Dic

WELCOME, WORDSMITHS!
Words are wonderful! Without words, we wouldn't be able to share all our
ideas with the people around us. That's why we've put together a dictionary
that will take you on a journey through some of the most brilliant and
surprising words in the English language.
WHAT IS A DICTIONARY?
A dictionary is a collection of words and their meanings.

Sometimes dictionaries are books you can hold, like
this book, and sometimes they're digital. Dictionaries
are written by LEXICOGRAPHERS (pages 51 and 53).
Lexicographers study how people use language, and then
write down what they learn in dictionaries.
You'll find many different types of words

in this dictionary. The longest words are
SPAGHETTIFICATION (pages 80-81) and
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA (page 84), and the shortest
word is X (page 99). Some of the words are used all
the time like OMINOUS (page 63), while others are so
rare that you might only find them in an old book, like
SESQUIPEDALIAN (page 79). Some words are fun to
say like HURDY-GURDY (pages 36-37), and others
have definitions that describe beautiful things in the
world like MOONBOW (page 56).
HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
There is no right way to read this book. Here are just a few
ideas, but feel free to come up with your own favorite way
of reading The Dictionary of Difficult Words.
1. You can read it straight through from A to Z.

2. You can read it backward from Z to A.
3. You can read one letter of the alphabet at a time.
4. You can read it out loud with loved ones.
5. You can read it silently by yourself.
6. You can look at the pictures and not read the words.
7. You can open up to a random page, close your eyes, put
your finger down, and then read what you're pointing at.
8. You can read a word out loud and then let someone
guess what the definition is.
9. You can read it in the dark with a flashlight.
10. You can read it to learn new things, or you can read it
just for fun.
Look out for the clouds around some

of our favorite definitions. You can
find extra information about the
word in a cloud, along with a big
illustration, on a nearby page.
PARTS OF SPEECH
A word's part of speech gives you information
about how it's used in a sentence. The definitions in
this book have one of these three parts of speech:
noun adjective verb

A noun is a word used to talk An adjective is a word used to A verb is a word used to talk
about a person, place, thing, or describe nouns and to give extra about actions. Jump, learn, and
idea. Sister, park, and love are information about someone or look are all verbs.
all nouns. something. Big, gray, and smart
are all adjectives.
HOW TO WORK OUT WHAT A WORD MEANS
Sometimes we can find clues about a word's meaning if we look at how it's spelled.
If a word ends with -ology, it's

about something you study (see
CRYPTOZOOLOGY on page 16), and If a word ends in -phile,
if a word ends with -ologist, it's about it's about a person who
the people who study that thing (see loves something (see
ICHTHYOLOGIST on page 39). BIBLIOPHILE on page 11).
If a word ends in -ous,
it's probably an adjective
(see LUMINOUS on
page 52).
If a word has -graph in it,
it's often about writing (see
ORTHOGRAPHY on page 64).
If a word ends in -ism,

it's probably a noun (see
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say it ch word t is a hand ke in the start your journey
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABECEDARIAN AILUROPHILE
[ey-bee-see-dair-ee-uh n] • noun [ahy-loor-uh -fahyl] • noun
An abecedarian is someone An ailurophile is someone
who is learning the alphabet who loves cats.
or who is a beginner in any subject.
ALIENATE
ABSQUATULATE [ey-lee-uh -neyt] • verb
[ab-skwoch-uh -leyt] • verb If you alienate someone, you make them
When someone feel sad and like they are all alone.
absquatulates,
they leave a ALOOF
place very [uh-loof] • adjective
quickly and without warning. People use When someone is aloof, they are not
this word when they want to be funny. very friendly or easy to talk to.
AESTHETIC AMBIDEXTROUS
[es-thet-ik] • noun [am-bi-dek-struh s] • adjective
When someone uses the When someone is
word aesthetic, they ambidextrous, they
are talking about can use both their
what makes something right and left hands
beautiful to them. People often use this to write or draw.
word when they're talking about art.
AMBIVALENT
[am-biv-uh -luh nt] • adjective
AFFABLE
[af-uh -buh l] • adjective When you are ambivalent about
Someone who is affable is friendly something, you feel two very different
and fun to talk to. ways about it at the same time.
7
ANACHRONISM ARBITRARY
[uh-nak-ruh-niz-uhm] • noun [ahr-bi-trer-ee] • adjective
An anachronism is something that doesn't When a rule is arbitrary, there is no
fit into its surroundings because it real reason why it is the way it is.
belongs to a different time or era.
Sometimes
things that are ARCANE
old-fashioned [ahr-keyn] • adjective
are called When something is arcane, it is
anachronisms. mysterious or difficult to understand.
ANATHEMA
[uh -nath-uh -muh ] • noun
If something is anathema to someone, ARID
[ar-id] • adjective
they really hate it.
If a place is arid, it is very dry and
it doesn't rain much there. Deserts
ANTITHESIS have arid climates.
[an-tith-uh -sis] • noun
The antithesis of
something is the
opposite of that thing.
AVUNCULAR
[uh -vuhng-kyuh -ler] • adjective
ARACHNOPHOBIA Avuncular is a word that describes uncles
[uh-rak-nuh-foh-bee-uh] • noun and people who act like uncles. If someone
Arachnophobia is an is avuncular, they are helpful and friendly
extreme fear of spiders. to people who are younger than them.
8
ARID
One type of plant that thrives in hot
and arid climates is the cactus.
Cacti are extremely good at collecting
and storing water and can survive for
months and months without rain.
BAILIWICK BELLWETHER
[bey-luh -wik] • noun [bel-weth-er] • noun
Someone's bailiwick is something they A bellwether is someone who does

know a lot about, or a thing that things in a new way that changes how
they are really good at. others think about the world. Often,
a bellwether is not aware of the
effect that they have on others.
BEDAZZLED
[bih-daz-uh ld] • adjective
When you are BESPECTACLED
bedazzled by [bih-spek-tuh -kuh ld] • adjective
something, Someone who is

you are so bespectacled is wearing glasses.
impressed
by it that
you don't BIBLIOPHILE
[bib-lee-uh -fahyl] • noun
notice the
A bibliophile is a person who
bad things
collects or loves books.
about it.
BEHEMOTH BILDUNGSROMAN
[bil-doo ngz-roh-mahn] • noun
[bih-hee-muh th] • noun
A Bildungsroman is a story about
A behemoth is a monster or a very
someone who is growing up and
large and powerful animal, person,
learning about who they are. This is
or thing.
sometimes called a coming-of-
age story.
11
BIOLUMINESCENT BROWBEAT
[bahy-oh-loo-muh-nes-uhnt] • adjective [brou-beet] • verb
When a living thing is bioluminescent, If you
it glows in the dark. browbeat
someone
into doing
BLATHERSKITE something, you
[blath-er-skahyt] • noun
bully them
A blatherskite is a person who
into acting a
talks a lot, but says things that are
certain way.
meaningless or foolish.
BUGBEAR
[buhg-bair] • noun
A bugbear is something that makes
BLITHESOME you feel needlessly
[blahyth-suh m] • adjective scared or annoyed.
When someone is blithesome, they
are full of light-hearted joy.
If something is blithesome, it is
so wonderful that it can make
others happy.
BORBORYGMUS BUMBERSHOOT
[bohr-buh -rig-muh s] • noun [buhm-ber-shoot] • noun
Borborygmus is the rumbling A bumbershoot is

sound that comes from an umbrella.
someone's stomach.
12
BIOLUMINESCENT
Fireflies are bioluminescent, and this
helps them find and recognize one
another. Different types of fireflies
flash in different patterns and colors.
The flash of a firefly can appear as
yellow, white, green, or blue.
CACHINNATE CATOPTROMANCY
[kak-uh -neyt] • verb [ka-top-truh-man-see] • noun
When someone cachinnates, Catoptromancy is when people use
they laugh very loudly. mirrors to uncover hidden knowledge.
The queen in Snow White is practicing
catoptromancy when she looks into her
CACOPHONY mirror and asks Mirror, mirror, on the
[kuh -kof-uh -nee] • noun
A cacophony is a mixture of loud and
wall, who's the fairest one of all?
annoying sounds, all happening at the
same time.
CAVORT
POLICE [kuh -vohrt] • verb
When someone
Beep!
cavorts, they
dance or jump
around with
excitement.
CANDOR
[kan-der] • noun
Candor is being honest and telling the CENTENARIAN
truth, even if it's hard to do. [sen-tn-air-ee-uh n] • noun
A centenarian is
someone who is 100
CANTANKEROUS years old or older.
[kan-tang-ker-uhs] • adjective
When someone is cantankerous, they
want to argue and complain about CERULEAN
everything. [suh-roo-lee-uh n] • noun
Cerulean is a deep blue color, like a
cloudless daytime sky.
15
CHILIAD COGNIZANT
[kil-ee-ad] • noun [kog-nuh -zuh nt] • adjective
A chiliad is a period of 1,000 years or When someone is cognizant of something,
any group of 1,000 things. they are aware of it.
CHIMERA COMPUNCTION
[kahy-meer-uh ] • noun [kuh m-puhngk-shuh n] • noun
A chimera is a fire- If someone has no compunction about

breathing monster with something they've done, they don't feel
the head of a lion, the body of a goat, bad or guilty about it.
and the tail of a snake.
CONNIVE
[kuh -nahyv] • verb
CIRCUMLOCUTION
[sur-kuh m-loh-kyoo-shuh n] • noun If you connive with someone to do
Circumlocution is when someone uses something, you work together to make
a lot of words to say something they a secret plan that will benefit both
could have said with very few words. of you.
CLOWDER CRUCIVERBALIST
[klou-der] • noun [kroo-suh -vur-buh -list] • noun
A clowder is a A cruciverbalist is someone who creates

group of cats. or loves solving crossword puzzles.
COCKALORUM CRYPTOZOOLOGY
[kok-uh -lohr-uh m] • noun [krip-toh-zoh-ol-uh -jee] • noun
A cockalorum is someone who thinks that Cryptozoology is the study of animals

they are more important than they or creatures that many people think
actually are. are imaginary. A cryptozoologist might
study the Loch Ness Monster or unicorns.
16
CRYPTOZOOLOGY
Are unicorns real? This is a question a
cryptozoologist might ask. Unicorns have popped up in
the stories and art of various cultures since ancient
times. However there is no scientific
evidence that these horned
creatures exist.
DABSTER DEMOGORGON
[dab-ster] • noun [dem-uh -gohr-guh n] • noun
A dabster is someone who is A demogorgon is
an expert at something. a mysterious and
powerful mythological
god or demon.
DARKLE
[dahr-kuh l] • verb
If something darkles, it becomes less DENDRIFORM
and less light or more and more dark. [den-druh-fohrm] • adjective
Something that is dendriform is
shaped like a tree.
DEFENESTRATE
[dee-fen-uh -streyt] • verb
If you defenestrate something, you
throw it out of a window.
DEVOUR
[dih-vou-uh r] • verb
If you devour food, you eat it very
quickly. If you devour a book, you read
it really fast.
DEIPNOSOPHIST DILAPIDATED
[dahyp-nos-uh -fist] • noun [dih-lap-i-dey-tid] • adjective
A deipnosophist is someone who is When something is dilapidated,
very good at having interesting it is old and falling apart.
conversations with others while sitting People often use this
down for a meal. word to talk about
buildings.
19
DISPARATE DROLL
[dis-per-it] • adjective [drohl] • adjective
When things are disparate, they are When something is droll, it is funny in
very clearly different from each a strange or surprising way.
other, like chalk and cheese.
DRUDGERY
[druhj-uh -ree] • noun
Drudgery is hard work
that is very boring, but
has to be done.
DOPPELGANGER
[dop-uh l-gang-er] • noun
A doppelganger is someone who looks DUBIOUS
[doo-bee-uh s] • adjective
exactly like someone else. They might
When something is dubious, it is
look so much like another person that
doubtful or uncertain.
it's spooky.
DUMBFOUNDED
[duhm-found-id] • adjective
DORYPHORE When someone is
[dohr-uh -fohr] • noun dumbfounded, they are so
A doryphore is someone who is surprised by something that
annoying because they like to point out they don't know what to do.
when others make small mistakes.
DUPLICITY
DRACONIAN [doo-plis-i-tee] • noun
[druh-koh-nee-uhn] • adjective People use the word duplicity when
When rules or laws are called they are talking about misleading or
draconian, they are thought to be untrustworthy behavior.
cruel or unfair.
20
DOPPELGANGER
In German folklore, your doppelganger is a supernatural being
that looks exactly like you. It's like a ghost, but it appears
while someone is still alive. Seeing your own doppelganger is
not a good thing because, according to legend, they appear
shortly before someone dies. Usually when people use the word
doppelganger, they're not talking about death. They just mean
that someone looks a lot like you.
EARWORM EGGHEAD
[eer-wurm] • noun [eg-hed] • noun
An earworm is a song An egghead is someone who is very
that keeps on playing smart, but not always in ways that
over and over in are useful for day-to-day life. People
your head, even when sometimes use this word when they
you try not to think don't value someone's knowledge.
about it.
EMULATE
EBULLIENT [em-yuh-leyt] • verb
[ih-buhl-yuh nt] • adjective If you emulate someone, you try to
Someone who is ebullient be just like them because you think
is extremely excited they're great.
or enthusiastic about
something.
ENNUI
[ahn-wee] • noun
ECLECTIC If someone feels
[ih-klek-tik] • adjective
ennui, they are
When a group of things is eclectic, bored and tired and
everything that makes up that group have no interest in
comes from different places. If the things going on
someone has eclectic taste in music, around them.
it means they like a lot of different
styles of music.
ENUNCIATE
[ih-nuhn-see-eyt] • verb
When someone enunciates, they say
words very clearly and carefully.
23
EPIGRAM EUPHEMISM
[ep-i-gram] • noun [yoo-fuh -miz-uh m] • noun
An epigram is something you say that A euphemism is a nice or polite way
is quick, clever, and funny. The Irish of saying something, especially
writer Oscar Wilde is famous for his something that people don't like to
many epigrams. For example: When talk about because it makes them feel
people agree with me I always feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
that I must be wrong.
EUPHORIA
EQUANIMITY [yoo-fohr-ee-uh ] • noun
[ek-wuh -nim-i-tee] • noun Euphoria is a very
Equanimity is being mmm
intense feeling
ommm
calm and thoughtful, of happiness.
especially in a stressful
or difficult situation.
EXACERBATE
ERGOPHOBIA [ig-zas-er-beyt] • verb
[ur-guh -foh-bee-uh ] • noun
When something exacerbates a bad
Ergophobia is a fear of situation, it makes it much worse than
work. People use this it already was.
word when they want to
be funny.
EXTEMPORANEOUS
[ik-stem-puh -rey-nee-uh s] • adjective
ESTIVAL When someone makes an
[es-tuh -vuh l] • adjective
extemporaneous speech, they do it
When something is described as estival, off-the-cuff or without preparation.
it's related to summertime.
24
ESTIVAL
Estival comes from the Latin word meaning heat.
If you describe a day in the spring as estival, this means
that it's warm and sunny, like it is in the summer. A related
word is estivation, which is kind of like hibernation, but it
happens during the summer and not the winter.
FACETIOUS FLIBBERTIGIBBET
adjective
[fuh -see-shuh s] • noun
[flib-er-tee-jib-it] •
If someone is being facetious, they are A flibbertigibbet is someone who is
trying to be funny and make jokes in silly and likes to gossip or daydream.
a situation where they should be
acting seriously.
FANDANGO
noun
[fan-dang-goh] •
The fandango is an energetic FLOCCULENT
Spanish dance. adjective
[flok-yuh -luh nt] •
If something is flocculent, it is soft
and fluffy like a clump of wool.
FLOTSAM
noun
[flot-suh m] •
Flotsam are the pieces of a ship that
FESTINATE float in the sea and wash up to the
verb
[fes-tuh -neyt] • shore after a shipwreck.
When you festinate, you hurry or move
very quickly.
FLAPDOODLE FLUMMOX
noun
[flap-dood-l] •
verb
[fluhm-uh ks] •
Flapdoodle is nonsense, or words and When something flummoxes you, it
ideas that are absurd or ridiculous. makes you feel confused.
27
FORTUITOUS FRAZZLED
adjective
[fahr-too-i-tuhs] • adjective
[fraz-uh ld] •
Something that is fortuitous is a good When someone is
and lucky thing frazzled, they feel
that happens tired, overwhelmed,
unexpectedly. or exhausted.
FRENETIC
adjective
[fruh-net-ik] •
When something is frenetic, it's
FOURSCORE energetic and fast, and usually not
noun
[fohr-skohr] •
very controlled.
Fourscore is an old-fashioned way to
say the number 80. When people use
this word, they are usually quoting FUNAMBULIST
something that was written a long noun
[fyoo-nam-byuh-list] •
time ago. A funambulist is a tightrope
walker.
FRABJOUS
adjective
[frab-juh s] • FUNICULAR
Something that is frabjous is noun
[fyoo-nik-yuh-ler] •
wonderful, joyous, and amazing. This A funicular is a type of train that
word was made up by Lewis Carroll, goes up the side of a
the author of Alice in Wonderland. very steep hill or
a mountain.
28
FUNAMBULIST
There are records of funambulists from ancient times. Famous ancient
Roman authors wrote about the funambulist performances they attended.
Illustrations from this period show funambulists gracefully walking across
tightropes while doing difficult tasks, like playing musical instruments.
GABFEST GELATINOUS
[gab-fest] • noun [juh-lat-n-uh s] • adjective
A gabfest is a casual conversation If something is gelatinous, it is thick,
that's usually about fun or sticky, and wet, like jam.
entertaining things. Sometimes people
use this word when they're talking
about gossip.
GENEALOGY
[jee-nee-al-uh-jee] • noun
Genealogy is the
GAGGLE study of family
[gag-uh l] • noun histories. In
A gaggle is a flock of geese. genealogy,
family trees
show different
GALE generations of a
[geyl] • noun
family and how
A gale is a very strong wind.
everyone is related to one another.
GARGANTUAN
[gahr-gan-choo-uh n] • adjective GESTICULATE
[je-stik-yuh-leyt] • verb
If something is gargantuan, it is
If you gesticulate when you're talking,
enormous.
you use hand and arm movements
or gestures
GARGOYLE to express
[gahr-goil] • noun yourself. You
A gargoyle is a stone statue that looks can gesticulate
like a frightening or ugly creature. without saying
Gargoyles appear on older buildings anything
and are often part of the out loud.
water-draining system.
31
GLOCKENSPIEL GOURMAND
[glok-uh n-shpeel] • noun [goo r-mahnd] • noun
A glockenspiel is a type of musical A gourmand is someone
instrument. It's similar to a xylophone, who really enjoys
but the keys are made out of metal. food, and sometimes
eats too much.
GRANDILOQUENT
[gran-dil-uh -kwuh nt] • adjective
If someone speaks in a grandiloquent
GONDOLA style, they use big words and say
[gon-doh-luh] • noun things in a fancy way, usually because
A gondola is a long, narrow boat used in they're showing off.
long, narrow bodies of water, like canals.
It's moved by someone who stands at one
GRIMOIRE
end with a pole or an oar. [greem-wahr] • noun
A grimoire is a
GONZO book of magic spells
that witches and
Magic
[gon-zoh] • adjective
If a story in the news is wizards use.
written in a gonzo style,
the reporter talks more
GROTTO
about their feelings [grot-oh] • noun
or reactions to A grotto is a small cave, sometimes one
something than that is built by people as decoration in
about facts or a garden.
what actually NEWS
happened.
32
GONDOLA
In addition to being a type of boat, a gondola is also a
form of transportation that moves through the air, high
above the ground. It has a cabin that hangs from a
thick cord, or a cable. People go up and
down mountains in it.
HABERDASHERY HAPPENSTANCE
[hab-er-dash-uh -ree] • noun [hap-uh n-stans] • noun
When someone uses the word If something occurs by happenstance,
haberdashery, they are talking about it's a coincidence and there's no real
small things used to make clothing, like reason why it happened.
buttons, thread, and zippers.
HARBINGER
[hahr-bin-jer] • noun
A harbinger of something is a sign that
it will happen soon. Dark clouds can be
a harbinger of a storm and flowers
HAGIOGRAPHY can be a harbinger of spring.
[hag-ee-og-ruh -fee] • noun
A hagiography is a book
about someone that HEYDAY
[hey-dey] • noun
only says very positive
Someone's heyday is the time when
things about them. The
they were most successful and popular.
first hagiographies were
Things can also have heydays.
stories about the lives of saints.
HA-HA HIPPOPHILE
[hip-uh -fahyl] • noun
[hah-hah] • noun I LOVE
HORSES
A hippophile is someone
A ha-ha is a type of fence that is dug
who loves horses.
into the ground around a garden or
park, so it's hard to see. This is so the
garden or park looks larger than it is. HIRSUTE
[hur-soot] • adjective
Someone who is hirsute has lots
of hair all over their body.
35
HISTRIONIC HUMDINGER
[his-tree-on-ik] • adjective [huhm-ding-er] • noun
If someone is being A humdinger is an exciting and amazing
histrionic, they are person or thing.
being dramatic and
emotional in a way that
seems exaggerated
HUMDRUM
[huhm-druhm] • adjective
and fake.
If something is humdrum, it's extremely
boring.
HOBNOB
[hob-nob] • verb
If you hobnob with others, especially
HURDY-GURDY
[hur-dee-gur-dee] • noun
rich and powerful people, you are
A hurdy-gurdy is a type of musical
friendly with them.
instrument with strings, a keyboard,
and a crank.
HOMAGE
[hom-ij] • noun
Homage is respect that someone shows
HYPERBOLE
[hahy-pur-buh -lee] • noun
to people or things that inspire them.
If someone uses
hyperbole, they are
HOROLOGIST exaggerating or saying
[hoh-rol-uh -jist] • noun something is much
A horologist is someone who makes bigger, smaller, better,
and fixes clocks. or worse than it really
is. To say that a very
tall person is 1,000
feet tall is an example
of hyperbole.
36
HURDY-GURDY
A hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument
like a violin, but you don't play it with a
bow. You play a hurdy-gurdy by turning a
crank while pressing keys. Not many people
play the hurdy-gurdy today, though it was
very popular in the past.
IANTHINE IKEBANA
[ahy-an-thin] • adjective [ik-uh -bah-nuh ] • noun
Something that is ianthine Ikebana is the Japanese
is the color violet. art of arranging flowers
in a beautiful way.
ICEBLINK
[ahys-blingk] • noun IMAGINEER
An iceblink is a patch of brightness in [ih-maj-uh -neer] • noun
the sky over the sea. It's caused by the An imagineer is someone who turns
reflection of light from a large piece creative ideas into reality.
of ice.
IMMINENT
ICHTHYOLOGIST [im-uh -nuh nt] • adjective
[ik-thee-ol-uh -jist] • noun When something is imminent, it's
An ichthyologist is expected to happen very soon.
someone who studies fish.
IMMORTALIZE
IDIOLECT [ih-mohr-tl-ahyz] • verb
[id-ee-uh -lekt] • noun When someone is immortalized in
An idiolect is the way that someone a song, painting, or other work of
speaks that is unique to them and art, they are in it, and they will be
them alone. remembered for a very long time
because of it.
39
INANE INTERROBANG
[ih-neyn] • adjective [in-ter-uh -bang] • noun
If a question, idea, An interrobang is
or behavior is a punctuation mark
inane, it's silly that combines the
and foolish. exclamation mark
with the question
mark. It's used when
someone is surprised
INDEFATIGABLE or really excited
[in-di-fat-i-guh -buh l] • adjective
while asking
Someone who is indefatigable never a question.
gets tired and always has the
energy to do things.
IRREVERENT
[ih-rev-er-uh nt] • adjective
INEFFABLE When someone is irreverent, they
[in-ef-uh -buh l] • adjective
might make fun of things that are
When something is ineffable, it is too usually taken very seriously.
wonderful to be described by words.
IZZARD
INSIPID [iz-erd] • noun
[in-sip-id] • adjective
Izzard is an
If someone has an insipid personality, old-fashioned
they are boring. Food that is way to say the
insipid doesn't have letter Z.
much flavor.
40
INDEFATIGABLE
People can be indefatigable, and so can things. For
example, if someone runs a race, studies, and then
makes dinner, they might be called indefatigable.
If a ship moves quickly and never breaks down or
sinks, it might be called indefatigable.
jam
JABBER JEJUNE
[jab-er] • verb [ji-joon] • adjective
If you jabber, you talk quickly and Someone or something that is jejune is
make no sense. boring and not very important.
JACKANAPES JEOPARDY
[jak-uh-neyps] • noun [jep-er-dee] • noun
A jackanapes is If something is in jeopardy, it is in
someone who is impolite danger of not working out as planned.
and disrespectful. A
jackanapes can also be
a child who has a lot of
JEST
[jest] • noun
energy and likes to cause trouble.
If you say
something in
JAMBOREE jest, you're
[jam-buh -ree] • noun saying it as a
A jamboree is a joke.
party, usually one
that is big and loud.
JARGON
[jahr-guh n] • noun JILLION
[jil-yuh n] • noun
When someone uses the word jargon,
When someone uses the word jillion,
they're talking about the special words
they want to talk about a very large
and expressions used by a specific
number, but they don't want to say an
group, usually a group of people who
exact number.
do the same job. People outside this
group don't understand these words.
43
JILT JUGGERNAUT
[jilt] • verb [juhg-er-not] • noun
If you jilt someone, A juggernaut is a large and powerful
you end a romantic object or force that destroys things.
relationship with
them quickly and in an upsetting way.
JOBBERNOWL
[job-er-nohl] • noun
A jobbernowl is someone who is foolish
and not very smart. JUVENILIA
[joo-vuh-nil-yuh] • noun
The juvenilia of a writer or artist
JOSTLE
[jos-uh l] • verb is the work that they create before
If someone jostles they've fully developed the style
you in a crowd, they're known for. This work is
they bump up created when they're a child,
against you or push you to get past. teenager, or young adult.
JUBILANT
[joo-buh -luh nt] • adjective JUXTAPOSE
When someone is jubilant, [juhk-stuh-pohz] • verb
they are extremely happy When you juxtapose two things, you
because of a triumph or place them next to each other so it's
success. Someone might easy to see all the ways that they're
feel jubilant after different.
winning a game.
44
JUXTAPOSE
An artist might juxtapose dark and
light colors, and a musician might
juxtapose slow and fast parts of a song.
A writer might juxtapose ideas like
happiness and sadness.
KAKISTOCRACY KAPUT
[kak-uh -stok-ruh -see] • noun [kah-poot] • adjective
Kakistocracy is government ruled by If something goes
the worst people. kaput, it doesn't
work anymore.
KALEIDOSCOPE
[kuh -lahy-duh -skohp] • noun KARAOKE
A kaleidoscope is a tube [kar-ee-oh-kee] • noun
that has small, colorful Karaoke is when
chips and mirrors at people sing songs into
one end. When someone a microphone for fun,
looks into the other while a machine plays
end, they see beautiful the music.
patterns that change
as they turn the tube.
KENSPECKLE
[ken-spek-uh l] • adjective
KALIMBA If something is kenspeckle, it's easy to
[kuh -lim-buh ] • noun recognize or easy to see.
A kalimba is a small musical instrument
with metal keys. It's played with the
thumbs and is sometimes called a
KERFUFFLE
[ker-fuhf-uh l] • noun
thumb piano.
A kerfuffle is a noisy and confusing
thing that happens.
47
KINETIC KNAVE
[ki-net-ik] • adjective [neyv] • noun
When someone uses the A knave is someone who is dishonest
word kinetic, they are and cannot be trusted.
talking about
what makes
things start and stop moving.
KNEE-SLAPPER
[nee-slap-er] • noun
A knee-slapper
ha ha ha!
KISMET is a joke or
[kiz-met] • noun story that
When someone talks about kismet, is extremely
they're talking about fate, or what funny and makes
they believe controls everything that others laugh
happens in the universe. very hard.
KNACK
[nak] • noun
KRAKEN
A knack is a special skill or talent that [krah-kuh n] • noun
someone has. The kraken is a legendary Norwegian
sea monster.
KNAPSACK
[nap-sak] • noun
A knapsack is
a backpack. KVETCH
[kvech] • verb
When you kvetch about something, you
complain about it.
48
KRAKEN
According to legend, the kraken is so large that it can be
mistaken for an island. While there have been many reported
sightings over the years, there is no proof of the
kraken's existence. Scientists believe that when
people thought they were seeing the kraken,
they were actually looking at a giant squid,
which can grow to be up to 43 feet long.
ad
e
on
lem
LABORIOUS
[luh -bohr-ee-uh s] • adjective
LEXICOGRAPHER
Something that is laborious is very [lek-si-kog-ruh -fer] • noun
difficult and takes a lot of time and A lexicographer is someone who
careful attention. writes and edits dictionaries.
LABYRINTH LINCHPIN
[lab-uh -rinth] • noun [linch-pin] • noun
A labyrinth is a maze, or something The linchpin
that is very easy to get lost in. of something
is the person
LACKADAISICAL or thing that
[lak-uh -dey-zi-kuh l] • adjective holds it all
If someone is lackadaisical, they do together,
not seem excited or interested in the or the most
things they do. important part
of something.
LEAFDOM
[leef-d uh m] • noun LIONIZE
A leafdom is an area with a lot of [lahy-uh -nahyz] • verb
plants and leaves that feels like its When you lionize someone, you treat
own world. them as if they are very important
and special.
51
LOLLAPALOOZA LUGUBRIOUS
[lol-uh -puh -loo-zuh ] • noun [loo -goo-bree-uh s] • adjective
A lollapalooza is a person, thing, Someone or something
or event that is extraordinary that is lugubrious is
or impressive. extremely sad
and mournful.
LOLLYGAG
[lol-ee-gag] • verb
If you lollygag around, you are not
doing anything when there's probably
LUMINOUS
[loo-muh -nuh s] • adjective
something you should be doing. When something is
luminous, it's bright,
LOVELORN shining, and full
[luhv-lohrn] • adjective of light.
When someone is
lovelorn, they're
sad because they're
LUTE
[loot] • noun
in love with someone A lute is a musical instrument
who doesn't love with strings and a pear-
them back. shaped body.
LUDDITE
[luhd-ahyt] • noun
A luddite is LYCANTHROPE
[lahy-kuh n-throhp] • noun
someone who is
A lycanthrope is
against using new
a werewolf.
technologies.
NEW
COMPUTER
52
LEXICOGRAPHER
Lexicographers study how
people use words, and then they
write down what they learn in
dictionaries. Though it doesn't
always feel like it, language is
constantly changing and growing.
Sometimes people invent new
words, and sometimes old words
get new meanings.
jane
Milk
MASTICATE MAXIM
[mas-ti-keyt] • verb [mak-sim] • noun
When you masticate A maxim is a short saying
food, you chew it. that gives advice on how
to live your life. For
example, Don't put all
your eggs in one basket
MAUDLIN means that you should
[mawd-lin] • adjective
always have a back-up plan in case
Someone or something that is maudlin something doesn't work out.
is too sentimental or emotional.
METAGROBOLIZE
MAVEN [met-uh-grob-uh-lahyz] • verb
[mey-vuhn] • noun
If you are metagrobolized by
A maven is someone who knows a lot something, you are puzzled or
about a subject or is extremely good confused by it. People use this word
at something. when they want to be funny.
MAVERICK MICROCOSM
[mav-rik] • noun [mahy-kruh-koz-uh m] • noun
A maverick is someone who is A microcosm is a small thing that
independent and has their own way of can represent something that is
doing things. much bigger.
55
MINOTAUR MOONBOW
[min-uh -tawr] • noun [moon-boh] • noun
The Minotaur is a mythological A moonbow is a nighttime rainbow
monster with the head of a bull and that's made from the light of the Moon.
the body of a man.
MIRTH
[murth] • noun
If someone is filled
with mirth, they MUGWUMP
think something is [muhg-wuhmp] • noun
so entertaining that A mugwump is someone who has a hard
they laugh with joy. time making decisions. People often use
this word when they're talking about
politicians.
MISCELLANEOUS
[mis-uh -ley-nee-uh s] • adjective
Something that's miscellaneous is hard MULLIGRUBS
to put into one category or another. [muhl-i-gruhbz] • noun
If someone has the mulligrubs, they
feel very sad and are in a bad mood.
MISHPOCHA
[mish-pookh-uh ] • noun MUMPSIMUS
Someone's mishpocha is their family [muhmp-suh -muh s] • noun
and very close friends. A mumpsimus is a person who believes
something because they've always
believed it, even though it's wrong or
makes no sense.
56
MINOTAUR
According to Greek mythology,
the Minotaur lived in the
center of a giant labyrinth, or
maze. Some stories say he had
the head of a bull and the body
of a man, but some say it was
the other way around. He was
killed by Theseus, who later
became King of Athens.
NADIR NAYSAYER
noun
[ney-der] • noun
[ney-sey-er] •
The nadir of something is the lowest or A naysayer is
worst possible place it could be. someone who says NO
no a lot, and who
often views things
NAIVE in a negative way.
[nah-eev] •adjective
If someone is naive, they don't have
a lot of life experience. They believe NEBULOUS
what they are told, even if it's not adjective
[neb-yuh -luh s] •
true, and they tend to trust people If an idea is nebulous, it's hard to
who are not very trustworthy. describe because it's not completely
clear what the idea is.
NARWHAL
noun
[nahr-wuh l] • NEOLOGISM
A narwhal is a type of whale that lives noun
[nee-ol-uh -jiz-uh m] •
in the Arctic. Male narwhals have a A neologism is a new word or phrase.
long, twisted, and pointy tusk coming out
of their heads.
NEPOTISM
noun
[nep-uh -tiz-uh m] •
Nepotism is when powerful people give
OFFIC E jobs to their family
NAUTICAL and close friends,
adjective
[not-i-kuh l] • whether or not those
If something is people deserve
nautical, it's related those jobs.
to sailors, ships, or
the sea.
59
NEWFANGLED NOISOME
adjective
[noo-fang-guh ld] • adjective
[noi-suh m] •
When a person calls something If something is noisome, it's very
newfangled, they're saying it's new in unpleasant or disgusting, like the smell
a way that they don't like because it's of something rotting.
different from what they're used to.
NOMADIC
adjective
[noh-mad-ik] •
If a group is nomadic, they roam
from place to place without a
permanent home.
NICTATE
verb
[nik-teyt] •
When you nictate,
you blink or wink.
NONCHALANT
adjective
[non-shuh -lahnt] •
NINNYHAMMER When someone acts in a nonchalant
noun
[nin-ee-ham-er] •
way, they seem like they're calm and
A ninnyhammer is someone who is silly
not worried.
or foolish.
NUCIVOROUS
[noo-siv-er-uh s] • adjective
NOCTURNAL If an animal
adjective
[nok-tur-nl] • is nucivorous, it eats
If something is nocturnal, it's nuts. Squirrels are
related to the night. nucivorous.
60
NOCTURNAL
Nocturnal animals are awake at
night and sleep during the day.
Bats are nocturnal, and they're
the only mammals that can fly.
To figure out where they're going,
bats make high-pitched noises and
listen to those sounds bounce
off objects and walls. This is
called echolocation.
OBELISK OLFACTORY
[ob-uh -lisk] • noun [ol-fak-tuh -ree] • adjective
An obelisk is a tall stone When someone uses
statue with a pointy top. the word olfactory,
They're often built in they're talking about
honor of an important the sense of smell.
person or event.
OMBUDSMAN
OBFUSCATE [om-buh dz-muh n] • noun
[ob-fuh -skeyt] • verb The job of an
If you obfuscate something, you make it ombudsman is to
very confusing and hard to understand research complaints
on purpose. people have about
com
an organization
pla
int
s
or government.
OBSOLETE
[ob-suh -leet] • adjective
If something is OMINOUS
obsolete, it is not [om-uh -nuh s] • adjective
used anymore If something is ominous, it makes people
because something worry that something bad will happen.
newer or better has
come along.
OGRE
[oh-ger] • noun
In fairy tales,
an ogre is
a giant monster.
63
OMNISCIENT OOLOGY
[om-nish-uhnt] • adjective [oh-ol-uh-jee] • noun
If someone is omniscient, they know Oology is the
everything. If a book has an omniscient study of eggs,
narrator, the story is told from the especially birds'
point of view of different characters. eggs.
OMPHALOSCOPY OPAQUE
[om-fuh-luh-skohp-ee] • noun [oh-peyk] • adjective
Omphaloscopy is when If something is opaque, you can't see
someone focuses too much through it. If an idea is opaque, it's
on one idea and never gets hard to understand.
anything done, also known
as navel-gazing. People use
this word when they want to
ORNERY
[ohr-nuh -ree] • adjective
be funny.
If someone is ornery,
they are difficult to
ONEROUS be around and they're
[oh-ner-uh s] • adjective always in a bad mood.
If someone thinks a
task or responsibility is
onerous, it is really hard to
do, and they don't like doing it.
ORTHOGRAPHY
[ohr-thog-ruh-fee] • noun
ONOMATOPOEIA When someone uses the word
[on-uh -mah-tuh -pee-uh ] • noun
orthography, they're talking about
An onomatopoeia is a word that sounds
how to spell words correctly.
like a noise when you say it aloud.
64
ONOMATOPOEIA
Cows moo, horses neigh, birds tweet,
frogs ribbit, mice squeak, and sheep
baa. In different languages, animals
make different sounds. In English the
onomatopoeia for the sound a cat makes
is meow, and in Japanese it's nyan.
PALINDROME PERENNIAL
[pal-in-drohm] • noun [puh -ren-ee-uh l] • adjective
A palindrome is a word or phrase that, If something is perennial, it happens
when read backward, spells the same every year or it is always happening.
word or phrase. Pop, noon, racecar, Perennial flowers bloom from the
and Was it a bat I saw ? are all same plant year after year.
palindromes.
Was it a bat PETRICHOR
I saw ? [pe-trahy-kohr] • noun
Petrichor is the
earthy smell that
comes from rain
falling on soil,
PARADIGM especially after it
[par-uh -dahym] • noun
hasn't rained in a
A paradigm is the EUREKA!
while.
typical example
or model of what
a thing is. If PHANTASMAGORIC
something is called [fan-taz-muh-gor-ik] • adjective
a paradigm shift, it is a If something is phantasmagoric, it's
new way of thinking that changes how like a fantasy from a dream.
people view the world.
PIEBALD
[pahy-bawld] • adjective
PENULTIMATE
[pi-nuhl-tuh -mit] • adjective If an animal is
When someone uses the word piebald, it has
penultimate, they're talking about the patches of black and white fur.
second to last thing in a list or series.
67
PITHY PRECOCIOUS
[pith-ee] • adjective [pri-koh-shuh s] • adjective
When you say something that's pithy, If a child is precocious, they are a
it's short, to the point, and full of very fast learner who knows things
meaning. that kids their age don't usually know.
PLETHORA PRESTIDIGITATION
[pleth-er-uh ] • noun [pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuh n] • noun
A plethora of something is a large Prestidigitation is the art
amount of that thing—usually more of moving your hands
than is wanted or needed. skillfully, so others
think they're seeing
something that they're
not actually seeing.
PUGNACIOUS
POLYMATH [puhg-ney-shuh s] • adjective
[pol-ee-math] • noun Someone who is
A polymath is someone who is very pugnacious is always
good at learning and knows a lot about arguing or fighting with
different subjects. others.
PULCHRITUDINOUS
[puhl-kri-tood-n-uh s] • adjective
PORTMANTEAU
[pohrt-man-toh] • noun If someone is
A portmanteau is when two or pulchritudinous, they
more words squeeze into one are very beautiful.
new word.
68
PORTMANTEAU
Brunch is a portmanteau that combines
the words breakfast and lunch, and
spork combines the words spoon and
fork. Some dog breed names are
portmanteaus. A puggle is part pug
and part beagle. A labradoodle is part
labrador retriever and part poodle.
QIVIUT QUAINT
[kee-vee-uht] • noun [kweynt] • adjective
Qiviut is the soft When something is quaint, it's charming
fuzzy hair on a musk or cute in an old-fashioned way.
ox that is under its
longer layer of hair.
Musk oxen live in the Arctic, a very
QUANDARY
[kwon-dree] • noun
cold environment, and they shed their
If someone is in a quandary, they have
qiviut in the warmer months.
to make a decision but they're not sure
what the right decision is.
QUACKSALVER
[kwak-sal-ver] • noun
A quacksalver is someone who says
QUARANTINE
[kwor-uhn-teen] • verb
that they have skills or knowledge
If someone who is sick is
that they don't actually have.
put in quarantine, they
are separated from
QUAGMIRE others for a period of
[kwag-mahyuhr] • noun time to stop the spread
A quagmire is a confusing and of disease.
complicated situation that's hard to
get out of. A quagmire is also an area
of land that's so soft and squishy that
QUARRELSOME
[kwor-uhl-suh m] • adjective
you sink into it when you walk there.
If someone is
quarrelsome, they
often get into fights
with others.
71
QUIBBLE QUIP
[kwib-uh l] • verb [kwip] • noun
When people quibble, A quip is a clever thing that
they're having a someone says.
pointless argument
about something that doesn't really
matter. A quibble is also a complaint
QUIVER
[kwiv-er] • verb
about something that is not important
If something quivers, it trembles or
at all.
shakes a small amount at a fast speed.
QUIDNUNC QUIXOTIC
[kwid-nuhngk] • noun
[kwik-sot-ik] • adjective
A quidnunc is someone who is very nosy
If an idea is
and likes to gossip about the lives of
quixotic, it's
other people.
wonderful, but
it's not very
QUILL realistic.
[kwil] • noun
A quill is a type of pen QUOTIDIAN
that's made out of the [kwoh-tid-ee-uhn] • adjective
feather of a bird. If an activity is quotidian, it's a
regular everyday
thing that
happens all the
QUINQUENNIUM time.
[kwin-kwen-ee-uh m] • noun
A quinquennium is a
period of five years.
72
QUAINT
Quaint is often used to describe small
towns or villages and the houses and shops
in them. However, this is not what quaint
originally meant when people first started
using it, about 800 years ago. Back then it
was used to describe a clever person who
was very good at tricking others.
RAMBUNCTIOUS RAVENOUS
[ram-buhngk-shuh s] • adjective [rav-uh -nuh s] • adjective
sqwaw
k!
If someone is If someone is ravenous,
rambunctious, they have they are
a lot of energy and are very hungry.
being very noisy because
they're excited
and happy.
REBUS
[ree-buh s] • noun
A rebus is a puzzle that uses pictures,
symbols, and letters to represent
sounds and words. For example, an
RAMFEEZLED image of a bee next to an image of a
[ram-fee-zuh ld] • adjective
If someone is ramfeezled, they are leaf might be used to mean the
worn out and exhausted. word believe.
REDOLENT
[red-l-uh nt] • adjective
RAPSCALLION If something is redolent of something
[rap-skal-yuh n] • noun
else, it reminds you of that thing.
A rapscallion is
someone
who is dishonest
and is always REPLICA
causing [rep-li-kuh ] • noun
trouble. A replica is a copy of something—
often a piece of art.
75
RESPLENDENT RHETORICAL
[ri-splen-duh nt] • adjective [ri-tor-i-kuh l] • adjective
When something A rhetorical question is a question
is resplendent, it that is not meant to be answered,
sparkles and shines. often because there is no right
If a person is answer.
resplendent, they look
so beautiful, it's as if they're glowing.
RIFE
[rahyf] • adjective
RETICENT If a place is rife with something, that
[ret-uh-suh nt] • adjective thing is extremely common in that
Someone who is reticent doesn't usually place. If a town is rife with cats,
talk about what they're thinking or there are cats everywhere you look.
how they're feeling.
RIPSNORTER
REVEL [rip-snohr-ter] • noun
[rev-uh l] • verb A ripsnorter is something that's
If you revel in extraordinary and amazing.
something, you feel
happiness and joy when
you experience it.
ROSARIUM
[roh-zair-ee-uh m] • noun
A rosarium is a rose garden.
REVERIE
[rev-uh-ree] • noun
A reverie is a dreamlike thought that
ROTUND
[roh-tuhnd] • adjective
you have when you're awake.
Something that is rotund is
round or rounded.
76
REPLICA
An artist might create a replica
of a painting they love in order to
understand how that work was made. This
can help them learn new techniques for
their own paintings.
SUCCESSFUL FORGERY
How to
p a in t
li k e L e o
SALUBRIOUS SIDEREAL
[suh-loo-bree-uh s] • adjective [sahy- deer- ee-uh l] • adjective
If something is salubrious, When something is
it's enjoyable and good for sidereal, it's related
your health. to the stars.
SCARAMOUCH
[skar-uh-mouch] • noun
SKULDUGGERY
A scaramouch is a cowardly and [skuhl-duhg-uh-ree] • noun
dishonest person. Skulduggery is dishonest behavior
that's used to trick and take
SCHADENFREUDE advantage of others.
[shahd-n-froi-duh] • noun
Schadenfreude is when someone feels
extremely happy when bad things
SLUGABED
[sluhg-uh-bed] • noun
happen to other people. A slugabed is someone
who is lazy and loves
SERENDIPITY sleeping in late when
[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee] • noun they should be awake.
Serendipity is the luck someone has
when they discover something fun or
interesting without looking for it.
SMORGASBORD
[shmohr-guh s-bawrd] • noun
A smorgasbord is a wide variety of
SESQUIPEDALIAN things that can all be found together
[ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn] • adjective in one place.
If someone is sesquipedalian, they
know a lot of big words and they love
using them.
79
SNUGGERY SPELUNKING
[snuhg-uh-ree] • noun [spi-luhngk-ing] • noun
A snuggery is a comfortable Spelunking is the
and cozy place. hobby of exploring
caves.
SPHINX
[sfingks] • noun
The sphinx is a
SOCKDOLAGER mythological monster
[sok-dol-uh-jer] • noun with the head of a
A sockdolager is a very clever reply human, the body of a
that wins an argument. lion, and wings. In stories, the sphinx
asks people riddles.
SOMNAMBULIST
[som-nam-byuh-list] • noun
SQUAMOUS
A somnambulist is someone [skwey-muh s] • adjective
who walks in their sleep. If something is squamous, it's covered
with scales. Fish are squamous.
SPAGHETTIFICATION
[spuh -get-uh -fi-key-shuh n] • noun
Spaghettification is the idea that
objects get long and skinny like
STERNUTATION
[stur-nyuh-tey-shuh n] • noun
spaghetti when they're sucked into
Sternutation is when
black holes.
someone sneezes.
80
SPAGHETTIFICATION
Spaghettification could not exist without black
holes. Black holes are spots in space that have
a lot of gravity, and because of that, they pull
anything nearby into them. Gravity
is the same force that makes
objects fall to the earth
when we drop them.
TACITURN THALASSIC
[tas-i-turn] • adjective [thuh-las-ik] • adjective
Someone who is taciturn is very quiet Something that is thalassic
and doesn't talk a lot. is related to the sea.
TANDEM
[tan-duhm] • adjective
A tandem bicycle is a bicycle for two
riders, where THESPIAN
[thes-pee-uh n] • noun
one rider sits
A thespian is
behind the
an actor.
other.
TEMPESTUOUS
[tem-pes-choo-uh s] • adjective THIGMOTROPISM
A tempestuous relationship has a lot of [thig-mo-truh-piz-uh m] • noun
strong emotions, fighting, and Thigmotropism
hurt feelings. is the sense of
touch that some
plants have
TESTUDINAL that makes
[te-stood-n-l] • adjective
them grow in
If something is
spirals around
testudinal, it's related
things.
to tortoises, turtles,
or their shells.
83
TINTINNABULUM TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
[tin-ti-nab-yuh-luhm] • noun [tris-kuh-dek-uh-foh-bee-uh] • noun
A tintinnabulum is a Triskaidekaphobia is a
small bell. fear of the number 13.
TOME TROGLODYTE
[tohm] • noun [trog-luh-dahyt] • noun
A tome is a very A troglodyte is someone who
large and heavy book. lives in a cave.
TULIPOMANIA
TRANSLUCENT [too-luh-puh-mey-nee-uh] • noun
[trans-loo-suh nt] • adjective When someone uses the word
If a window is translucent, you can tulipomania, they're talking about
see light through it, but you can't see Holland in the 1630s. At this time
exactly what's on the other side. people were so excited about tulips
that they became extremely expensive
and people made and lost a lot of
TRANSMOGRIFY money buying and selling them.
[trans-mog-ruh-fahy] • verb
If something has transmogrified, it's
changed in a strange and surprising TUROPHILE
way. [toor -uh -fahyl] • noun
A turophile is a
cheese lover, or
someone who
knows a lot about
cheese.
84
TROGLODYTE
The first troglodytes were from prehistoric
times. We know they lived in caves because they
left paintings on their walls telling stories
about their lives. A person might be
called a troglodyte if they act as if
they're from a different time and
don't understand things other
people understand.
UBIQUITOUS ULIGINOUS
[yoo-bik-wi-tuh s] • adjective [yoo-lij-uh-nuh s] • adjective
If something is ubiquitous, it's so If a plant is uliginous, it grows in wet
common it feels like it's everywhere. and swampy environments.
UFOLOGY
[yoo-fol-uh -jee] • noun
Ufology is the study of UFOs, or
unidentified flying objects.
UGGLESOME ULTRACREPIDARIAN
[uhl-truh-krep-i-dair-ee-uh n] • noun
[uhg-uh l-suh m] • adjective
An ultracrepidarian is someone who
Something that is
has big opinions about things they know
ugglesome is horrible
nothing about.
and scary.
UKULELE UMBRAGE
[uhm-brij] • noun
[yoo-kuh-ley-lee] • noun
If someone takes umbrage to
A ukulele is a type of
something, they think it's rude
musical instrument. It's
or offensive.
similar to a guitar,
but it's smaller.
87
UMBRIFEROUS UNKEMPT
[uhm-brif-er-uh s] • adjective [uhn-kempt] • adjective
If a tree is umbriferous, there is shade When something is
underneath it. unkempt, it's very
messy or dirty.
UPEND
[uhp-end] • verb
If something is
upended, it's turned
UMLAUT upside down.
[oom -lout] • noun
An umlaut is the two dots that appear
over vowels in some languages.
URSINE
[ur-sahyn] • adjective
UNCTUOUS If something is ursine, it's
[uhngk-choo-uh s] • adjective
related to, or like, a bear.
If someone is an unctuous person, they
say extremely nice things, but they
don't mean what they say. UTOPIA
[yoo-toh-pee-uh] • noun
A utopia is an imaginary place where
UNDULATE everything is perfect.
[uhn-juh-leyt] • verb
If something undulates, it moves back
and forth like a wave.
88
UFOLOGY
Do aliens exist? And if they do, what sort
of spacecraft would they use to travel
around the universe? Ufologists believe
aliens are out there, and they're especially
interested in collecting evidence of
their forms of transportation.
vinegar
VAINGLORIOUS VERNACULAR
[veyn-glohr-ee-uhs] • adjective [veh-nak-yuh-ler] • noun
When someone is vainglorious, they The vernacular of a place is the
have a very high opinion of themselves language and style of speaking that
and they talk about how wonderful people use in that place.
they are all the time.
VERSATILE
VARIEGATED [vur-suh-tl] • adjective
[vair-ee-i-gey-tid] • adjective If something is versatile, it can be used
If something is in many different ways.
variegated, it has
different patches or
spots of color on it.
VIBRASLAP
[vahy-bruh-slap] • noun
A vibraslap is a musical instrument
VERBOSE that makes a rattling noise when you
[ver-bohs] • adjective hit it.
When someone is verbose, they use
more words than needed to say
something.
TELEPHONE VERMILION
[ver-mil-yuhn] • noun
Vermilion is a bright VILIFY
red color. [vil-uh-fahy] • verb
If you vilify someone, you say bad
things about them.
91
VISTA
[vis-tuh] • noun VOLCANOLOGIST
A vista is the view from a [vol-kuh-nol-uh-jist] • noun
beautiful place. A volcanologist is someone
who studies volcanoes.
VOMITORIUM
[vom-i-tohr-ee-uh m] • noun
Vomitoriums are the passageways
people used to enter and exit ancient
Roman amphitheaters.
VOCIFEROUS
[voh-sif-er-uhs] • adjective VOMITORIUM
If someone is vociferous, they

say their opinions in a loud and
intense way.
VOID
[void] • noun
VORTEX
A void is a large and empty space. [vohr-teks] • noun
A vortex is a spinning funnel of water
VOLATILE or air that moves so fast that things
[vol-uh-tl] • adjective are pulled into its center.
If something is volatile, it's not
predictable and it can
change at any moment
without warning.
92
VOLCANOLOGIST
Volcanologists use their knowledge of
geology to try and figure out when
volcanoes might erupt. This is a very
important job because it can help people
who live near volcanoes understand when
it's not safe for them to be in the area.
WANDERLUST WHIZGIG
[won-der-luhst] • noun [wiz-gig] • noun
Someone with wanderlust loves A whizgig is something that
traveling. They often get bored spins around very quickly, like a
if they stay in the same place for spinning top.
too long.
WHANGDOODLE
[wang-dood-l] • noun
A whangdoodle
is an imaginary
creature.
WILY
[wahy- lee] • adjective
If someone is wily, they are good at
WHIMSICAL tricking others.
[wim-zi-kuh l] • noun
If something is whimsical, it's playful,
fun, and imaginative.
WHIPPERSNAPPER
[wip-er-snap-er] • noun WINSOME
A whippersnapper is someone who [win-suh m] • adjective
thinks they know a lot more If someone is winsome, they are
than they actually do. charming. A winsome smile is a warm
Usually an older and
person uses this word pleasant
about a younger person smile.
who they think has a lot
to learn.
95
WISECRACK WRACKFUL
JOKE [wahyz-krak] • noun [rak-fuhl] • adjective
BOOK
A wisecrack is a joke. If something is
wrackful, it causes
WISHY-WASHY destruction.
[wish-ee-waw-shee] • adjective
If someone is wishy-
washy, they're
WRANGLE
[rang-guh l] • verb
not sure what When people
they want, and wrangle with
they have trouble each other,
making decisions. they argue
loudly.
WORMHOLE
[wurm-hohl] • noun
WUNDERKIND
A wormhole is a tunnel in space that [voon-der-kind] • noun
connects one area of the universe to A wunderkind is a child
another. with amazing talents and
abilities. A wunderkind is
also a younger adult who
is successful in whatever
they do.
WORRYWART WUTHERING
[wur-ee-wohrt] • noun
[wuhth-er-ing] • adjective
A worrywart is someone who spends a
If a place is wuthering,
lot of time thinking about all the ways
there are strong
things could go wrong.
winds there.
96
WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is a German loanword. A
loanword is a word from one language
that people who speak another language
borrow and start using. This is sometimes
because there's no good way of saying
the same thing in the other language.
X XENIAL
IDEAS [eks] • verb [zee-nee-uhl] • adjective
If you x something out, When something is
you cross it out. xenial, it's about the
relationship between a
host and their guests.
XANADU
[zan-uh -doo] • noun
A Xanadu is a place that is so XENIZATION
beautiful and perfect that it [zen-uh -zey-shuh n] • noun
seems like it's from a dream. When someone uses the word
xenization, they're talking about a
person's travels as a stranger.
XANTHIC
[zan-thik] • adjective
Something that XENOPHOBIA
is xanthic is the [zee-nuh -foh-bee-uh ] • noun
color yellow. Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of
people from other countries.
XEBEC
[zee-bek] • noun XERISCAPE
A xebec is a type of sailing ship with [zeer-i-skeyp] • noun
three masts. A xeriscape is a garden with plants
that grow in very dry climates. People
create xeriscapes to save water.
99
XERUS X-RAY
[zeer-uhs] • noun [eks-rey] • noun
A xerus is a type of squirrel An X-ray is a special type
that lives in Africa. of picture that shows the
inside of things. Doctors
use X-rays to look at bones inside
our bodies.
XESTURGY
[zes-tur-jee] • noun
When someone uses the XYLOGRAPHY
[zahy-log-ruh-fee] • noun
word xesturgy, they're
talking about polishing Xylography is the art
objects, like stones. of carving a design or
image into wood.
XIPH
[zif] • noun XYLOPHONE
[zahy-luh-fohn] • noun
Xiph is an old name for the swordfish.
A xylophone is a type of musical
instrument. It's similar to a
glockenspiel, but the
keys are made out
of wood.
XIPHOID
[zif-oid] • adjective XYST
If something is xiphoid, it's shaped like [zist] • noun
a sword. A xyst is a long garden
walkway with trees,
which people used for
exercising in ancient Rome.
100
XANADU
Xanadu was a palace in Mongolia. It belonged
to the fifth emperor of the Yuan dynasty,
Kublai Khan, who ruled from the years 1260 to
1294. Five hundred years later Samuel Taylor
Coleridge wrote about Xanadu in his poem
about the emperor. Because that poem
became very popular, the word Xanadu
is now used to describe all sorts
of dreamy places.
YAHOO YEASAYER
[yah-hoo] • noun [yey-sey-er] • noun
A yahoo is someone who A yeasayer is someone
is loud and rude. Yahoo is who always has a positive
also a word someone might attitude. A yeasayer
shout if they're excited. might also be someone
who has a hard time
saying no to others.
YAK
[yak] • noun
A yak is a type YEPSEN
of ox that has long [yep-suh n] • noun
hair and lives in Tibet. A yepsen is the
bowl shape two
hands make when
YEANLING they're cupped
[yeen-ling] • noun
together. A yepsen
A yeanling is a young sheep or goat.
is also the amount
of something that
can be held when the hands are in this
position.
YESTERYEAR
[yes-ter-yeer] • noun
YEARN When someone uses the word
[yurn] • verb
yesteryear, they're talking about a
If someone yearns for something, they
time in the past, and they're usually
really want it, but they might never
talking about good memories from
get it.
that time.
103
YETI YONDER
[yet-ee] • noun [yon-der] • adjective
The yeti is a Yonder is an old-fashioned way to say
legendary monster over there.
that lives in the
Himalayan mountains.
YORE
[yohr] • noun
YEX If someone talks about
[yeks] • verb the days of yore,
When someone yexes, they're talking about
they're either hiccupping a period of time from
or crying. long ago.
YODEL YURT
[yohd-l] • verb [yoo rt] • noun
When someone yodels, they sing in a A yurt is a type of circular
special way where they quickly go back tent traditionally used as
and forth from lower notes to very a home for traveling
high notes. groups of people in
Central Asia.
YOMP
[yahmp] • verb
YUZU
If someone yomps, they [yoo-zoo] • noun
go on a difficult hike A yuzu is a type of
while carrying heavy citrus fruit that's
equipment. round and yellow and
has a sour flavor.
104
YODEL
Yodeling is very popular in Switzerland, Austria, and
other areas with a lot of mountains. This style of
singing is used to help people communicate with each
other. When you're high up on a mountain, you can
hear people yodel from far away.
105
ZAATAR ZEPHYR
[zah-tahr] • noun [zef-er] • noun
Zaatar is a mixture of A zephyr is a soft and
herbs and spices that's pleasant breeze.
popular in Middle
Eastern cooking.
ZEPPELIN
ZEAL [zep-lin] • noun
[zeel] • noun A zeppelin is a type of large airship
Zeal is a feeling of passion and that was popular in the early 20th
excitement about something. century. Airships are flying machines
that were used to take people and
things from place to place before
ZEDONK airplanes were common.
[zee-dongk] • noun
A zedonk is an
animal that is half ZEST
zebra and half donkey. [zest] • noun
If someone has zest for an
activity or thing, they really
ZEITGEIST enjoy it.
[tsahyt-gahyst] • noun
When people use the word zeitgeist,
they are talking about the popular ZEUGMA
feelings and ideas of an era. [zoog-muh] • noun
A zeugma is a type of play on
ZENOGRAPHY words where one word is used in two
[zee-nog-ruh-fee] • noun different ways in relation to the other
Zenography is the study words in the sentence. For example: She
of the planet Jupiter. devoured her book and a sandwich.
107
ZEUSAPHONE ZONK
[zoos-uh-fohn] • noun [zongk] • verb
A zeusaphone is a type of If someone zonks out, they fall asleep
electronic musical instrument very quickly and suddenly.
that releases electricity in the
form of bolts of light and sound.
Another name for the zeusaphone is z zz
the singing Tesla coil.
ZILCH
[zilch] • noun
ZOOLOGIST
Zilch is a casual [zoo-ol-uh-jist] • noun
way to say A zoologist is someone
nothing or who studies animals.
zero.
ZYGODACTYL
ZOETROPE [zahy-guh-dak-til] • adjective
[zoh-ee-trohp] • noun If a bird is
A zoetrope is a hollow cylinder-shaped zygodactyl, its feet
object with small slits have two talons
around the outside or toes facing
and a series of forward and
images inside. When two facing
it spins, the images backward.
inside look like
they're animated,
like a cartoon.
108
ZEPPELIN
The first time a zeppelin flew through
the air was in the year 1900. It was 420
feet long and had two propellers. It
could go as fast as 20 miles per hour.
Z E P P E L IN
END NOTES
WHY ARE THERE ONLY DIFFICULT WORDS IN THIS DICTIONARY?

Usually when we think about dictionaries, we think about a resource that has any word we
could ever possibly want to know the meaning of. However, that's not how dictionaries always
were. The first dictionaries in English were dictionaries of difficult words, just like this
book. They were often collections of vocabulary from very specific topics like gardening,
law, medicine, and words borrowed from other languages. It's only in the last few hundred
years that dictionaries have been thought of as general-purpose reference books.
Now that you've read this book from cover to cover, what is your favorite
word? Has it changed since reading The Dictionary of Difficult Words?
Jane's favorite word is: DEIPNOSOPHIST (page 19)
Louise's favorite word is: AILUROPHILE (page 7)
THEY
Though it might seem like a very simple word, there's a lot of debate over they.
Some people don't like it when you use they when you're talking about one person.
Instead, they think you should use he or she. However, this can sometimes be a problem.
What if you don't know the gender of the person you're talking about?
What if a person asks you to use they when you're talking about them?
The good news is, it's perfectly fine to use they when you're talking about one person.
If we look at writing from a long time ago, we can see that the word
they has been used for at least 700 years to talk about one individual person.
This book has used they in this way, and you can too!
WHAT MAKES A WORD REAL?

Lexicographers don't decide when a word becomes real. You do! Anyone can make up
a word. All you have to do is start using it. If you use it, it's real.
Just because a word isn't in any dictionary doesn't mean it isn't a real word. Each time a new
word is added to a dictionary, it takes a lot of time and energy. Lexicographers wouldn't be
able to add all the words that exist to a dictionary even if they knew every single word.
So go forth into the world and be creative with language! Make up as many words as you
want. Your words might not ever make it into a dictionary, but they are still real.
To my favorite centenarian, Minnie Solomon.—J. S.
To Betty Lockhart, who loved words, especially crosswords.—L. L.
Brimming with creative inspiration, how-to projects, and useful

information to enrich your everyday life, Quarto Knows is a favorite
destination for those pursuing their interests and passions. Visit our
site and dig deeper with our books into your area of interest:
Quarto Creates, Quarto Cooks, Quarto Homes, Quarto Lives,
Quarto Drives, Quarto Explores, Quarto Gifts, or Quarto Kids.
The Dictionary of Difficult Words © 2019 Quarto Publishing plc.

Text © 2019 Jane Solomon. Illustrations © 2019 Louise Lockhart.
Pronunciations provided by Dictionary.com, with modifications
made by Laura Patsko for UK pronunciations.
First published in 2019 by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books,
an imprint of The Quarto Group.
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA.
T (612) 344-8100 F (612) 344-8692 www.QuartoKnows.com
The right of Jane Solomon to be identified as the author and Louise Lockhart
to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 (United Kingdom).
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form, or by any means,
electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the publisher or a
license permitting restricted copying.
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-1-78603-811-1
Digital edition: 978-0-71124-1-985
Hardcover edition: 978-1-78603-8-111
The illustrations were created in Photoshop and using a pen on the iPad.
Set in Louise Lockhart’s handlettered type.
Published by Rachel Williams
Designed by Karissa Santos
Edited by Katy Flint
Production by Jenny Cundill
Manufactured in China 022019

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WELCOME, WORDSMITHS!

A dictionary is a collection of words and their meanings.

You'll find many different types of words

1. You can read it straight through from A to Z.

Look out for the clouds around some

noun adjective verb

If a word ends with -ology, it's

If a word ends in -ism,

Someone's bailiwick is something they A bellwether is someone who does

something, Someone who is

Borborygmus is the rumbling A bumbershoot is

A chimera is a fire- If someone has no compunction about

A clowder is a A cruciverbalist is someone who creates

A cockalorum is someone who thinks that Cryptozoology is the study of animals

If someone is vociferous, they

WHY ARE THERE ONLY DIFFICULT WORDS IN THIS DICTIONARY?

WHAT MAKES A WORD REAL?

To Betty Lockhart, who loved words, especially crosswords.—L. L.

Brimming with creative inspiration, how-to projects, and useful

The Dictionary of Difficult Words © 2019 Quarto Publishing plc.

Manufactured in China 022019

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