Friday, April 24, 2009

Lovable words

Of course I'm going to follow a post about annoying words with words I love. I mean, really. How predictable. Most of these words I like because A) they are fun to say and/or B) they sound like what they describe. Love that.

floozy
I don't know if it's the double-O followed by a Z, or the fact that it seems so old-timey, but I love saying this word. 

feckless
It's just the perfect word to describe a great many people. Irresponsible or inefficient.

fop
Another old-timey word. And hmmm, I'm sensing a theme. The feckless fop and his floozy. I like "dandy" as well, but "fop" is better.

gesticulate
I use this one way more than I should. I know, I know, I should probably just stick with "gesture." But "gesticulate" is just so fun--it sounds made up.

sylph
It sounds so pretty, and it looks lovely on the page. Just like what it is: a slender woman or girl or an imaginary spirit of the air. 

Random others on my list:
requiem, flotsam, synapse, discombobulate, stanza, merengue, flagellate, pulchitrude

Tell me yours!


9 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Bittersweet has become a favorite word of mine, because it's just such an efficient adjective.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

I agree with Janna - LOVE Bittersweet, even have a song by that name. Let's see, how about "well-hung," (nice descriptive phrase) "grabbed" (I use that one a lot, not in context with "well hung" btw, more like: "They went to the kitchen and grabbed a few snacks." It's practically Shakespearean), "Ahem, excuse me," (I love interrupting people) and "quack" (not like a duck sound, but like "That guy? What a quack!"

Word ver, and I swear I'm not kidding: disequak
(I think your computer is stalking my brain!)

fairyhedgehog said...

Defenestrate, troglodyte,evanescent,and codswallop are all good. I also like balderdash when speaking because it sounds like it's going to be rude and then it isn't.

WendyCinNYC said...

I love Jamie Ford's title: The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I think it's fantastic! I wish I could think of titles like that.

Defenestrate is a good one.

Here's a couple more I DON'T like, and I ran across both of them today:

cocksure
fecund

Amy said...

I like fecund (for some reason). I saw the word mammarian once to describe a cluster of grapes. I'm not sure it's a real word, but I like it. Also aplomb, feckless and calumny.

auria cortes said...

I love the word tart. The word is versatile

Def #1
prostitute: a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money

Def #2
a small open pie with a fruit filling

hmmm...a small open pie with fruit filling...

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Fop has been following me around and I don't really know what it means. Hmm. LOVE discombobulate -- that's always on the top of my list.

I've been using egads a lot lately, but I can't actually say it's a favorite, lol.

Ha! WV: hatearr

Angie Ledbetter said...

Love all yours except gesticulate. Particularly like to coin or make up crazy southernisms. "I'll kick your bahonkus if you don't stop acting like a titty baby." LOL

Anonymous said...

"Twisty." There's something almost onomotopoetic about it.

"Hoopla" has a nice early 20th century feel to it.

I try to work these words into conversation whenever possible. I usually fail.