60 Very Obscure Words & Their Meanings

Download Article

Add these rare and unique words to your vocabulary to stand out from the crowd

Explore this Article

IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Abactor

2 Abecedarian

3 Antiphathize

4 Backlotter

5 Bathetic

6 Calefaction

7 Carriwitchet

8 Defenestrate

9 Degust

10 Desticate

11 Emporte

12 Estivo-autumnal

13 Eucatastrophe

14 Festinate

15 Forplaint

16 Galoot

17 Gobemouche

18 Groak

19 Haberdasher

20 Hamartia

21 Homodox

22 Imbroglio

23 Imparadise

24 Impedimenta

25 Insurgescence

26 Jocoserious

27 Jouska

28 Kyoodle

29 Lagniappe

30 Leucocholy

31 Logomachist

32 Malapert

33 Malobservation

34 Mediocrist

35 Mordacious

36 Mussitate

37 Natation

38 Noodge

39 Obelus

40 Opsimath

41 Pandiculation

42 Persiflage

43 Pharisaic

44 Prevaricate

45 Quasquicentennial

46 Quixotic

47 Quockerwodger

48 Ruderal

49 Salubrious

50 Satisdiction

51 Sedens

52 Solipsist

53 Somnambulant

54 Taikonaut

55 Timorous

56 Ugsome

57 Ultracrepidarian

58 Unclubbable

59 Verisimilitude

60 Zeugma

+ Show 57 more...

- Show less...

Other Sections

Related Articles

References

Co-authored by Adrian Lin and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

Expert estimates say there are at least 171,146 words currently in use in the English language. That’s a lot of words to choose from, and we bet there are quite a few rare and obscure ones that you’ve never heard before! Keep scrolling to explore 60 of the most uncommon English words and what they mean. How many will you add to your vocabulary?

Unusual Words and Definitions

Words become obscure when they lack common usage, aren’t understood by most speakers, and/or are difficult to interpret. Examples include words like “defenestrate” (to throw something out a window) due to how highly specific it is, or “abactor” (a cattle thief) due to its irrelevance to modern culture.

Steps

1

Abactor

Download Article

1. 
   One who steals cattle. We don’t think you’ll need to use this word all too often, but if you’ve noticed your cattle go missing, you may just have an abactor on the prowl!

   • Example: Keep an eye on your livestock. There’s an abactor sneaking around these parts…
Advertisement

2

Abecedarian

Download Article

1. A beginner, novice, or person who’s just learning. We were all an abecedarian at some point!

   • Example: He was a complete abecedarian when it came to chess.

3

Antiphathize

Download Article

1. To feel or show antipathy. Antipathy is a deep aversion or feeling of dislike toward something, so to antipathize means to let your real feelings show.

   • Example: He couldn’t help but antipathize the way his teammates behaved.
Advertisement

4

Backlotter

Download Article

1. Someone who raises poultry or rabbits on a small lot, usually a back lot. Finally, a word we can use when we walk past a neighbor who keeps chickens (instead of yelling “Oooh, chickens!” with delight).

   • Example: She’s a backlotter. She hasn’t paid for eggs in months!

5

Bathetic

Download Article

1. 
   Producing an unintentional effect of anticlimax. No, this isn’t a typo of “pathetic” (although the two words aren’t so unrelated when you think about it).

   • Example: I shouldn’t have read the spoilers. The end of the movie was so bathetic in my opinion.
Advertisement

6

Calefaction

Download Article

1. The state of being warmed. On a cold winter day, your hands and feet are probably in need of some toasty calefaction. This word comes from the Latin calefacĕre (“to warm”).

   • Example: If you live in a cold climate, you’re probably an expert in calefaction.

7

Carriwitchet

Download Article

1. A nonsensical question, pun, or riddle with no satisfactory answer. You may not have heard this word before, but we bet you’ve had to endure some carriwitchets from others in your day!

   • Example: These kids and their carriwitchets are exhausting.
Advertisement

8

Defenestrate

Download Article

1. To throw out of a window. According to American accent coach Adrian Lin, “One of the most well-known unusual words in English is ‘to defenestrate,’ meaning to throw out of a window. It consists of the prefix de- meaning ‘from’, the root fenestr from the Latin fenestra meaning ‘window’, and the suffix -ate, which turns something into a verb. The weirdness of this word is its specificity. Why do we even need a word specifically meaning to throw out of a window?”

   • Example: In a burst of anger, he threatened to defenestrate the broken computer.

9

Degust

Download Article

1. To taste something carefully so as to fully appreciate it. Next time someone accuses you of eating too slowly, let them know that you’re really just an expert deguster with a refined palate.

   • Example: She savored every bite, taking her time to degust every last crumb.
Advertisement

10

Desticate

Download Article

1. 
   To cry like a rat. Who knew we needed a word for squealing and squeaking like a rodent? (We bet some mobsters used to find this word handy, too.)

   • Example: Quit your desticating and help me clean up!

11

Emporte

Download Article

1. Irritated beyond self-possession or self-control. This word is borrowed directly from French (“carried away”). If your doomscrolling has you feeling so frustrated you can’t contain your screams, then you know how it feels to be emporte.

   • Example: The constant news has her feeling emporte.
Advertisement

12

Estivo-autumnal

Download Article

1. Relating to or occurring in the summer and autumn. Disease experts might recognize this word as commonly relating to malaria and other seasonal illnesses, but you can absolutely use it to describe your vacation plans, too.

   • Example: The disease is estivo-autumnal, with the highest risk of contraction in late summer.

13

Eucatastrophe

Download Article

1. A sudden, favorable resolution of events in a story. That cheesy happy ending you saw coming from a mile away in every rom-com ever written? That’s a eucatastrophe.

   • Example: All good fairy tales end with a eucatastrophe, no matter how convoluted the story.
Advertisement

14

Festinate

Download Article

1. Hasty or last-minute. If you thrive under pressure, you’re probably familiar with throwing together a festinate essay or meal!

   • Example: You could tell he forgot their anniversary as the celebration felt a bit festinate.

15

Forplaint

Download Article

1. 
   Exhausted or wearied with complaining. Some people are exhausted by work, others get worn out by exercise, but we bet most of you feel tuckered out after listening to someone complain for an eternity, too.

   • Example: Can you stop whining for a second? I’m completely forplaint!
Advertisement

16

Galoot

Download Article

1. A clumsy or oafish person. Now this is a fun insult to have in your arsenal—you never know when you’ll cross paths with a galoot!

   • Example: Be careful, you giant galoot!

17

Gobemouche

Download Article

1. A gullible person; someone who believes everything they hear. Coming from the French gober (“to gulp down or swallow”) and mouche (“fly”), save this juicy insult for someone who needs a little guidance to the truth.

   • Example: You can’t trust everything you read online, you gobemouche!
Advertisement

18

Groak

Download Article

1. To silently look at people while they eat in the hopes of being offered food. Yep, pretty much every dog out there is a master groaker.

   • Example: For her bad behavior, the child wasn’t allowed any dessert. She groaked as her family dug in.

19

Haberdasher

Download Article

1. A dealer of men’s clothing. Men’s fashion gets a bad rap for being a bit boring, but the word haberdasher begs to differ.

   • Example: I need to run and grab a new suit from the haberdasher.
Advertisement

20

Hamartia

Download Article

1. 
   A “fatal flaw”; the error, guilt, or sin of a tragic hero in literature. This word comes from the Greek hamartanein (“to miss the mark”) and describes the fatal mistake or character flaw of a tragic hero or heroine that ultimately leads to their demise.

   • Example: The main character’s harmartia was his pride and unwillingness to listen.

21

Homodox

Download Article

1. Having the same or similar opinion as someone else. And if you happen to disagree? You might use the slightly more common “heterodox” (not conforming to accepted standards or beliefs; having differing or multiple opinions).

   • Example: The group’s homodox viewpoints made them appear more united than their adversaries.
Advertisement

22

Imbroglio

Download Article

1. A complicated disagreement; a confusing or chaotic situation. If you use too many obscure words that no one understands, your polite disagreement might turn into a full-blown imbroglio.

   • Example: You can’t just turn a blind eye and expect this imbroglio to disappear.

23

Imparadise

Download Article

1. To make supremely happy; to transport with delight or joy. We suggest learning how to imparadise someone before Valentine’s Day this year.

   • Example: “Thus these two imparadised in one another's arms.” (John Milton, Paradise Lost)
Advertisement

24

Impedimenta

Download Article

1. Things that impede or hinder progress or movement. That dog who ate your homework? Your alarm clock that “didn’t go off” this morning? It’s all just impedimenta.

   • Example: I didn’t procrastinate! I just had a lot of impedimenta to deal with.

25

Insurgescence

Download Article

1. 
   The tendency to revolt or rebel against an established authority. Don’t confuse this one with “insurgence” or “insurgency” (an actual revolt or insurrection). “Insurgescence” describes the state of mind or being someone’s in before the insurgency.

   • Example: He manipulated the insurgescence of the crowd to his advantage.
Advertisement

26

Jocoserious

Download Article

1. Blending humor with seriousness. If you can’t have a tough conversation without cracking a joke or two, you might be a bit of a jocoserious person.

   • Example: Her jocoserious tone was a perfect fit for the audience.

27

Jouska

Download Article

1. A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head. Yes, there’s a word for that, and yes, it’s very common!

   • Example: His mind raced with jouskas as he prepared to meet his boss in the boardroom.
Advertisement

28

Kyoodle

Download Article

1. To make loud, useless noises. It’s most often used to describe noisy dogs, but we bet you know a person who’s fond of kyoodling, too.

   • Example: Will you quit your doodling!? I can barely hear myself think!

29

Lagniappe

Download Article

1. A bonus; something “thrown in” for free. That 13th donut in your baker’s dozen? That’s a lagniappe!

   • Example: If we’re lucky, the server will give us a little lagniappe.
Advertisement

30

Leucocholy

Download Article

1. 
   A calm preoccupation with trivial or mundane details and distractions. Maybe you’re feeling content or passively distracted while you browse this list of obscure, often-forgotten words. That’s leucocholy, baby!

   • Example: Spending a rainy day sorting her stamp collection by color, she felt a quiet sense of leucocholy.

31

Logomachist

Download Article

1. One with a tendency to dispute over or about words. When you’re finished reading this article, there’s a good chance you’ll start describing yourself as a logomachist.

   • Example: She’s a great editor because she’s a total logomachist.
Advertisement

32

Malapert

Download Article

1. Boldly disrespectful to a person of higher standing. Remember that scene in The Hunger Games when Katniss shocked the gamemakers by shooting an apple out of their roasted pig’s mouth to get their attention? She was being quite malapert!

   • Example: He’s very talented, but his malapert behavior will hold him back from getting a promotion.

33

Malobservation

Download Article

1. An incorrect observation or interpretation. We have a feeling you may have encountered a few malobservations when you’re scrolling social media lately.

   • Example: Her entire thesis paper was based on a malobservation.
Advertisement

34

Mediocrist

Download Article

1. A person of no outstanding distinction. Hey! There’s nothing wrong with being an average, middle-of-the-road, run-of-the-mill, unremarkable, adequate person. (It’s those overachievers with the problem, right?)

   • Example: He’s a bit of a mediocrist with his art, but his writing is superb!

35

Mordacious

Download Article

1. 
   A biting or sharp style or manner. Coming from the Latin mordere (“to bite”), use this wonderfully specific adjective to describe someone whose sass and sarcasm are off the charts.

   • Example: Don’t expect to have your hand held through training. The boss is pretty mordacious.
Advertisement

36

Mussitate

Download Article

1. To speak through the teeth. Is your jaw clenched right now? If you’re so enraged that you can’t separate your teeth to speak clearly, you might just be mussitating!

   • Example: “Of course I don’t mind that you borrowed my car without asking,” he mussitated.

37

Natation

Download Article

1. The action or art of swimming. Who knew swimming could sound so fancy? Remember to keep your pinky up when you’re splashing around with your fellow natators (swimmers).

   • Example: She was a master of natation and outpaced everyone else in her race.
Advertisement

38

Noodge

Download Article

1. To pester or nag. This word has Yiddish origins and makes the act of annoying someone sound a lot more fun!

   • Example: Keep nooging your parents until they cave!

39

Obelus

Download Article

1. The sign indicating division (÷). Yes, the division symbol has a name! It’s also used to mark questionable passages of text.

   • Example: What does that passage with the obelus mean?
Advertisement

40

Opsimath

Download Article

1. 
   A person who begins to learn or study late in life. It’s never too late to learn something new, and opsmiaths show us intellectualism can strike at any age.

   • Example: My dad became a total opsmiath after retirement.

41

Pandiculation

Download Article

1. A stretching and stiffening of the trunk and extremities. Do you ever feel the need to stretch and move around when you first wake up? You probably pandiculate most mornings before you get out of bed!

   • Example: She rubbed her eyes and stretched as soon as she awoke, beginning her pandiculation before leaving bed.
Advertisement

42

Persiflage

Download Article

1. Banter or frivolous talk. Because “engaging in persiflage” sounds a lot more sophisticated than “gossiping.”

   • Example: I tried to engage her in a serious conversation, but she was only interested in persiflage.

43

Pharisaic

Download Article

1. Self-righteous, hypocritical, holier-than-thou. Originally referring to strict adherence to religious law, this adjective now describes a person who’s loudly righteous for clout.

   • Example: His pharisaic attitude was a major turn-off for the audience at the fundraiser.
Advertisement

44

Prevaricate

Download Article

1. To speak or act in an ambiguous or evasive way to conceal the truth. We all know someone who dances around the truth to avoid directly addressing a problem or admitting fault. Now you have a word for what they’re doing!

   • Example: When her mom asked about the last time she’d seen her boyfriend, Sarah began to prevaricate, talking about homework and dance practice instead.

45

Quasquicentennial

Download Article

1. 
   A 125th anniversary. We’re all for celebrating milestones, but we’re not sure how many cards or cakes can fit a word this long…

   • Example: Excitement was through the roof as the company prepared for its quasquicentennial celebration.
Advertisement

46

Quixotic

Download Article

1. Excessively romantic; visionary but unrealistic. This word comes from the name of the main character of Miguel de Cervantes’ famous novel, Don Quixote.

   • Example: Her plans for the future were fairly quixotic.

47

Quockerwodger

Download Article

1. A politician whose actions are controlled by someone else. We suggest using this obscure word the next time you contact your elected officials.

   • Example: My opponent is nothing but a compromised quockerwodger!
Advertisement

48

Ruderal

Download Article

1. A plant growing on waste ground or among refuse. In a poetic twist, ruderal shows us that life can persist in even the most harsh and desolate of places.

   • Example: The abandoned lot was covered in garbage, ruderal, and despair.

49

Salubrious

Download Article

1. Healthy or health-giving. Anything that promotes health and well-being can be described as salubrious, whether it’s food, a location, a practice, or people.

   • Example: The salubrious mountain air made him feel at peace.
Advertisement

50

Satisdiction

Download Article

1. 
   The condition of having said enough. We’re sure you know someone who you hope finds some satisdiction one day…

   • Example: After her outburst, she felt a certain amount of satisdiction.

51

Sedens

Download Article

1. A person who remains a resident of the place or region of their birth. From Latin sedēre (“to sit”), a sedens is the opposite of a migrant or a traveler; for whatever reason, they’ve stayed put in their hometown or area.

   • Example: She was a sedens of the city and had never seen a wide open plain.
Advertisement

52

Solipsist

Download Article

1. One who is very self-centered or selfish. Originally referring to a philosophical point of view claiming that only your own mind is guaranteed to exist, solipsists these days are more like narcissists or self-absorbed people.

   • Example: He was a complete solipsist who never considered whether anyone else enjoyed his plans.

53

Somnambulant

Download Article

1. Resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker; sluggish. As it turns out, you can be somnambulant while you’re sleeping or awake.

   • Example: The young man was somnambulant in the morning after a late night of partying.
Advertisement

54

Taikonaut

Download Article

1. A Chinese astronaut. “This is a rare niche word that refers to a Chinese astronaut, typically indicating they’re from the Chinese Space program,” Lin explains. “This word is kind of unusual because it anglicizes the Chinese word 太空 (tàikōng) meaning ‘space’ and adds it to the Greek -naut suffix.”

   • Example: He became the first civilian taikonaut to travel to the Chinese space station.

55

Timorous

Download Article

1. 
   Nervous, timid, shy, fearful, lacking confidence. You might feel timorous when you walk into a meeting you’re not prepared for or when you’re preparing to confront someone.

   • Example: He was a timorous child who ran away whenever a visitor tried to speak to him.
Advertisement

56

Ugsome

Download Article

1. Frightful or loathsome. No, this word has nothing to do with being ugly (although we do love the “ug” sound!). Instead, save “ugsome” for all things spooky, scary, repulsive, gross, or vile.

   • Example: I found his performance to be absolutely ugsome.

57

Ultracrepidarian

Download Article

1. A person who offers opinions that extend beyond their knowledge. This rare but useful word makes for a great character descriptor in stories (and you probably know a few ultracrepidarians in real life, too).

   • Example: He was an ultracreidarian, rambling on about the politics of the time in a nearly incoherent way.
Advertisement

58

Unclubbable

Download Article

1. Unsociable; having or showing a disinclination for social activity. No, this doesn’t mean you’re impervious to being hit with a club. Instead, save this word for someone who truly doesn’t want to be a part of your club (literally or figuratively).

   • Example: He’s just super unclubbable and prefers to work alone.

59

Verisimilitude

Download Article

1. The appearance of being real or true. Your knock-off Coach bag that looks just like the real thing has verisimilitude. The word applies to fiction, too. A story with realistic, life-like details that makes you feel like you’re really there also has verisimilitude!

   • Example: The detail gives the novel some verisimilitude.
Advertisement

60

Zeugma

Download Article

1. 
   A figure of speech in which 1 word applies to 2 others in different senses. It sounds complicated, but you probably use zeugmas all the time! For example, take the sentence, “He stole my heart and my car.” “Stole my heart” is a touching figure of speech, but when you apply “stole” to “car,” you get something a lot less romantic.

   • Example: He took his hat and his leave.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!