Lost words I’ve loved this year

Why do we love finding new words so much? I think it’s because they make wisps of ideas whole, they tickle up stories, are beautiful music, make us giggle, or are simply delicious to say.

Here are my favourites from this year, found in Jeff Kacirk’s excellent Forgotten English calendar and writing my logophilic blogs.

Emily Dickinson wrote that a word begins to live the day it’s said. Why not give these words the kiss of life?

planetstruck: affected by the influence of the planets, and a flipping brilliant excuse for mistakes or misdemeanours, large or small

jackanape: a pert fellow and frankly my favourite kind

fondling: a person or thing fondled

croozle: to make a low whispering sound (perhaps because you’re a fondling)

dunnekin: is a much better word for loo than loo

quizziness: eccentricity - please apply this to me, thank you

cuthbert: a person in a cushy job - which I'd gladly become, if only I could find a…

funk-hole: a cushy job for a cuthbert

omphaloscopy: the word we didn’t know we needed for contemplation of the navel

elengenesse: making loneliness sound French and therefore kinda sophisticated and cool, assuming cool currently means cool

flurrigigs: has the definition useless finery, which I find censorious and illogical - finery is not meant to be handy in a crisis - but as the word’s a joy to say I shall use it in my own sweet way

vulpeculated: stolen from by a fox – my absolute favourite word of 2018, just because it exists.

Hooray! Wishing you a jocund if not blithesome holiday, chock full of festive words, and entirely free of vulpeculation.

“If the word doesn't exist, invent it; but first be sure it doesn't exist.” Charles Baudelaire.