Have you ever wondered about a strange emotion or action, thinking no one has ever thought about it? Well, someone probably has and there’s probably a word for it.
The English language has, according to the Global Language Monitor, 1,025,109.8 words. And then there’s the ones we no longer use, and the ones in other languages. So, it’s no wonder that between this ocean of words, some very unique ones get lost.
Here’s a list of some words I find compelling, either because of the word itself, or its meaning.
latibule
(1623-1691, n.) a hiding place, a space where you find solace that serves to give you warmth and comfort. A latibule is not limited to a physical room; it could be your blog, your poetry, your mind, or somewhere far more secretive.
sonder
(n.) the realization that others have a life as vivid and complex as your own; when you become conscious that all the passersby in your life also have a family, love, fears, desires and worries.
liberosis
(n.) the desire to care less about things.
wanderlust
(German, n.) a very strong or irresistible desire to travel.
l’esprit d’escalier
(French, n.) the witty comeback you think of after the time is past to use it.
flâneur
(French, n.) one who strolls around aimlessly but enjoyably, observing life and its surroundings.
chrysalism
(n.) the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.
vemödalen
(n.) the frustration of photographing something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist.
ineffable
(adj.) too great to be expressed in words.
hiraeth
(Welsh, n.) a homesickness for a home you can’t return to, or that never was.
serendipity
(n.) the chance ocurrence of events in a beneficial way.
limerence
(n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.
ethereal
(adj.) extremely delicate light, not of this world.
petrichor
(n.) the pleasant, earthly smell after rain.
phosphenes
(n.) the light and colours produced when rubbing your eyes.
mágoa
(Portuguese, n.) a heartbreaking feeling that leaves long-lasting traces, visible in gestures and facial expressions.
resfeber
(Swedish, n.) the restless race of the traveller’s heart before a journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.
numinous
(adj.) describing an experience that makes one fearful yet fascinated, awed yet attracted; being overwhelmed and inspired.
sillage
(French, n.) the scent that lingers in air, the trail left in water, the impression made in space after something or someone has been and gone; the trace of someone’s perfume.
nazlanmak
(Turkish, v.) saying no when you mean yes.
tsundoku
(Japanese, v.) the act of leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piling it up together with other such unread books.
shlimazl
(Yiddish, n.) a chronically unlucky person.
rire dans sa barbe
(French, v.) to laugh in one’s beard quietly while thinking about something that happened in the past.
mamihlapinatapei
(Yagan, n.) a wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.
age-otori
(Japanese, v.) to look worse after a haircut.
nefelibata
(n.) lit. “cloud walker”; one who lives in the clouds of their own imagination, or one who does not obey by the conventions of society, literature, or art.
jaaneman
(Persian, Hindi, Urdu, n.) lit. “soul of me”; gender-neutral word for sweetheart or darling.
noceur
(French, n.) one who sleeps late or not at all.
induratize
(v.) to make one’s own heart hardened or resistant to someone’s pleas, or to the idea of love.
wēijī
(Chinese, n.) lit. “crisis”; the idea that there can be a positive result in a wisely handled risk.
gökotta
(Swedish, n.) lit. “dawn picnic to hear the first birdsong”; the act of rising in the early morning to watch the birds or to go outside to appreciate nature.
balter
(v.) to dance artlessly, without particular grace or skill but usually with enjoyment.
nemophilist
(n.) one who loves the forest and its beauty and solitude.
What are some strange words that you like?
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Helsy Flores 