Wayne State's Top Ten Words We Should All Use More

As part of its initiative to draw attention to some of the English language's most expressive — yet regrettably neglected — words, Wayne State University has released its annual list of the year’s top 10 words that deserve to be used more often in conversation and prose.
10 words 192 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. buncombe
    unacceptable behavior
    What a relief to have the election over -- that great festival of buncombe that so distracted the nation for months.
  2. cerulean
    bright blue in color, like a clear sky
    Her eyes were a clear, deep cerulean blue, like no eyes Trevor had ever seen, and looking into them made him feel lighter than air, as though he could fly, but even if he could have flown he would have stayed where he was, content just to look.
  3. chelonian
    of, relating to, or resembling a turtle or tortoise
    Weighed down by bickering and blather, the farm bill crept through Congress at a chelonian pace.
  4. dragoon
    compel by coercion, threats, or crude means
    After working in the yard all day, Michael was dragooned into going to the ballet instead of flopping down to watch the Red Wings on TV.
  5. fantods
    an ill-defined state of irritability and distress
    Jeremy’s love of islands was tempered by the fact that driving over high bridges always gave him the raging fantods.
  6. mawkish
    very sentimental or emotional
    To her surprise, Beth found Robert’s words of love to be so mawkish that they made her feel sticky, as though she were being painted with molasses.
  7. natter
    talk socially without exchanging too much information
    You can tell our staff meetings are winding down when everybody starts nattering about their kids.
  8. persiflage
    light teasing
    Emma hoped to get Lady Astor into a serious conversation, but as long as the King was around she could elicit only persiflage and gossip.
  9. troglodyte
    one who lives in solitude
    Susan felt she could have saved the company if only the troglodytes in management had taken her advice.
  10. winkle
    edible marine gastropod
    Jack showed no inclination to leave his seat beside Alice, but Roger was determined to winkle him out of that chair no matter what it took.
Created on Wed Jan 16 21:58:56 EST 2013 (updated Wed Jan 16 22:03:27 EST 2013)

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