One of my sons' favourite words when they were younger was "defenestrate". I think it fascinated them that there was a specific word for throwing someone out of a window. I do wonder when the action would have been common enough to need its own specific word.
They also liked "troglodyte", which is what I called them when they wanted to hide in the house playing computer games in the semi-darkness, instead of getting out into the good fresh air.
I like the word "iridescent", although I admit I had to look up the spelling. I like the way it sounds and the effect that it describes. "Deliquescent" and "incandescent" appeal to me too, for some reason. I don't think it's the ending "escent", after all the word "descent" doesn't particularly appeal to me.
I wonder what other people's favourite words are.
3 COMMENTS:
I've always been a fan of fustigate. It means to beat with a stick. It's not the imagry I like, it's just the word.
Hi Kiersten! Fustigate is a good word and not one that I knew. I'd have guessed it meant "to make fusty". It sounds like old, unaired rooms and frumpy people.
Nice one!
That's part of its appeal--it doesn't sound violent in the slightest. Words are wonderful things!
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