on a regular basis, these are 25 fascinating rare words that are a delightful addition to your vocabulary and also appealing to the senses and the English language.

1. Tmesis (tuh-mee-sis)

An unusual word with an unusual meaning, ‘tmesis’ is the only word in English that begins with ‘tm-’. 

What it means: Insertion of one or more words to make a compound word

Etymology: The word ‘tmesis’ originates from the Greek tmesis «a cutting», related to temnein which means «to cut».

Example sentences: 

• ‘to’ inserted in ‘update’ makes for ‘up-to-date’
• ‘so’ inserted in the middle of ‘whatever’ makes for ‘whatsoever’
• ‘Whole’ inserted in the ‘another’ makes for ‘a whole nother’

2. Syzygy (siz-i-jee)

The word ‘syzygy’ is as rare, beautiful and unique as is its astronomical occurrence. This is the only word in all of English to have three Y’s. 

Moreover, other than astronomy, it has different meanings in poetry, genetics, psychology, medicine, mathematics, zoology and astronomy. Bonus fact is that it’s also one of the high-scoring Scrabble words.

Different meanings in different fields:

1. Astronomy: An alignment of three celestial bodies more commonly the Sun, Earth, and Moon akin to an eclipse.
2. Genetics: The pairing of chromosomes in meiosis.
3. Mathematics: A relation between generators of a module.
4. Medicine: The fusion of some or all organs.
5. Poetry (in classical prosody): The combination of two metrical feet into a single unit.
6. Psychology: A quintessential pairing of contrasexual opposites which symbolizes the communication of the conscious and unconscious minds.
7. Zoology: The association of two protozoans for the purpose of asexual exchange of genetic material. 

Etymology: The word derives via late Latin from Greek suzugia «yoke of animals, pair, union of two, conjunction» from suzugos «to yoke together». It is the compound form of syn «together» + zygon «yoke». 

Example sentences: 

• The moon is at syzygy when full.
• The planets were aligned in syzygy.  (3.1)

3. Hydroxyzine (hahy-drok-suh-zeen)

Hydroxyzine is the only word to have X, Y, Z back-to-back and in-order. The first known use of this medicine was back in 1956. It can help you relieve tension, irritability and anxiety.

Meaning: A tranquilizing drug used to cure anxiety and motion sickness.

Etymology: hydroxy- + (pipera)zine

Example sentence: Do not use Hydroxyzine for alcohol withdrawal!

4. Philodox (FIL-uh-doks)

‘Phil-’ is the root word used to define love for something and ‘dox’ means beliefs and praise. So someone who loves his own opinions is a philodox.

What it means: A dogmatic person who loves his or her own opinions.

Etymology: From Middle French philodoxe, from Ancient Greek (philódoxos, “opinion-loving”). It is a compound of (phílo-, “philo”) + (dóxa, “glory; opinion”).

Example sentence: Once again, it was a joy to see and meet those that really make a difference in the security market, believe me, life isn’t short of philodox characters… (Security News Desk)

5. Dextrosinistral (deks-tro-sin-is-tral)

Lefties or left-handed people are often asked (and sometimes forced) to switch their handedness and become a right hander. Those who’re trained to become one are called ‘dextrosinistral’.

Meanings:

1. Moving or extending from right to left

2. A natural left-handed person trained to use the right hand (3.2)

Etymology: (dextro- +‎ sinistral) From the Latin ‘dexter’ meaning right and ‘sinister’ meaning left.

Example Sentence: The maximum deformation was mostly in the dextrosinistral direction.

6. Lalochezia (lah-loh-KEY-zee-uh)

When you’re in a state of extreme anger and spew filthy or indecent words from your mouth, the emotional relief you gain by doing that is called lalochezia.  

Meaning: Emotional relief gained using expletives or abusive language (3.3)

Etymology: From the Greek ‘lalia’ meaning speech and ‘chezo’ meaning to relieve oneself.

Example Sentence: But you can build up a tolerance to lalochezia—the more you swear, the less it helps. (Greatist) 

7. Gargalesthesia (gar-guhl-es-thee-zee-yah)

It’s the sensation you feel when your sensitive areas are ticked really hard and repeatedly.

Meaning: The sensation caused by being tickled.

Etymology: A compound of the Greek ‘gargalos’ meaning itching and ‘aesthesia’ or ‘esthesia’ meaning ability to perceive sensations.

Example sentence: Gargalesthesia has been known to cause death when prolonged.

8. Factotum (fak-toh-tuh m)

A factotum is someone who possesses diverse traits and serves different responsibilities. And that makes him/her jack of all trades.

Meanings:

1. A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
2. A general servant.
3. A jack of all trades.
4. An individual employed to do all kinds of duties.

Etymology: From the Latin ‘facere’ meaning to do and ‘totum’ meaning everything. (3.4)

Example sentence: By day three, it was the department’s triumph and I was a factotum. (Jack Kerley, THE HUNDREDTH MAN)

9. Charientism (ka-ri-yent-izm)

When you’re having a group chat and don’t understand whether something was a quip or a disdain, it’s charientism. It is an artfully concealed insult.

Meaning: A figure of speech wherein an insult is disguised as or softened by a jest.

Etymology: From Ancient Greek (kharientismós)

Example sentence: I’d offer up a charientism but I’m not polite enough to bother masking my dislike for people.

10. Manque (man-que, ma-nq-ue)

When you feel unfulfilled or frustrated for not living up to a certain expectation or ambition, it’s called manque.

Meaning: would-be; unfulfilled realizing an ambition or capability due to the vagary of circumstance, some inherent flaw, or an often uncertain constitutional lacking of some kind.

Etymology: From French manqué (to lack)

Example sentence: The manager is an actor manqué.

11. Floccinaucinihilipilification (FLOK-si-now-sin-ih-HILL-ip-il-IF-i-CAY-shun)

Damn hard to pronounce, this 29-letter-long word happens to be one of the longest words in the English language. With the meaning ‘categorizing something as valueless, the humorously paradoxical fact about the word is that it is quite a useless word in itself; which is hardly used anywhere except as an example of a long word. 

Meaning: the action or habit of estimating something as worthless (3.5)

Etymology: From a combination of four Latin words: flocci, nauci, nihili, pili (meaning ‘hold at little value’) 

Example sentence: Floccinaucinihilipilification is one of a number of very long words that occur very rarely in genuine use.

12. Nudiustertian (noo-dee-uhs-TUR-shuhn)

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word ‘nudiustertian’ has been mentioned only in the very popular work ‘The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam in America’ written by Nathaniel Ward. 

Meaning: very recent,  the day before yesterday 

Etymology: From Latin ‘nudius tertius’, from phrase nunc dies tertius est meaning ‘today is the third day’. (3.6)

Example sentence: When I hear a‥Gentledame inquire‥what [is] the nudiustertian fashion of the Court; I mean the very newest. (The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam in America)

13. Pandiculation (pan-dik-oo-lay-shun)

Whenever you feel drowsy or weary, just stretch your limbs and neck and accompany it with yawning. This simple and effective movement is called pandiculation. It helps to reboot your brain’s sensation and also restores complete muscle function. 

Meaning:  yawning and stretching (as when first waking up)

Etymology: From Latin pandiculari, from pendere to stretch

Example sentence: Instances of pandiculation in the audience suggests the show isn’t going well.

14. Valetudinarian (val-i-too-duh-NAYR-ee-uhn)

Someone who is constantly obsessed about his or her health is called a valetudinarian. It is used as both a noun and an adjective. 

Meaning: a sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health

Etymology: The word comes from Latin valētūdinārius, from valetudo (“state of health, health, ill health”), from valere (“to be strong or well”) 

Example sentences:

1. A «valetudinarian» is a 10-dollar word for someone who is sickly.

2. The valetudinarian habit of discussing his health had grown on Rose…

15. Schadenfreude (shah-den-froydah)

When someone feels malicious enjoyment from observing someone else’s misfortune, that feeling is schadenfreude. 

It is the synonym of another rare word ‘epicaricacy’. This word became popular in English in the late 20th century. Its usage was seen in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’.

Meaning: satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else’s misfortune

Etymology: The word was borrowed from German Schadenfreude (“joy in the misfortune of others”), from Schaden (“damage, harm, mishap”), and Freude (“joy”).

Example sentence: And Mr. Henry’s arrival suggests the schadenfreude is over.

16. Chthonic (thon-ik)

What dwells beneath the earth’s surface is chthonic. 

Meaning: of or characteristic of the mythological underworld, subterranean (3.7)

Etymology: From Ancient Greek khthonios (of the earth), from khthōn, earth 

Example sentence: The young pantheon had remanded their elders to the role of smoldering, chthonic gods……

17. Hwyl (HU il)

That’s a stirring and motivational energy that one experiences when he/she is all pumped up and determined to achieve a particular goal or ambition.

Meaning: emotional fervor (as in the recitation of poetry), a melodic chanting style of Welsh preaching.

Etymology: Welsh

Example sentence: We will never lack hwyl on the second Gwlad of an international day anthem…..

18. Lethologica (Leth-Oh-LOGE-ikuh)

If you are unable to recall the exact word for something, you have a lethologica. 

Meaning: the inability to remember the accurate word for something

Etymology: Carl Jung coined this word from the Ancient Greek lḗthē meaning forgetfulness and lógos meaning word.

Example sentence: You might have trouble recalling that lethologica is the inability to remember a word.

19. Overmorrow (oh-vuhr-MOR-oh)

The day that is two days ahead of today is ‘overmorrow’. 

Meaning: the day after tomorrow.

Etymology: The word comes from Middle English overmorwe. It is a compound of over + morwe (“morrow”).

Example sentence: ‘Does overmorrow work for you?’

20. Velleity (vuh-LEE-i-tee)

A mere wish with no strong desire to act is called ‘velleity’. 

Meanings: 

1. The weakest degree of desire or volition.

2. A slight wish with no effort to act.

Etymology: From Medieval Latin velleitās, from Latin velle (“to wish or will”).  (3.8)

Example sentence: He felt cast out … divorced from the caprices and the velleities of childhood.

21. Sesquipedalian (ses-kwi-pi-DAYL-yuhn)

A word that is one and a half feet long is called ‘sesquipedalian’.

Meanings:

1. Given to or characterized by the use of long words, long-winded.

2. Having many syllables; polysyllabic. (3.9)

Etymology: The word came into existence in the mid 17th century, 1656 to be precise. It originated from Latin sesquipedalis ‘a foot and a half long,’ from sesqui- (see sesqui-) + pes, ped- ‘foot’.

Example sentence: Anne, that ridiculously sesquipedalian word you just gutturally uttered is a perfect example of why Germans don’t play Scrabble.

22. Borborygmus (bor-buh-RIG-muhs)

Being an onomatopoeic word, the word ‘borborygmus’ imitates the annoying, loud gurglings made by the stomach. Chances are you’ve never heard of this word unless you’re a gastroenterologist.

Meaning: rumbling or gurgling sound caused in intestines and stomach by moving fluid or gas (3.10)

Etymology: Originated in the early 18th century, the word was originated from modern Latin, from Greek borborygmos, from borboryzein (to rumble)

Example sentence: Unfortunately sir the other guests are trying to listen to the singer but your borborygmi (plural) are so loud they are interrupting the performance.

23. Doohickey (duːhɪki)

Open your childhood treasure of toys, and you’ll discover so many objects & gadgets whose name you wouldn’t know or recall. Those gadgets are doohickeys.

Meaning: a small object or gadget, especially one whose name the speaker doesn’t know or can’t recall.

Etymology: The word’s origin lies in the 20th century. It is a blend of doodad and hickey.

Example sentence: This garage is filled with electronic parts and other valuable doohickeys.

24. Higgler (higgl-ůr)

Someone who goes around selling small items is known as a higgler.

Meanings: 

1. a person who travels around selling small items; a pedlar.
2. a person who haggles or negotiates for lower prices.

Etymology: probably an alteration of haggle

Example sentence: But while she still lived and prospered as a higgler we had to find another helper to fill.

25. Contronym (KAHN-troh-NIM)

Also known as contranym or autoantonym, a contronym is a word with two meanings having opposite meanings. For e.g. sanction (meaning both ‘a penalty for disobeying a law’ and ‘official permission or approval for an action’).

Meaning: a word with two opposite meanings

Etymology: a combination of contra- and -onym, on the pattern of synonym and antonym

Example sentence: The word contronym is a recently coined neologism.

Do you also know a rare word in English or any other language? If you do, then do tell us the word with its meaning in the comments section below!

Do you ever feel like there’s no way to fully express what you want to say? This happens to a lot of us, but it’s not because those words don’t exist. There’s a whole world of rare words with beautiful meanings out there.

If you’re feeling speechless, take a look at this list of unique words you can add to your daily vocabulary. 

1. Zephyr 

Noun: a calm, gentle breeze.

This word stems from the name Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind.

RELATED: 23 Words For Emotions You Feel But Can’t Explain

2. Eunoia

Noun: beautiful thinking; healthy mind.

Eunoia is the shortest word in the English language that has each vowel in it.

3. Fika

Noun: a moment to slow down and appreciate the little things in life. 

Fika is a Swedish concept that makes it essential to take time to stop and socialize.

4. Philocalist

Noun: lover of beauty; someone who finds beauty in all things. 

A philocalist is someone who is able to cherish the little things. 

5. Redamancy

Noun: the act of loving someone who loves you back; a love returned in full. 

Redamancy is what happens when the feeling is mutual. It’s sort of the opposite of unrequited love. 

6. Aliferous

adjective: having wings. 

If you drink a Red Bull, you will likely become aliferous.

7. Munificence

Noun: the quality of being very generous. 

A rich friend who is generous with there money has munificence. 

8. Peiskos

Noun: the feeling of enjoying the warmth from a fireplace. 

Peiskos is a Norweigian word that describes the pleasures of sitting in front of a glowing fire. 

9. Querencia

Noun: a sanctuary where you feel safe.

A querencia is an area in a bullfight arena taken by the bull for a defensive stand.

10. Reverie

Noun: the state of being lost in your own thoughts; a daydream.

A reverie can be broken by a loud obnoxious sound. 

11. Beamish

Adjective: bright, cheerful, and optimistic.

Most optimists have a beamish quality about them.

12. Metanoia

Noun: the journey of changing your mind, heart, self, and way of life. 

A spiritual awakening is an example of metanoia. 

13. Paladin

Noun: a determined advocate or defender of a noble cause. 

A paladin is a military leader or medieval prince. 

14. Ataraxia

Noun: a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquility. 

Ataraxia means living without anxiety. Imagine!

15. Snuggery

Noun: a cozy room. 

A snuggery is a place full of fluffy pillows, if that’s something you like!

16. Lagom

Adjective: not too much and not too little; just the right amount. 

Lagom is a Swedish and Norwegian word that means «just the right amount.»

17. Selcouth

Adjective: unfamiliar, rare and strange, but marvelous.

Of all the unusual words with beautiful meanings, selcouth might be the rarest. It is used to describe something rare, but beautiful.

So all of the words on this list have a selcouth quality to them. 

18. Thalassophile

Noun: lover of the sea. 

A Thalassophile is someone who loves to spends their summers at the beach.

19. Raconteur

Noun: a talented storyteller. 

If you’re hosting a dinner party with a lot of introverts, you should definitely add a raconteur to the guest list. 

20. Orphic

Adjective: mysterious and enchanting; beyond ordinary understanding. 

An Orphic idea is the Nietzchean idea of eternal recurrence.

21. Appetence

Noun: an eager desire or instinctive inclination; an attraction or natural bond. 

Just looking at the big golden McDonald’s arch can give you an appetence for a juicy big mac. 

22. Nyctophilia

Noun: the love of darkness or the night. 

Nyctophilia is a strong preference of night time over the daytime. 

23. Quintessential

Adjective: the perfect example or representation of a certain kind of person or thing.

Britney Spears is the quintessential example of a pop star who is under the thumb of someone else’s emotional control. 

24. Apricity

Noun: the warmth of the sun in winter. 

Iowans jump for joy at apricity. The winters in Iowa get so tedious and dreadful, that a little sunlight every now and then makes a huge difference on their mood.

25. Elysian

Adjective: sharing characteristics of heaven/paradise. 

A tropical vacation is elysian.

26. Psithurism

Noun: the sound of the wind in the trees.

Psithurism, the sound of the wind in the trees, is quite possibly the most beautiful sound in nature. 

27. Mudita

Noun: delight in the happiness of others. 

Mudita is the feeling of happiness that comes when other people are happy.

28. Bimble

Verb: to walk at a leisurely pace. 

Nobody in New York City has time to bimble to the subway. Everyone must walk with intention and urgency. 

29. Librocubicularist

Noun: a person who reads in bed.

A librocubicularist is someone who reads in bed before falling asleep.

30. Incandescent

Adjective: emitting light; full of emotion, passionate. 

The sun is a mass of incandescent gas. 

31. Minerva

Noun: a woman of great wisdom. 

Minerva is a beautiful word to describe a beautiful woman who is wise beyond her years.

32. Eleutheromania

Noun: a great desire or obsession with freedom.  

If you experience eleutheromania, you have an obsession or deep desire for freedom.

33. Lacuna

Noun: a blank space or missing part. 

If there’s a lacuna in the middle of a novel, you won’t be able to read it in its entirety. For example, if some of its pages were intentionally ripped out.

34. Gumusservi

Noun: moonlight shining on water. 

Have you ever witnessed the silvery gumusservi at night? It’s one of the closest things to magic that you’ll ever see. 

35. Cosmogyral

Adjective: whirling around the universe. 

Dr. Who is a cosmogryal scientist who travels throughout time. 

36. Copacetic

Adjective: in excellent order.

Any boss is pleased to hear «everything is copacetic» from their unpaid interns.  

37. Elucidate 

Verb: to make clear or easy to understand. 

To elucidate is to fully express yourself with absolute clarity. 

38. Puissant

Adjective: powerful, mighty, potent.

The puissant hall monitor has the ability to send his classmates to detention if they’re cutting class. 

39. Exculpate

Verb: to clear from fault or guilt. 

A judge will hopefully exculpate you if you’ve been wrongly accused of grand theft auto. 

40. Verdant

Adjective: abundant in plants and flowers. 

When you’re over-exhausted from looking at the computer all day, it’s a great idea to walk through the verdant woods. 

41. Aeipathy

Noun: an enduring and consuming passion. 

Aeipathy sounds like apathy but suggests the opposite. 

42. Retrouvaille

Noun: the joy of being reunited with someone again after a long time apart. 

Retrouvaille is a French word that means rediscovery. Being reunited with someone you love is an example of that. 

43. Cathartic

Adjective: providing psychological relief through the release of strong emotions. 

Expressing yourself through drawing, singing, or sculpting can be very cathartic. 

45. Lambent

Adjective: softly bright or radiant. 

A lambent light flickers softly, rather than being overwhelming to look at. 

46. Moonbow

Noun: a rainbow caused by the reflection and refraction of the light of the moon. 

A moonbow is the nighttime version of the rainbow.

47. Skosh

Noun: a small amount. 

The barista will put a skosh of oat milk in your coffee when you ask for «just a little oat milk.»

48. Irenic

Adjective: conducive to peace or moderation. 

Your relationship with your siblings often becomes irenic as you get older.

49. Balter

Verb: to dance without skill but with great enjoyment. 

You don’t need to be an experienced ballerina to have a night out at the club. You can balter as much as you please. 

50. Candor

Noun: honest, open, or sincere expression. 

If someone speaks with great candor, they are someone to be trusted. 

51. Inchoate

Adjective: imperfectly formed or formulated. 

A recent start-up is often inchoate if the owners have not thought through the logistics of their company yet. 

52. Galvanize

Verb: to motivate action or excitement. 

In order to galvanize their children, strict parents will reprimand until the cows come home.

53. Pogonophile

Noun: a person who is fond of beards. 

A pogonophile is someone who exclusively dates people with beards.

54. Serendipity

Noun: a string of chance events that lead to a happy outcome. 

Serendipity can happen when you run into an old flame at a music festival.

55. Penchant

Noun: a strong habitual liking of something or the tendency to do something. 

If you have a penchant for drawing, you should definitely consider taking a few visual art courses in school. 

56. Finifugal

Adjective: hating endings; someone who prolongs saying goodbye for as long as possible.

A finifugal friend who doesn’t like to say goodbye might move away without warning. 

57. Resplendent

Adjective: shining brightly

A garden is resplendent with flowers and lush greenery. 

58. Burgeon

Verb: to begin to grow rapidly; to flourish.

Typically, people start to burgeon when they move away from home.

59. Curio

Noun: a rare, unusual, or intriguing object. 

Sending someone a curio for their birthday is always a fun idea. 

60. Gadabout

Noun: a person who moves aimlessly, especially from one social activity to another.

Social butterflies are such gadabouts. 

61. Clowder

noun: a cluster of cats. 

One of those unique words to describe a group of animals. In this case, it’s cats!

62. Acatalepsy

Noun: the idea that it is impossible to truly comprehend anything. 

Acatalepsy is an ancient Skeptic doctrine that suggests that human knowledge is never certain. 

63. Mizzle

Verb: to rain in fine drops. 

Mizzle is another word for drizzle.

RELATED: 17 Things We Feel Every Single Day, But Don’t Have The Words For

64. Seatherny

Noun: the serenity you feel when listening to the birds chirp. 

If your bedroom window is next to a tree or two, you will likely experience seatherny in the morning.

65. Onism

Noun: the awareness of how little of the world you will see. 

Onism is the self-awareness that you’ll never experience the world in its entirety. Everyone is on their own journey. 

66. Aesthete

Noun: a person with great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature. 

An aesthete is someone who has a color-coordinated Instagram feed.

67. Brobdingnagian

Adjective: giant.

The Eiffel Tower is brobdingnagian and so was the Titanic.

68. Charmolypi

Noun: a mixed feeling of happiness while being sad. 

You may feel charmolypi when graduating from college.

69. Gloaming

Noun: twilight, dusk.  

Gloaming happens after the sun sets. 

70. Hyperotomachia

Noun: the struggle for love in a dream. 

A dream within a dream — only this time you’re struggling to find love.

71. Sonder

Verb: to realize that every person is living their own unique life. 

To sonder is to realize that every human being is living their own complex life.

72. Pigsney

Noun: a darling.

A pigsney is another way to refer to your sweetheart. 

73. Melee

Noun: a confused struggle

A melee is also a disorganized combat or battle.

74. Rectitude

Noun: moral integrity. 

The best journalism prioritizes rectitude over popularity. 

78. Skookum

Adjective: strong, brave, or impressive.

Superheroes are skookum individuals who use their powers for good.  

79. Moira

Noun: a person’s fate or destiny. 

A moira is set and stone. There’s nothing you can do to change it. 

80. Horology

Noun: the art of making timepieces or measuring time. 

Horology is the study of measuring time.

81. Quiescent

Adjective: resting in a tranquil manner. 

A quiescent person is someone who is still and at ease.

82. Empyrean

Adjective: pertaining to the sky; celestial; formed by pure fire or light. 

Empyrean also means relating to heaven or the sky. 

83. Clinquant

Adjective: glittering with gold and silver. 

Christmas trees often have a clinquant quality about them — when they’re covered in tinsel, of course.

84. Saudade

Noun: the longing to be near someone or something that is distant.

People often experience saudade when they’re in long-distance relationships.

85. Fernweh

Noun: an ache for distant places; a longing for travel. 

Fernweh is German for «wanderlust.»

86. Astrophile

Noun: a person who loves stars. 

An astrophile knows everything there is to know about astrology.

87. Arcane 

Adjective: secret, mysterious, understood by only a few.

If an agreement is arcane, only a few people know the details of that agreement.

88. Alpas

Verb: to break free, to let loose. 

Alpas is a Filipino word in Tagalog that means to break free. 

89. Halcyon

Noun: a period of time in the past that was happy and peaceful. 

Halcyon is another way to say «simpler times.»

90. Evanescent

Adjective: soon passing out of sight or existence. 

A bubble is evanescent as it floats quickly out of sight. 

91. Vellichor

Noun: the strange wistfulness of used bookshops.

Bibliophiles adore bookstores for the vellichor of it all. 

92. Rame

Verb: to moan, cry or weep.

To rame is also to sob or shed tears. 

93. Vagary

Noun: an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone’s behavior.

The vagaries of weather are disturbing.

94. Laconic

Adjective: expressing much in a few words. 

A laconic text achieves grand meaning in concise, clear sentences. 

95. Meraki

Adjective: to do something with soul, passion, or love. 

Meraki is used to describe the sensation of putting yourself into something you love. 

96. Amorevolous

Adjective: loving. 

The young lovers were so amorevolous when around each other. 

97. Effervescent

Adjective: vivacious and enthusiastic. 

Effervescent people are usually the life of the party. 

98. Kalon

Noun: beauty that is more than skin deep. 

Kalon is the ideal of physical and moral beauty. 

99. Enigma

Noun: a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. 

Someone that’s an enigma is also referred to as «untouchable.»

100. Crayer

Verb: a former small sailing cargo boat.

A Crayer is a small boat that carries cargo, goods, or other materials from one port to another. 

101. Eudaimonia

Noun: the condition of living well.

Eudaimonia is a Greek word that translates to the condition of «good spirit.»

102. Kopfkino

Noun: the act of playing through an entire scenario in your mind. 

Kopfkino is a German word that translates to «head cinema.»

103. Nubivagant

Adjective: to move through the clouds. 

Nubivagant aircraft sometimes experience turbulence.

104. Paracosm

Noun: an imaginary world created by a child. 

Narnia and Wonderland are examples of paracosms.

105. Forelsket

Noun: the euphoria of first falling in love. 

Forelsket is the Norwegian word for falling head over heels in love. 

106. Novaturient

Adjective: desiring to seek a powerful change in your life. 

Those who are novaturient are ready to make great changes in their lives. 

107. Tacenda

Noun: things better left unsaid. 

Examples of Tacenda are that what is left unspoken. 

108. Soliloquize

Verb: to talk to yourself.

A soliloquy is a theatrical device where a character speaks to him or herself on stage when no one is around. 

109. Moxie

Noun: courage, nerve, or determination. 

Those who have moxie never back down from a fight. 

110. Oriflamme

Noun: a symbol that inspires confidence, devotion, or courage. 

A scarlet banner is an example of an oriflamme. 

111. Stardust

Noun: a naively romantic quality. 

Stardust is the magical quality of romance. 

112. Komorebi

Noun: the sunlight that filters through the trees. 

Komorebi is a Japanese word that means sunlight filtering through the trees.

113. Solandis

Noun: a delicate flower.

A rose is a rose is a rose is a solandis. 

114. Marmoris

Noun: the shining surface of the ocean. 

Marmoris is sometimes blinding.

115. Scintilla 

Noun: a tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.

A scintilla of doubt is a hint of doubt.

116. Burble

Verb: to speak in an excited manner. 

It is difficult not to burble if you are speaking about one of your greatest passions.

117. Boketto

Verb: the act of gazing into the distance without a thought in your head. 

Boketto is a Japanese phenomenon that means to do nothing.

118. Peregrinate

Verb: to travel or wander from place to place. 

If you have wanderlust, you probably peregrinate.

119. Ludic

Adjective: full of fun and high spirits. 

Kittens are the cutest because they are so ludic. 

120. Bashment

Noun: a large party or dance. 

A bashment is another word for a dance hall.

121. Benthos

Noun: the flora and fauna on the bottom of a sea or a lake. 

You’ve probably felt benthos on your feet while swimming in the lake.

122. Boffola

Noun: an informal joke that gets a loud or hearty laugh. 

The audience cracked into boffola after the comedian’s inappropriate joke.

123. Cerulean

Adjective: deep sky blue. 

Cerulean is a beautiful blue color. 

124. Concinnity 

Noun: the skillful and harmonious arrangement or fitting together of the different parts of something. 

Concinnity is the idea that harmony is the perfect combination of two different things coming together.

125. Ebullience

noun: the quality of being bubbly, enthusiastic, and exuberant. 

Extroverts have a lot of ebullience.

126. Stellify

Verb: to turn into a star. 

A word in classic mythology used to describe a person who turned into a star.

RELATED: The 12 Most Motivating Words In The English Language Are …

Susie Grimshaw is a writer who covers love and relationship topics.

Looking for some beautiful rare words to add to your vocabulary or include in a writing project? 

You don’t feel a need to pepper your casual conversation with them or overwhelm your readers with elaborate prose. 

But sometimes, frequently-used words don’t have the impact you’re going for.

And uncommon words — if chosen well — can make your reader stop and think just long enough to appreciate and internalize their meanings. 

So, which of the 25 rare words in the following list will you make your own?

Aside from expanding your vocabulary, the following list of elegant words can help you put a name to some of the emotions you feel but find difficult to identify.

Which of these will you use first?

1. Coddiwomple (English slang) 

This word means to “travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination,” i.e., traveling without a plan or fixed itinerary.

The idea is freeing for some but panic-inducing for those who prefer more clarity and organization in their lives. 

2. Cromulent 

An adjective that means “used in an ironical sense to mean legitimate and, therefore, in reality, spurious and not at all legitimate.”

It can also be a made-up word that sounds plausible because it makes logical sense (i.e., meese as the plural for moose). 

3. Defenestration 

It has a literal meaning of throwing someone out a window. It can also mean a “swift dismissal or expulsion,” say from a job or a political position.  

3. Eleutheromania (Greek)

This word is a manic or frantic yearning for freedom.

If you’re craving a break from the life you know and wanting to explore something different (or at least the freedom to do so), this is what you feel. 

4. Eudaimonia (Greek) 

This word means the contented state you feel while traveling and broadening your horizons. Once you feel this, it can be challenging to go back to your usual workday routine. 

5. Fernweh (German) 

Fernweh is the feeling of wanderlust or longing for far-off places you’ve never even been to. It’s a feeling that goes beyond mere interest. Think of a place you’ve always wanted to visit and explore.

6. Hiraeth (Welsh) 

A deep yearning or homesickness for place you can’t return to or that never was. The longing can also be for an era in time, or a state of being that may no longer exist. 

7. Hygge (hoo-geh) (Danish) 

Think of the contentment and conviviality you feel when making time for gentle and soothing things, like glowing candles, relaxing with friends, or a steaming mug of your favorite tea. Now imagine this as a way of life.

8. Komorebi (Japanese) 

A word that describes scattered sunlight filtering through gaps in the trees. If you’ve ever stopped to admire the visual effect, you know what this means. 

9. Limerence

The state of being infatuated, smitten, or in love with another person. It may not last, and it’s not the most solid foundation for a relationship. 

10. Meraki (Greek) 

Describes what happens when you leave a piece of yourself in your creative work.  When you love something enough to invest yourself, your essence is connected to it. 

11. Mudita (Sanskrit) 

Taking delight in the happiness of other people, even the cause for their happiness doesn’t have a direct and equal impact on you.

You make their happiness your own.

12. Novaturient (from the Latin novus) 

Wanting or seeking powerful change in your life, your behavior, or a certain situation. You might feel this while doing some soul-searching or when you spontaneously break from your routine. 

13. Numinous (from Latin word numen) 

The feeling fear and awe of something before you, whether that’s a fierce oncoming storm or your crush approaching you. 

14. Querencia (Spain) (kwi-ren-chi-ya) 

A place where you feel strong, safe, and at home. It could also be your “happy place,” which often has more to do with a person or people than a specific locale.

15. Papilionaceous 

A word about transformation, particularly one that resembles the change from cocoon to butterfly. It can describe internal changesin a person undergoing a transformation of mindset or belief. 

16. Peripatetic 

Someone who spends their time wandering or traveling from place to place, whether by choice or by requirement. 

17. Retrouvailles (reh-true-vay) (French)

The feeling of happiness you experience when reuniting with someone you’re close with after a long separation. 

18. Schwellenangst (German) 

The fear of crossing a threshold (literal or figurative) to embark on something new. 

19. Solivagant 

Someone wandering alone (noun) or marked by solitary wandering (adjective). If you’ve ever traveled alone, you can use this word to describe yourself. 

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20. Sonder

The sobering realization that other people around you are living lives as complex, important, and vivid as your own. It hits you now and then. 

21. Synchronicity 

Essentially the same as a meaningful coincidence.

Examples include the recurring appearance of a specific, meaningful number or a surprise encounter with someone you were just thinking about.

22. Syzygy 

An alignment of celestial bodies. An example would be a straight-line configuration of the sun, earth, and moon during a solar or lunar eclipse. 

23. Ubuntu (Nguni, Southern Africa) 

A philosophical approach that defines a person by their actions towards others, specifically their kindness and compassion.

It emphasizes unity and generosity of spirit. 

24. Vellichor 

A feeling shared by anyone who’s ever browsed the shelves of a used bookshop — a strange wistfulness combined with anticipation and serenity. It’s a good feeling. 

What rare words with beautiful meanings resonate with you?

Now that you’ve looked through these 25 rare words, which ones stood out for you? And which are you most likely to use today? 

Whether you use it in speech or writing (or both), you’ll be adding it to your own treasure box of words and probably introducing it to others.

Be prepared for someone to ask you, “What on earth does that mean?”

Not everyone will appreciate your efforts to broaden your vocabulary and perspective. But, then again, not everyone has to. 

Enjoy them for your own sake.