7 Best Words We’ve Never Used
This week we ask:
What is the best word you’ve heard, but never used?
Travis-
The best word I’ve never used has to be coccyx. You are all probably familiar with it but under a different name, tail bone. Not only do I have no idea how to pronounce it, but it has 3 (three!) C’s. How many other words can have that claim to fame? None, that’s how many.
Tom-
I never use haberdashery. Which is really too bad, since it’s such a fantastic word to say. Although, I never feel right saying it, since I don’t have a monocle or mutton chops.
I think I have used ‘haberdashery’ in the last few months… huh. -HP
Tristan-
I believe my word would have to be circumlocution, both because it looks cool, and because it’s something I’m very guilty of. It means: the use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language. I don’t care what you say, circumlocution makes me sound smarter.
Damnit, that has 3 C’s and I can’t pronounce it. -Travis
sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn -Tristan
HP-
I might have to go with rotunda. As in a domed rotunda. I just never have the opportunity to say it. There aren’t many domed rotundas around me, so I can never just look up and say “Oh shit, dude, you see that domed rotunda? That’s hype.”
Man, Bryant had a Rotunda. I used rotunda multiple times, daily, for four straight years. So screw you and your lack of “rotunda,” I used that word enough for all of Obscure, Inq. -Tom
Can we do a words we’re sick of post because to counter ‘rotunda’ i am fucking sick of the word ‘cupula.’ -HP
Jake-
Tough one. With words I use (yes, I know it isn’t the subject, but these words rule) I’d have to go with pancake and zygote. Anything that begins with “z” is almost guaranteed an 8 on the hotness scale. But to stay on topic, I’m going all out. Abstract, emphatic, and ominous – absolution. Yeah, I know it sounds like a bad metal band. Don’t care. It’s just so damn badass.
Will-
One word that I’ve wanted to start using is jollification. In fact more specifically, I would like to become a cop so that I could break down the door to a highschool party and exclaim loudly “What’s with all this underage jollification then?!”… It would be a real hoot.
Tucker-
I cannot stand the word stanchion. (See what I did there?) Go ahead, next time you go to Wal-Mart and someone has roped off a spill ask them if they could please move their stanchion so you can get your shopping mobile to wherever you need to go. Not only will you get a blank look from whichever 1230498 year old man you just startled, but you will get 15 life points for using a vocab word.
I, for one, love the word stanchion and I wish more people knew what they were. -HP
Absolution abuse by minors leads to jollification. The minors were said to be practicing circumlocution. “It was all in good fun ’till Timmy slipped and fell on his coccyx,” said little Joey. Stanchions have been placed around the rotunda where said haberdashery took place. Full Story at 9. -Travis
Travis, your story at the end there is cute and all, but uh…”haberdashery” is stuff sold by a haberdasher (mainly clothes), therefore it can’t very well be ridiculous incidents, now can it?
And “Absolution abuse” would be difficult as well, seeing as absolution is the act of being pronounced clear from guilt.
Please, Father Tom… Absolve me from my sin of implying false definitions to words.
coccyx is pronounced “cock six”
Blunderbuss is a word i love but never get to use. I guess theres not many situations when mentioning a 17th century gun would be appropriate.
I think it is often appropriate, but not in mixed company.