Words are incredible. They can help us, hurt us, lift us up, or bring us down. As a logophile, I am always in search of new words to describe myself, my life, and my adventures. Sometimes, though, my word supply runs dry and I need 'new' words. Sometimes I create my own words. Other times I go searching for 'old' or forgotten words that are still beautiful and strange. I present to you a list of forgotten words that intrigued me and hopefully becomes useful for you
1. Pyrophoric
(adj): Capable of igniting spontaneously in air.
Example: She was a pyrophoric young lady with her spirits in the sky and ambitions in her heart.
2. Ikigai
(Japanese) (n): A reason for being; the thing that gets you up in the morning.
Example: Lydia's children are her Ikigai. No matter how hectic life may be, she is always happy to see their wonderous smiles.
3. Desidurium
(English with Latin origin) (n): An ardent longing, as for something lost.
Example: Seth loved traveling the world. Seeing 13 countries put a plethora of knowledge in his head. But his desidurium for his old friends left him wanting more.
4. Abditory
(n): A place into which you can disappear; a hiding place.
Example: Abby read a book every day. The stories were her abditory - a place away from reality.
5. Atelophobia
(n): The fear of imperfection. The fear of never being good enough.
Example: As a perfectionist, Nick's atelophobia made him procrastinate for days on end until it was nearly too late.
6. Sequacious
(adj): Lacking independence or originality of thought.
Example: Martha wasn't much of a leader. Her sequacious mind always followed others in action and in thought, making her a rather dull woman.
7. Kalopsia
(n): The delusion of things being more beautiful than they really are.
Example: Sarah's relationship varied between perspectives. The kalopsia in her head made her believe he was an authoritative gentleman while the outside perspectives of friends saw him as controlling and manipulative.
8. Rudeneja
(v): The way nature and/or weather begins to feel like autumn.
Example: Rudeneja crept over the city. Leaves morphed into brilliant reds. Cool breezes swept down narrow streets. The little tank tops of young women disappeared and bulky sweaters covered cold shoulders.
9. Peiskos
(n): The feeling you get when you sit in front of a fireplace and enjoy its warmth.
Example: Tabatha indulged in peiskos every night. With a roaring fire before her, she curled herself in an overstuffed armchair, covered herself with an old wool blanket, and settled into the thrilling story of her latest novel.
10. Heliophilia
(n): Desire to stay in the sun; love of sunlight.
Example: "My wife," he said, "has a strong sense of heliophilia. During the summer she stays outside in the garden from dawn to near dusk. That garden and all her hard work feed us well all year."
11. Zugzwang
(German) (n): A situation in which every possible move or decision is a bad one or one that will result in damage or loss.
Example: Janet was trapped in a zugzwang. Nowhere to go. The intruder was in her house and she was in the hall closet. The burly man was between her and the phone and every possible escape route.
12. Brumous
(adj): Of grey skies and winter days; filled with heavy clouds or fog; relating to winter or cold, sunless weather.
Example: Brumous January days pushed me into a dark depression in which I wanted to cease existing.
13. Solitarian
(pl. n): A recluse; a hermit.
Example: Mr. Hues is the mysterious solitarian who lives in the shabby shack down the long lane at the end of the street.
14. Frisson
(n): A shiver of pleasure.
Example: The sky full of stars sent a frisson down my spine and humbled my soul as I gazed upon the galaxy before me.
15. Logolepsy
(n): An obsession with words.
Example: "I've a strong sense of logolepsy in my soul," Colleen said, "I don't get out much but I read three books every week and write dozens of stories."
16. Frowzy
(adj): Habitually unkempt.
Example: Professor Frink is a frowzy man. He looks as though he spends every night writing poems and creepy stories on dusty old chalkboards. But everyone knows he is a friendly soul with a plethora of knowledge in his head.
17. Sapiosexual
(n): One who is attracted to or aroused by intelligence in others.
Example: "Looks don't matter" is quite true for some people, as they are sapiosexual and very much attracted to an intelligent mind.
18. Kalon
(n): Beauty that is more than skin deep.
Example: I believe my dog is a kalon soul. He is joyous to see me when I return home each night, no matter how many hours I leave him alone.
19. Novaturient
(adj): Desiring or seeking powerful changes in one's life, behavior, or situation.
Example: Many New Year's resolutions come from a novaturient feeling at the end of an exhausting 365 days.
20. Palinoia
(Greek) (n): The obsessive repetition of an act until it is perfect or mastered.
Example: Savannah is an avid dancer. You can often find her in the studio late into the night practicing her routine with palinoia, until she achieves each move perfectly.
