The English language is honestly really weird, and I can’t imagine what it’d be like to try to learn it as a foreign language. Nevertheless, despite its many shortcomings and contradictions, there are some pretty awesome words that really don’t get used all that often. Back in the day, learning and figuring out new words for the SAT was miserable, but I always had a good understanding of word roots and could figure things most out contextually so I began to nurture an appreciation for these “cool words.” Some of them have great meanings, while others sound amazing, just rolling off the tongue and cascading from your mouth in the most effortless and fluid way. I know it sounds weird, but I have favorite words, some of which are on this list, and the rest of which are all still pretty awesome. So I hope you enjoy them, maybe learn a word or two, and even try using a few sometime soon!

Resilient

(adj.) springing back; returning to the original form after being bent; recovering readily

Ephemeral

(adj.) lasting a very short time; transitory

Eloquent

(adj.) movingly expressive; having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech

Mellifluous

(adj.) sweet-sounding; sweetly or smoothly flowing

Contronym

(noun) any word that can be its own antonym (like cleave, dust , or screen...think about it!)

Ameliorate

(verb) to make better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; to improve

Evocative

(adj.) tending to evoke, elicit, or draw forth

Luscious

(adj.) richly satisfying; highly pleasing; richly adorned or luxurious

Ineffable

(adj.) incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible; not to be spoken because of its sacredness; unutterable

Lithe

(adj.) bending readily; pliant; flexible

Succulent

(adj.) rich in desirable qualities; juicy; affording mental nourishment

Cathartic

(adj.) allowing the purging of emotions or relieving of tensions

Iridescent

(adj.) displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow

Loquacious

(adj.)talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative

Opulent

(adj.) displaying wealth and affluence; richly supplied; abundant; plentiful

Effervescent

(adj.) bubbling; vivacious, lively, or sparkling

Sonorous

(adj.) giving out a deep, resonant, rich and full sound

Ethereal

(adj.) light, airy, or tenuous; extremely delicate or refined; heavenly or celestial

Sanguine

(adj.) cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident; bloody or red