Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Five Phenomenal (Usable) Words

Too often do I try to pick up new vocabulary and end up just staring blankly at the page. Words like lollapalooza and aglet, who uses them anyways? But you can still impress the world with a herculean vocabulary without having to search for weird conversations about aglets. Here are five easy ones:

5.  Effervescent
ef·fer·ves·cent   /ˌefərˈvesənt/
Adjective: Giving off bubbles; fizzy; vivacious and enthusiastic
Translation: a hyper person or something in chemistry class that looks like it's going to explode. I prefer the former.

Use it in a sentence: Her effervescent personality was uplifting, but her constant cheery demeanor was occasionally exasperating.


4. Chicanery
chi·can·er·y   /SHiˈkānərē/
Noun: The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose.
Translation: Being all sneaky-fox. Being a trickster.

Use it in a sentence: The politician used chicanery to gain votes and money.


3. Erudite
er·u·dite    /ˈer(y)əˌdīt/
Adjective : Having or showing great knowledge or learning.
Translation: smarty-pants, not necessarily bad.

Use it in a sentence: My erudite high school biology teacher was one of the best science teachers I'd ever come across.

I honestly had never heard of this word meant until I read Divergent by Veronica Roth. Good book!


2. Flibbertigibbet
flib·ber·ti·gib·bet        /ˈflibərtēˌjibit/
Noun: A frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person.
Translation: someone who won't shut up. Ever.

Use it in a sentence: She's a complete flibbertigibbet; she talks too much and acts like she's five years old.


1. Curmudgeon
cur·mudg·eon    /kərˈməjən/
Noun : A bad-tempered or surly person.
Translation: A crusty, mean, old dude.

Use it in a sentence: His English teacher is a fun-killing curmudgeon.  

One of my best friends, Vortexavian, beat me in our eighth grade spelling bee with this word. Now it's a commonplace in both of our vocabularies.

Yay for new vocabulary!!

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