Monday 14 April 2014

Lost Words - How to insult, describe and perplex with words from 17th century and beyond!

Share it Please

I was planning on writing a post about when is the right time to call it a day with a book you're not enjoying. And I was doing well writing that.

But then I found this website.

Here we have another list similar to the one that I've shown you before with the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

Only this time the words have been forgotten and aren't necessarily insults (but you and I both know they're going to be used as such)! So, ladies and gentleman, for your delight and delectation I present to you some of my favourite words from my perusal. Full with their definitions of course!


Squiriferious
Having the character or qualities of a squire

Why yes I did imagine a squiriferious squirrel when I read that word, and you should too!

One day the squiriferious Reginald hoped to be Sir Reginald the Nutty

Namelings
Persons sharing the same name

Foppotee
Simpleton

A simple word with a simple definition, for a simple person.

Sagittipotent
Having great ability in archery

I like that word. Sagittipotent. Similarly, sagittiferous means bearing arrows.

Uglyography
Bad handwriting, poor spelling
I'm sure I'm not the only one surprised by that definition. If I said I was a practitioner of the undesirable art of uglyography I'm sure people would make some pretty hasty assumptions.

Kexy
Dry, brittle, withered
Perhaps kexy is the opposite of sexy, then?

Medioxumate
of gods of intermediate rank between heaven and hell
I would not have thought a word would exist for such a thing. So terribly and wonderfully specific that I had to include it here.

Ascoliasm
boys' game of beating each other with gloves or leather while hopping

Again, so delightfully specific it had to be included. I can only assume that this game is akin to some sort of bloody hopscotch gauntlet.
Step between the chalk lines of death. If you dare!
Oporopolist
Fruit-Seller

Now that sounds  a lot more regal than saying you have a stall down the market, don't you think? "Me? Why I, sir, am an oporopolist." (Cue monocle)

Woundikins
diminutive form of 'wounds'; mild oath

This tickled me greatly, and I shall most definitely be trying to say 'woundikins' when I am mildly shocked, injured or elsewise surprised in future. 

So there are some words to get you started on making your speaking, writing, or sandwich boards more archaic and hilarious. Hopefully this sort of segment will become fairly regular with other strange and wonderful words that have either faded out or are just plain obscure.

Until next time! Happy hunting!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Followers

Follow The Author