Ten English words you didn't know existed

WASHINGTON. September 18. KAZINFORM Have you ever read an entire dictionary, from cover to cover? Maybe you should. The English language is full of quirky, pointless and downright strange words, and they're all sitting in your average dictionary, just waiting to be discovered.
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It's OK. We know you're not actually going to read the whole thing. So we've picked out ten of the coolest words you never knew existed.

Impress your friends by casually slipping these words into a conversation at your next big social event.
Win the heart of that guy/girl you like by showing off your unmatched command of the English language.
Score a promotion at work by convincing your boss that you're actually smarter than he or she is.
Just remember to thank us later.

1. Ferrule
Definition: That pointy thing on the end of an umbrella. Your mum used to warn you about poking people's eyes out with it, but she was just being a downer. "Ferrule" can also refer to a metal cap or ring placed at the end of a stick or tube, because it's just that versatile.
Use it in a sentence: "Go point that ferrule at someone else you rapscallion."
 

When Rihanna says you can stand under her umbrella, she really means you can stand under her ferrule. Photo: AP Source: AP

2. Armsaye
Definition: The hole your arm goes through in a piece of clothing. Occasionally you'll slip your head through an armsaye by mistake, because putting a shirt on is more difficult than anyone cares to admit.
Use it in a sentence: "Bobby was particularly impressed by the shape of the shirt's armsayes, so he decided to buy it."

3. Hobbledehoy
Definition: An awkward, clumsy or ungainly youth. Many of you were complete and utter hobbledehoys growing up, but the bullies at school weren't smart enough to recognise this fact and label you as such.
Use it in a sentence: "Come on Mabel, stop being such a hobbledehoy, the rest of us can perform double somersaults on the balance beam without landing on our faces."

4. Cachinnate
Definition: To laugh very, very loudly. Think of that friend who has to stop laughing before anyone can even contemplate moving on to the next topic of conversation.
Use it in a sentence: "That party last night was so rambunctious that none of us could stop cachinnating."
 

This woman is cachinnating right now. Photo: Thinkstock Source: News Limited

5. Glabella
Definition: The flat area of bone between your eyebrows. Sometimes there is no area at all between your eyebrows. In this case you are sporting a rabid monobrow, and all power to you.
Use it in a sentence: "Ned's glabella was always obscured by his extraordinary thick-rimmed glasses."

6. Pentapopemptic
Definition: A person who has been divorced five times. Most people would give up on love after four divorces, but not a pentapopemptic. Bless them. The world needs more absurdly optimistic people around.
Use it in a sentence: "I'm thinking about setting up a dating website called pentapopemptics.com, to service the romantic needs of western Canada's lonely pentapopemptics."

7. Xenoglossy
Definition: The ability to speak a language you have never learned. What do you mean, that doesn't sound plausible?
Use it in a sentence: "I've never learned Russian, but I'm pretty sure that Russian girl is telling her Russian friends that I'm cute - I must have xenoglossy!"
 

"Hola chica. Did you know I have xenoglossy? Photo: Thinkstock. Source: Supplied

8. Gynecomastia
Definition: Abnormal enlargement of the breast in a male. In less formal circles, this phenomenon is called "the manboob".
Use it in a sentence: "Little Johnny, stop eating so many chocolate bars or you might develop gynecomastia."

9. Snollygoster
Definition: An unscrupulous, untrustworthy person. The snollygoster will frequently take Tim Tams out of the cookie jar, before promptly pointing his sticky finger at someone else.
Use it in a sentence: "I'm not voting for Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott, they're both complete snollygosters."

10. Dysania
Definition: The state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning. If you have met anyone who finds it easy to get out of bed in the morning, please get in touch. We'd like to learn their secret.

Use it in a sentence: "My crippling dysania prevented me from getting out of bed this morning, and that is why you should not fire me for missing that super-duper-important meeting."

Source: www.news.com.au 

 

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