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Language specialists confirm that people with a good education, those who read more, and those who like to explore new things have a bigger and richer vocabulary. You might think this automatically means that using big words makes you intelligent. Well no, that’s not how it works. It often happens that people use big words to sound smart without even understanding what that word means. Needless to say, the effect is quite often the opposite.
But besides knowing the meaning of words, you should also be aware of the appropriate situations to use them in. For one, even though the more common and the fancy word might have the same general meaning, a small nuance often makes them inapplicable in certain situations. On top of that, using high vocabulary words that belong in a textbook or a novel when you order a coffee or explain to a friend why you liked the movie you watched last night, sounds ridiculous, to say the least. Similarly, special words that are only understandable to people of a certain profession shouldn’t be forced into a conversation if you are not talking to your colleagues. They don’t make you sound smarter; they make you sound incomprehensible.
That said, it absolutely does not mean that you should always stick to basic vocabulary. There are hundreds of beautiful words in English, same as in any other language, that can expand your vocabulary and make you an interesting and pleasant counterpart. Remember that the actual goal of every conversation is to find the perfect words to describe your thoughts and feelings, not to dazzle the person you are talking to with some long and arguably unnecessary words.
Below you will find a lot of interesting words with their definitions to help you expand your English vocabulary. How many of them did you already know? Make sure you use them responsibly and also tell us in the comments if there are any fancy words you especially enjoy.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Effervescent
Meaning: having the property of forming bubbles.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Used in Schweppes ads as schweppervescent which for some reason annoys me more than it should
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#2
Aeonian Meaning: lasting for an immeasurably or indefinitely long period of time.
Belle Miles 3 years ago
Now I miss buying my readers digest. But it only came out once a month and took 30 to 40 minutes to read, except my special pages that were the funnies and word challenge. Oh, it's really been a while.
#4
Flabbergast Meaning: to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder.
#5
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobic
Meaning: someone with a fear of long words.
It's Izzy 🇺🇦 (They/Them) 3 years ago
"Doc, I think I have a fear of long words" "Yep, well, I think you might be Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobic" "aaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhh!!!!"
#6
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Meaning: the act or habit of assessing something as worthless.
Kathy Rayborn 3 years ago
I generally try and avoid words that require an additional breath to complete!
#11
Erudite Meaning: having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying.
Agim Danga 3 years ago
Might derive from old Albanian: ERA- wind, like dhe wind and DITA- meaning rhe Daylight.
#12
Myriad Meaning: a great number / countless.
#13
Repertoire Meaning: a person’s list of talents and skills; a list or supply of dramas, operas, pieces, or parts that a company or person is prepared to perform.
#14
Transcendent
Meaning: extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience, being beyond comprehension.
#15
Ebullience Meaning: the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts or feelings.
#16
Brobdingnagian Meaning: marked by tremendous size.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
From Gulliver's travels. Brobdingnag was the island of giants. Opposite is Liliputian, tiny in stature, after the most famous of the islands, Liliput.
#20
Obsequious Meaning: subservient (useful in an inferior capacity); marked by a fawning attentiveness.
#21
Statuesque Meaning: resembling a statue especially in dignity, shapeliness, or stillness.
#22
Pulchritudinous
Meaning: physically beautiful.
#26
Fortnight
Meaning: a period of 14 days.
#28
Rococo Meaning: an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation.
a panda who loves skz&txt 3 years ago
Doesn't everybody learn about this at school? Renaissance, Mänierism, Baroque, Rococo we had to write so many tests about these 🤠
#30
Venerable
Meaning: honorable, highly regarded.
#33
Mellifluous Meaning: having a smooth rich flow; filled with something (such as honey) that sweetens.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago (edited)
Often used metaphorically to describe a sweet sound - "he had a mellifluous speaking voice"
#38
Circumlocution
Meaning: the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea.
Wendy O'Shea 3 years ago
Or how to write a 2000 word essay when you only need 500 words to get all the information conveyed.
#40
Incisive Meaning: impressively direct and decisive (as in manner or presentation).
#41
Latent Meaning: present and capable of emerging or developing but not now visible, obvious or active. In other words - there, but not there.
#42
Immaculate
Meaning: having or containing no flaw or error.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
A large number of Catholic churches are named Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart
#44
Aesthetic Meaning: pleasing in appearance, attractive.
#45
Junoesque Meaning: marked by stately beauty.
#49
Phenomenal Meaning: highly extraordinary, exceptional, remarkable.
#53
Selcouth Meaning: unusual, strange.
Atley Makar 1 year ago
I think this word is mainly used in positive context, or at least that has been my experience when encountering it. I would extend this perhaps to say 'unusual, yet remarkable.'
#55
Malaise Meaning: physical discomfort or a general feeling of being under the weather.
#56
Quiddity Meaning: whatever makes something the type that it is; the essence.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
From the Latin quid, meaning "this". Literally the thisness of a thing.
#59
Usufruct Meaning: the legal right of using and enjoying the fruits or profits of something belonging to another.
Belle Miles 3 years ago
Well, I DO want to thank you all at Bored Panda for giving us all respite here against being overwhelmed by the news media even if we are pouting and/or ranting. It's really nice to laugh at this thread. We are all "Usufructing" from you now, We really do appreciate it all.
#62
Confluence
Meaning: used when discussing a meeting of minds, a group of ideas, or a coming together of diverse people for a gathering.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Or generally any point where things come together; a confluence of rivers.
#63
Granular Meaning: finely detailed. Can also help describe a meticulous level of detail in your own work, thinking, or planning.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago (edited)
Literally, made up of grains. In medicine, part of the healing process when the wound begins to stitch itself back together.
#72
Sesquipedalian Meaning: loving of long words.
Paddling Panda 3 years ago
I love how this word is significantly shorter than the word for "fear of long words".
#73
Boondoggle Meaning: work that you do just so that you look busy, but it isn't actually useful.
#75
Amiable Meaning: friendly, sociable, and generally agreeable.
#77
Deferential Meaning: showing or expressing respect and high regard due a superior or an elder.
#89
Taciturn Meaning: temperamentally disinclined (unwilling because of mild dislike or disapproval) to talk.
#94
Ingenious
Meaning: having or showing an unusual aptitude for discovering, inventing, or contriving.
#97
Canonize Meaning: to treat as illustrious, preeminent, or sacred.
#98
Endearment
Meaning: a word or an act (such as a caress) expressing affection.
#99
Halcyon Meaning: characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Most commonly encountered in the phrase "halcyon days", meaning a lost golden age.
#100
Coruscate Meaning: to be brilliant or showy in technique or style.
#102
Acumen
Meaning: keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters.
#103
Gasconade Meaning: to brag or boast.
Kathy Rayborn 3 years ago
Basic conversation should avoid a cacophony of gratuitous words so that speakers may have equitable rapport.
#107
Parlance Meaning: formal debate or parley.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Also just a synonym of speech. That's how it's used in common parlance.
#108
Despondent Meaning: feeling or showing extreme discouragement, dejection (lowness of spirits), or depression.
#109
Lucid Meaning: comes from the Latin adjective lucidus (shining), a more fancy word to define a person for his intelligent thinking, capability of being understood or comprehended.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Clarity, especially in thought: "despite encroaching Alzheimer's, she had lucid periods"
#115
Elucidate Meaning: to explain very clearly.
#127
Astute Meaning: having or showing shrewdness and an ability to notice and understand things clearly, mentally sharp.
#133
Reverence Meaning: honor or respect felt or shown, especially profound adoring awed respect.
#134
Infatuated
Meaning: filled with or marked by a foolish or extravagant love or admiration.
#135
Besottedness Meaning: blindly or utterly infatuated.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Besotted means blindly infatuated. Besottedness is the condition of being blindly infatuated.
#136
Scintillating Meaning: brilliantly lively, stimulating, or witty.
#139
Gratuitous Meaning: unnecessary, uncalled-for.
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