Your English teacher probably told you to steer clear of flowery language, but how great would it be if words like ‘ultracrepidarian’ (a person who gives opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge) came back into common parlance? These visual interpretations of unusual words, by Project Twins, are amazing. Here’s your A-Z rundown.

1

Acersecomic

Acersecomic: A person whose hair has never been cut.

2

Biblioclasm

Biblioclasm: The practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media.

3

Cacodemonomania

Cacodemonomania: The pathological belief that one is inhabited by an evil spirit.

Intermission

News

Wombats are the heroes of the Australian fires, sheltering animals in their burrows

Eben Diskin
Jan 15, 2020
News

The first-ever human composting site will open in 2021 in Seattle

Eben Diskin
Nov 22, 2019
Culture

30 awesome Japanese idioms we should start using in English

Alex Scola
Oct 1, 2019
4

Dactylion

Dactylion: An anatomical landmark located at the tip of the middle finger.

5

Enantiodromia

Enantiodromia: The conversion of something into its opposite.

6

Fanfaronade

Fanfaronade: Swaggering; empty boasting; blustering manner or behavior; ostentatious display.

7

Gorgonize

Gorgonize: To have a paralysing or mesmerising effect on: Stupefy or Petrify.

Intermission

News

Copenhagen to plant communal fruit trees on city streets

Eben Diskin
Dec 9, 2019
Travel

The 25 coolest towns in America: 2019

Matador Staff
Nov 27, 2019
Outdoor

How to explore breathtaking southern Greenland

Jorgo Kokkinidis
Jan 24, 2019
8

Hamartia

Hamartia: The character flaw or error of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall.

9

Infandous

Infandous: Unspeakable or too odious to be expressed or mentioned.

10

Jettatura

Jettatura: The casting of an evil eye.

11

Ktenology

Ktenology: The science of putting people to death.

Intermission

News

Maine is the first US state to ban Styrofoam food containers

Eben Diskin
Nov 26, 2019
News

Almond milk is responsible for the death of billions of bees

Eben Diskin
Jan 9, 2020
Travel

Glorious, snowy images of a winter trip to Japan

Katie Botwin
Oct 31, 2019
12

Leptosome

Leptosome: A person with a slender, thin, or frail body.

13

Montivagant

Montivagant: Wandering over hills and mountains.

14

Noegenesis

Noegenesis: Production of knowledge.

15

Ostentiferous

Ostentiferous: Bringing omens or unnatural or supernatural manifestations.

16

Pogonotrophy

Pogonotrophy: The act of cultivating, or growing and grooming, a mustache, beard, sideburns or other facial hair.

17

Quockerwodger

Quockerwodger: A rare nineteenth-century word for a wooden toy which briefly became a political insult.

18

Recumbentibus

Recumbentibus: A knockout punch, either verbal or physical.

19

Scripturient

Scripturient: Possessing a violent desire to write.

20

Tarantism

Tarantism: A disorder characterised by an uncontrollable urge to dance.

21

Ultracrepidarian

Ultracrepidarian: A person who gives opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge.

22

Vernalagnia

Vernalagnia: A romantic mood brought on by Spring.

23

Welter

Welter: A confused mass; a jumble; turmoil or confusion.

24

Xenization

Xenization: The act of traveling as a stranger.

25

Yonderly

Yonderly: Mentally or emotionally distant; absent-minded.

26

Zugzwang

Zugzwang: A position in which any decision or move will result in problem

What did you think of this article?
Meh
Good
Awesome
Bookmark
Posted In
Languages Galleries