Why favorite word

For folks like you and me, that means layer upon layer of history, buried right there in the Eternal City clay. Sesquipedalian pleases in part because it is what it describes: a long word for long words.

The Latin sesquipedalis translates as "foot-and-a-half long. This concept is similar to the modern term "dollar word. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Definition: a throwing of a person or a thing out of a window; or a usually swift expulsion or dismissal Example: "If you were expecting Michael Steele to stay angry at Republicans over his defenestration from the [Republican National Committee], you were wrong.

Definition: a silly flighty person Example: "I was very good at being a girl and I'm not quite so good at being a woman. Definition: fussy about small details; fastidious Example: "I have seen the most reluctant and persnickety buyers change before my eyes when they at last encounter the Perfect House. Photo: Aleksandr Zykov on Flickr. Definition: having shapely buttocks Example: "His most prominent work, however, was on the cover of book jackets, where his signature images were of strikingly fierce, hard-bodied heroes and bosomy, callipygian damsels in distress.

Definition: luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for Example: "Old-time print journalists bemoan the absence of serendipity - the accidental discovery of stories that readers didn't know they were interested in reading.

Definition: having a smooth rich flow Example: "Ted Williams, a scruffy former drug addict and alcoholic, became a viral sensation this week after he was filmed by a newspaper reporter delivering lines in a mellifluous radio voice.

Photo: daveynin on Flickr. Definition: writing material used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased; or, something with diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface Example: "Rome, the old hands always say, is a palimpsest. Definition: long; characterized by the use of long words Example: "Plus he has a weakness for what we can mischievously call sesquipedalian excess: Look out for such terms as 'epiphenomenal,' 'diegetic' and 'proprioceptive. More Words At Play.

I think it would be interesting :. Debauchery: because it sounds wicked. I've been in love with this word since I first learned it in fifth grade. I've always loved the word "discombobulated". I think the way it sounds and looks is just so descriptive of its meaning. Just saying the word makes you feel a bit, well, discombobulated A delicious item you have for breakfast; a nerve-wracking speech before a communal sip of champagne; what you do to your frozen chicken nuggets; with -y, the way you feel wrapped in a blanket and with a cup of hot chocolate It's just one of those words that sounds pretty, and who doesn't love the idea of happy accidents or unexpected circumstances that change our lives for the better?

This may sound strange, but mine is a nonexistent word: Cadine - it sounds like it should be a word, but a quick search shows that it clearly isn't, in English at least. It's a name, but the word I am imagining is not. And for some reason I liken it to chains.

I think that must be Spanish sneaking in: cadena. Her cadine beauty all the more vibrant for its fixity. Would it mean caught or stubborn? Would it be helpless or hard-headed? And it's a place in Italy; its inhabitants are called Cadeni.

The chained although it's catena for chain in Italian. And then there's cadence. Cadenzare - to give rhythm to. Katena, according to a baby name database, means pure in Greek. Chained and pure are not altogether dissimilar.

Unsurprisingly, the closest for a boy's name Caden means battle also round, lumpish, and cask. Oh, gender. It speaks for itself. It just makes me smile. Aug 06, PM. The meaning of the word is awesome, plus it just sounds cool to say. Exuberant - just makes you feel good and energized just saying it. To be honest, I've never really given much thought to my favourite word. But if I had to choose one, I'd have to go with ceremony.

It's a soft sounding word, with just a hint of insistence; its purpose is not shadowed by its beauty, or vice versa. To me, it is a word whose sound is well-matched to its meaning. One of my favorite words is "epiphany. It is going to sound very weird, but my favourite word has been "poop" for the longest time. It is just fun to say. I don't use profanity at all so I say "poop" and "poopschka" and "poopi-doopi". Everyone else has beautiful meaningful words. I love almost all words, but I'd have to say my favorite is luminous.

It sounds as beautiful as what it describes. DIY do it yourself - i love crafty projects. DIY - fun, crafty, inspiring, entertaining, useful. My favorite word has to be "gravid". It means pregnant, but it can also mean heavy or burdened. It just seems like such an amazing word, especially given the combination of definitions. My favorite word is "yum": it makes my mouth water.

And I hear in my head the last part of that old Life Savers commercial. So full of life.. I feel as though many of my favorite words have been mentioned already. One that hasn't been mentioned: hooligan. I don't have a very good reason, I just like it My favorite word comes from my favorite movie. Recidivism: Repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime.

That name is called "recidivism". I asked my children what they thought my favorite word would be and for once they were united that it was definitely- quiet! I was going to try and come up with something more clever but I would have to say without a doubt my favorite word is chocolate. If we turn to great authors for inspiration, both J. Tolkien and Edgar Allen Poe claimed cellar door as the most beautiful word combination in the English language.

We received amazing short videos entires from all over the world with people telling us about their favorite foreign words.

Take a look at the contest winers below, as well as some of the interesting trends and patterns we discovered. So what patterns do we see in these results? This trend should come as no surprise: when you learn a foreign language you often appreciate its idiosyncrasies more than a native speaker would.

Unique and untranslatable words were also very popular, with a particularly German focus. Two entrants chose Fernweh , a German word that means longing for faraway places — and another chose a less well-used synonym, Wanderlust.