Coolest Words

Coolest Words


WELCOME LINGUAPHILES!!
Ive gotten alot of feedback on my wordlist. Im glad its liked. However the list itself has become awkward, ungainly, and clumsy. So Ive painstakingly alphabetized it (by first letter, not entire word), and its a good thing I did, i noticed a few duplicates and some numbers skipped, so that will be taken care of. I urge anyone who has a favorite word to mail them to me so I can add them, and of course I will credit you in the list.


RECENT UPDATE (6/8/06) New Words #'s 157,236,636


-A-

  1. Apomixis - reproduction without meiosis or formation of gametes
  2. Antidisestablishmentarianism - opposition to the belief that there should be no national religion in a country [submitted by invisiman88@yahoo.com]
  3. Antediluvian - extremely old and antiquated
  4. Antiquary - an antiquarian
  5. Allele - one member of a pair of genes that occupy a certain position on a certain chromosome
  6. Anachronism - one that is out of chronological order, especially a person or practice that belongs to an earlier time
  7. Abysmal - resembling an abyss in depth; unfathomable
  8. Abu Dhabi - a sheikdom and city of eastern Arabia on the Persian Gulf
  9. Amok - in a frenzy to do violence or kill
  10. Atlatl - a throwing device usually consisting of a stick fitted with a thong or socket to steady the butt of a spear or dart and extend the length it travels
  11. Aerie - the nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place
  12. Aerophagia - the abnormal, spasmodic swallowing of air, especially as a symptom of hysteria
  13. Antinomianism - the belief that moral laws are relative in meaning and application as opposed to fixed or universal
  14. Apocrypha - writings or statements of questionable authorship or authenticity
  15. Aftermath - the consequences of an event, especially a disastrous one, or the period of time during which these consequences are felt
  16. Avenger - an inflicter of punishment on somebody for a wrong done
  17. Alarum - an alarm
  18. Avatar - somebody who embodies, personifies, or is the manifestation of an idea or concept
  19. Acetabulum - the curved cavity on the side of the hipbone where the end of the thighbone fits
  20. Aegis - a shield; protection
  21. Arcane - known or understood by only a few
  22. Abstruse - difficult to understand
  23. Architeuthis - a large marine animal of unknown nature, often reported to have been seen at sea, but never yet captured; also, a genus of gigantic cephalopods, allied to the squids, found esp. in the North Atlantic and about New Zealand
  24. Avian - of, relating to, or characteristic of birds
  25. Archidiskidon - a genus of Elephantidae
  26. Architrave - the lowest part of an entablature; rests immediately on the capitals of the columns
  27. Afflatus - divine inspiration
  28. Abreaction - purging of emotional tensions
  29. Apocope - the loss of one or more sounds or letters at the end of a word (as in sing from Old English singan)
  30. Aposiopesis - a sudden breaking off of a thought in the middle of a sentence, as though the speaker were unwilling or unable to continue
  31. Antepenult - the third syllable from the end in a word, as te in antepenult
  32. Aceldama - a place with dreadful associations
  33. Apothegm - a terse, witty, instructive saying
  34. Auscultation - the act of listening
  35. Axemic - not contaminated by or associated with any other living organisms
  36. Anhedonia - lack of pleasure or of the capacity to experience it
  37. Aegrotat - an unclassified degree granted a university student who has fulfilled all requirements for graduation but was prevented by illness from attending the final examinations
  38. Ahimsa - the principle of noninjury to living beings
  39. Albedo - the fraction of light reflected from a body or surface. For example, earth's albedo is around 0.39
  40. Aa - lava having a rough surface
  41. Alembic - something that refines, purifies, or transforms
  42. Armigerous - bearing or entitled to bear heraldic arms
  43. Astrobleme - a scar on the earth's surface caused by the impact of a meteorite
  44. Apodictic - demonstrably true
  45. Argufy - to argue a point
  46. Acedia - spiritual torpor and apathy; ennui
  47. Alkahest - the hypothetical universal solvent once sought by alchemists
  48. Aureole - a circle of light or radiance surrounding the head or body of a representation of a deity or holy person; a halo
  49. Algolagnia - sexual gratification derived from inflicting or experiencing pain
  50. Anadiplosis - rhetorical repetition at the beginning of a phrase of the word or words with which the previous phrase ended; for example, "He is a man of loyalty - loyalty always firm"
  51. Areology - the study of the planet Mars
  52. Azoth - Mercury considered in alchemy to be the primary source of all metals
  53. Amenorrhea - abnormal suppression or absence of menstruation
  54. Amensalism - a symbiotic relationship between organisms in which one species is harmed or inhibited and the other species is unaffected
  55. Anthelion - a luminous, white, halolike area occasionally seen in the sky opposite the sun on the parhelic circle
  56. Argus-eyed - extremely observant; vigilant

    -B-

  57. Balbriggan - a knitted, unbleached cotton fabric for underwear
  58. Brimstone - fiery or passionate rhetoric
  59. Blitzkrieg - a swift, sudden military offensive, usually by combined air and mobile land forces
  60. Bivouacked - made a temporary encampment often in an unsheltered area
  61. Bellicose - warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious
  62. Ballyhoo - sensational or clamorous advertising or publicity
  63. Baboon - any of several large terrestrial African and Asian monkeys of the family Cercopithecidae, especially of the genus Papio or Chaeropithecus and related genera, characterized by an elongated, doglike muzzle, a short tail, and bare calluses on the buttocks
  64. Batholith - a large mass of igneous rock that has melted and intruded surrounding strata at great depths
  65. Baroque - of, relating to, or characteristic of a style in art and architecture developed in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving forms, elaborate ornamentation, and overall balance of disparate parts
  66. Birefringence - the splitting of one ray of light into two in an anisotropic medium
  67. Bayou - an area of slow-moving water, often overgrown with reeds, leading from a river or lake
  68. Bazaar - a street market in Middle Eastern countries
  69. Bedizen - to dress or adorn in gaudy manner
  70. Bloviate - to speak or write in a pompous manner
  71. Bovicide - to kill a cow
  72. Betrothed - promised to give in marriage
  73. Bailiwick - one's special province or domain
  74. Blucher - a high shoe or half boot
  75. Brank - a device consisting of a metal frame for the head and a bit to restrain the tongue, formerly used to punish scolds, usually used in the plural
  76. Bathykolpian - deep-bosomed
  77. Berserk - destructively or frenetically violent
  78. Bruxism - the habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually during sleep, as from anger, tension, fear, or frustration
  79. Borborygmus - a rumbling noise produced by the movement of gas through the intestines
  80. Baldric - a belt, usually of ornamented leather, worn across the chest to support a sword or bugle
  81. Bissextile - of or pertaining to the leap year or the extra day in the leap year
  82. Birl - to cause a floating log to spin rapidly by rotating with the feet
  83. Bireme - an ancient galley equipped with two tiers of oars on each side
  84. Bradykinin - s biologically active polypeptide, consisting of nine amino acids, that forms from a blood plasma globulin and mediates the inflammatory response, increases vasodilation, and causes contraction of smooth muscle
  85. Bezoar - a hard indigestible mass of material, such as hair, vegetable fibers, or fruits, found in the stomachs or intestines of animals, especially ruminants, and humans. It was formerly considered to be an antidote to poisons and to possess magic properties
  86. Brumal - occurring in or related to winter
  87. Brannigan - a noisy or confused quarrel; a drinking spree; a binge
  88. Bildungsroman - a novel whose principal subject is the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of a usually youthful main character
  89. Bricolage - something made or put together using whatever materials happen to be available

    -C-

  90. Coup de Grace - deathblow delivered to end the misery of a mortally wounded victim
  91. Claddagh - a ring with a raised design of two hands clasping a crowned heart, usually given as a token of love or friendship
  92. Cnidoblast - a cell in the epidermis of coelenterates in which a nematocyst is developed
  93. Crepitate - to make a crackling or popping sound; crackle
  94. Catafalque - a decorated platform or framework on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral
  95. Cozen - to deceive or obtain by deceit
  96. Cheval-de-frise - an obstacle, typically made of wood, covered with barbed wire or spikes, used to block the advancing enemy
  97. Couvade - a practice in certain cultures in which the husband of a woman in labor takes to his bed as though he were bearing the child
  98. Chelicera - either of the first pair of fanglike appendages near the mouth of an arachnid, such as a spider, often modified for grasping and piercing
  99. Cenospecies - a group of related ecospecies capable of interbreeding so as to produce at least partially fertile hybrids
  100. Cryptococcosis - a systemic infection caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans that can affect any organ of the body but most often occurs in the central nervous system
  101. Conurbation - a large urban area involving several contiguous communities, formed as a result of expansion of neighboring areas
  102. Costermonger - one who sells fruit, vegetables, fish, or other goods from a cart, barrow, or stand in the streets
  103. Catalexis - the absence of one or more syllables in a line of verse, esp. in the last foot
  104. Clepsydra - a water clock
  105. Collyrium - an eye-salve or eyewash
  106. Camorra - a secret group united for unscrupulous purposes
  107. Charnel - a repository for the bones or bodies of the dead
  108. Cathexis - concentration of emotional energy on an object or idea
  109. Caryatid - a supporting column sculptured in the form of a draped female figure
  110. Catoptromancy - divination by means of mirrors
  111. Continuum - a continuous extent, succession, or whole, no part of which can be distinguished from neighboring parts except by arbitrary division
  112. Callipygian - having shapely buttocks
  113. Cenotaph - empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person who is buried elsewhere
  114. Corybantic - wild; frenzied; uncontrolled
  115. Chrestomathy - a selection of passages compiled to aid in learning a language
  116. Callithump - a noisy boisterous parade
  117. Campanology - the art of bell ringing
  118. Cwm - a steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain; may contain a lake
  119. Crwth - an ancient Celtic stringed instrument that was bowed or plucked
  120. Colporteur - a peddler of religious books
  121. Conquian - a card game for two played with 40 cards from which all games of rummy developed
  122. Chaotic - lacking a visible order or organization
  123. Crepuscular - pertaining to twilight
  124. Chthonic - dwelling in or under the earth; also, pertaining to the underworld
  125. Coruscant - sparkling or glittering
  126. Christian - pertaining to Christ or his religion
  127. Cipher - one having no influence or value; a nonentity
  128. Cantankerous - ill-tempered and quarrelsome; disagreeable
  129. Carotid - either of the two major arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood to the head
  130. Cutpurse - a pickpocket
  131. Catastrophic - of, relating to, or involving a catastrophe
  132. Celebratory - used for celebrating
  133. Constabulary - the body of constables of a district or city
  134. Catacomb - an underground cemetery consisting of chambers or tunnels with recesses for graves, often used in the plural
  135. Cathedral - the principal church of a bishop's diocese, containing the episcopal throne
  136. Conflagration - a fire extending to many objects, or over a large space; a general burning
  137. Cadaver - a dead body, especially one intended for dissection
  138. Cyclical - of, relating to, or characterized by cycles
  139. Cunnilingus - oral stimulation of the clitoris
  140. Cyclopean - relating to or suggestive of a Cyclops
  141. Chicanery - deception by trickery
  142. Caldera - a large crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a volcanic cone

    -D-

  143. Deus ex machina - a person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty
  144. Denitrify - to remove nitrogen or nitrogen groups from (a compound)
  145. Dystopia - an imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror
  146. Dervish - a member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which perform whirling dances and vigorous chanting as acts of ecstatic devotion
  147. Dactyloscopy - an image of the fingerprints
  148. Doppelganger - a ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart
  149. Defenestrate - to throw out of a window
  150. Didgeridoo - a musical instrument of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, consisting of a long hollow branch or stick that makes a deep drone when blown into
  151. Diablerie - sorcery
  152. Diopter - a unit of measurement of the refractive power of lenses equal to the reciprocal of the focal length measured in meters
  153. Dingle - a small wooded valley; a dell
  154. Demesne - manorial land retained for the private use of a feudal lord
  155. Didactic - inclined to teach or moralize excessively
  156. Darkle - to become concealed in the dark
  157. Debridement - surgical excision of dead, devitalized, or contaminated tissue and removal of foreign matter from a wound
  158. Draconian - extremely harsh or cruel
  159. Daedal - ingenious and complex in design or function; intricate
  160. Dysesthesia - a condition in which light physical contact of the skin causes pain
  161. Dol - a unit for measuring the intensity of pain
  162. Diplopia - double vision
  163. Dirl - a vibration or tingling sensation
  164. Diprotic - having two hydrogen ions to donate to bases in an acid-base reaction
  165. Dentigerous - having or furnished with teeth
  166. Dolichocranial - having a relatively long skull with a cranial index of 74.9 or less
  167. Dudgeon - a state or fit of intense indignation
  168. Dysphemism - the substitution of a harsher, deprecating or offensive term in place of a relatively neutral term
  169. Dragoman - an interpreter or guide
  170. Dextrorotatory - of or relating to an optically active chemical that rotates the plane of polarized light to the right, or clockwise
  171. Dasypygal - having hairy buttocks
  172. Dornick - a coarse damask
  173. Dybbuk - in Jewish folklore, the wandering soul of a dead person that enters the body of a living person and controls his or her behavior
  174. Despot - a person who wields power oppressively; a tyrant

    -E-

  175. Eftsoons - soon afterward; presently
  176. Enfilade - gunfire directed along the length of a target, such as a column of troops; or a target vulnerable to sweeping gunfire
  177. Exuviae - the cast-off skins or coverings of various organisms, such as the shells of crabs or the external coverings of the larvae and nymphs of insects
  178. Endergonic - requiring energy
  179. Enclitic - a clitic that is attached to the end of another word; i.e. Give 'em the works, the pronoun 'em is an enclitic
  180. Ecdysiast - s striptease artist
  181. Edaphic - of or relating to soil, especially as it affects living organisms; influenced by the soil rather than by the climate
  182. Eclogue - a pastoral poem, usually in the form of a dialogue between shepherds
  183. Evaginate - to cause (a body part) to turn inside out by eversion of an inner surface
  184. Eutectic - of, relating to, or formed at the lowest possible temperature of solidification for any mixture of specified constituents, used especially of an alloy whose melting point is lower than that of any other alloy composed of the same constituents in different proportions
  185. Embolus - a mass, such as an air bubble, a detached blood clot, or a foreign body, that travels through the bloodstream and lodges so as to obstruct or occlude a blood vessel
  186. Exonym - a name used by foreigners to refer to a place or people, instead of the name used by those who live there
  187. Exergue - a space on the reverse of a coin or medal, usually below the central design and often giving the date and place of engraving
  188. Esplanade - a flat open stretch of pavement or grass, especially one designed as a promenade along a shore
  189. Ersatz - being a substitute or imitation
  190. Ennui - listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom
  191. Ecesis - the successful establishment of a plant or animal species in a habitat
  192. Ecdysone - a steroid hormone produced by insects and crustaceans that promotes growth and controls molting
  193. Esemplastic - having the capability of moulding diverse ideas or things into unity
  194. Estival - relating to or occurring in summer
  195. Epizootic - affecting a large number of animals at the same time within a particular region or geographic area, used of a disease
  196. Eustasy - a uniform global change in sea level
  197. Euhemerism - a theory attributing the origin of the gods to the deification of historical heroes
  198. Eschatology - belief about or in the end of the world or the last things
  199. Eidolon - an unsubstantial image: phantom
  200. Epexegesis - additional explanation or explanatory matter
  201. Eolian - borne, deposited, produced, or eroded by the wind
  202. Eupeptic - of, relating to, or having good digestion
  203. Eclaircissement - clarification, enlightenment
  204. Ecdysis - the act of molting or shedding an outer cuticular layer (as in insects and crustaceans)
  205. Ellipsis - omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
  206. Exonerate - to free from a responsibility, obligation, or task
  207. Empirical - derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
  208. Existentialism - a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts
  209. Esoteric - intended for or understood by only a particular group
  210. Egalitarian - affirming, promoting, or characterized by belief in equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all people
  211. Eleemosynary - relating to or given as charity
  212. Elixir - a panacea or a quick or magical cure
  213. Extortion - the crime of obtaining something such as money from somebody using illegal methods of persuasion
  214. Excrescence - something growing out from something else
  215. Etiolate - to blanch or bleach; to make sickly
  216. Emblazon - to adorn (a surface) richly with prominent markings
  217. Eclectic - selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles
  218. Erudite - characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; well instructed; learned

    -F-

  219. Fisticuffs - a fistfight
  220. Finagle - to obtain or achieve by indirect, usually deceitful methods
  221. Facade - an artificial or deceptive front
  222. Flabbergasted - caused to be overcome with astonishment; astounded
  223. Flux - constant or frequent change; fluctuation
  224. Fakir - a religious Muslim, especially a Sufi, who lives by begging
  225. Folklore - traditional stories and explanations passed down in a community or country
  226. Fealty - the fidelity owed by a vassal to his feudal lord
  227. Freckle - a small brownish spot on the skin, often turning darker or increasing in number upon exposure to the sun
  228. Foehn - a warm dry wind blowing down the side of a mountain
  229. Furfuraceous - consisting of or covered with flaky particles
  230. Forsaken - to leave altogether; abandon
  231. Fartlek - a method of training, originally developed for runners, that involves intense activity interspersed with low effort. For example, sprinting and walking
  232. Frittle - a temporary mark on the skin caused by the impression of a textured surface
  233. Festschrift - a volume of learned articles or essays by colleagues and admirers, serving as a tribute or memorial especially to a scholar
  234. Futilitarian - one who believes that human striving is futile
  235. Filoplume - a hairlike feather having few or no barbs, usually located between the contour feathers
  236. Floccinaucinihilipilification - estimating something as worthless
  237. Fess - a wide horizontal band forming the middle section of an escutcheon
  238. Fianchetto - the development in chess of a bishop from its original position to the second square of the adjacent knight's file
  239. Faux-naif - marked by a false show of innocent simplicity
  240. Filiopietistic - of or relating to an often immoderate reverence for forebears or tradition
  241. Fickle - characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious; a mundane word....(ykwya)
  242. Fremitus - a palpable vibration, as felt by the hand placed on the chest during coughing or speaking
  243. Fabliau - a medieval verse tale characterized by comic, ribald treatment of themes drawn from life
  244. Foofaraw - excessive or flashy ornamentation
  245. Facinorous - extremely wicked
  246. Filemot - the color of a dead or faded leaf: dull brown or yellowish brown
  247. Fossick - to search for mineral deposits, usually over ground previously worked by others; to search for small items
  248. Frottage - the act of rubbing against the body of another person, as in a crowd, to attain sexual gratification
  249. Fugue - an imitative polyphonic composition in which a theme or themes are stated successively in all of the voices of the contrapuntal structure
  250. Fumarole - a hole in a volcanic area from which hot smoke and gases escape

    -G-

  251. Gubernatorial - of or relating to a governor
  252. Gerrymandering - to divide a geographic area into voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party in elections
  253. Gargoyle - a roof spout in the form of a grotesque creature projecting from a gutter to carry rainwater clear of the wall
  254. Gesticulation - a motion of the body or limbs in speaking
  255. Gnarly - full of knots; knotty; twisted; crossgrained
  256. Griffin - a fabulous beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion
  257. Galligaskins - loosely fitting hose or breeches worn in the 16th and 17th centuries
  258. Giaour - a nonbeliever; an infidel
  259. Gynandromorph - an organism having both male and female characteristics, especially an insect exhibiting a mixture of male and female tissues or sex organs
  260. Gnosticism - the doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being
  261. Guerrilla - a member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy, as by surprise raids
  262. Gossamer - something delicate, sheer, and filmy
  263. Genuflect - to bend the right knee to the floor and rise again as a gesture of religious respect
  264. Grok - to understand
  265. Gimcrack - a trivial mechanism; a device; a toy; a pretty but useless or worthless object
  266. Gadabout - one who roams about in search of amusement or social activity
  267. Gonfalon - a banner suspended from a crosspiece, especially as a standard in an ecclesiastical procession or as the ensign of a medieval Italian republic
  268. Gregarious - seeking and enjoying the company of others; sociable
  269. Grog - liquor (as rum) cut with water
  270. Geotaxis - movement of a motile organism using the earth's gravity for orientation
  271. Gardyloo - warning cry formerly used on throwing slops into the streets from the windows
  272. Gravamen - the part of a charge or an accusation that weighs most substantially against the accused
  273. Gnomon - the raised arm of a sundial that indicates the time of day by its shadow
  274. Gyrovague - a monk who travels from one place to another
  275. Glyph - a symbolic figure that is usually engraved or incised
  276. Gnash - to grind or strike together
  277. Glossal - of or pertaining to the tongue
  278. Gens - a patrilineal clan of ancient Rome composed of several families of the same name claiming a common ancestor and belonging to common religious cult
  279. Glabrous - having no hairs, projections, or pubescence; smooth
  280. Gynecomastia - abnormal enlargement of the breasts in a male
  281. Gyve - a shackle or fetter, especially for the leg
  282. Geoid - the hypothetical surface of the earth that coincides everywhere with mean sea level
  283. Glyptograph - an engraved inscription on a precious stone
  284. Gossypol - a toxic pigment, C30H30O8, obtained from cottonseed oil and detoxified by heating, that has been experimentally shown to inhibit sperm production
  285. Gallimaufry - a jumble; a hodgepodge
  286. Grimoire - a manual of black magic (for invoking spirits and demons)

    -H-

  287. Hypaethral - wholly or partly open to the sky
  288. Hierophant - an interpreter of sacred mysteries or arcane knowledge
  289. Haustellum - a portion of the proboscis that is adapted as a sucking organ in many insects
  290. Hex - an evil spell; a curse; or one that brings bad luck
  291. Haboob - a penetrating sandstorm or dust storm with violent winds, occurring chiefly in Arabia, North Africa, and India
  292. Hebdomadal - weekly
  293. Hapax Legomenon - a word or form that has only one recorded use
  294. Hebephrenia - a type of schizophrenia characterized by foolish mannerisms, senseless laughter, delusions, hallucinations, and regressive behavior
  295. Hendiadys - the expression of an idea by two nouns connected by and (as cups and gold) instead of by a noun and an adjective (as golden cups)
  296. Henotheism - belief in one god without denying the existence of others
  297. Hypolimnion - the layer of water in a thermally stratified lake that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, and remains perpetually cold
  298. Haplology - the loss of one of two identical or similar adjacent syllables in a word, as in Latin nutrix, `nurse,' from earlier nutritrix
  299. Horripilation - the bristling of the body hair, as from fear or cold; goose bumps
  300. Habergeon - a short, sleeveless coat of mail
  301. Hemelytron - one of the forewings of a hemipterous insect, having a thick membranous apex
  302. Heteroecious - spending different stages of a life cycle on different, usually unrelated hosts. Used of parasites such as rust fungi and tapeworms
  303. Hylozoism - the philosophical doctrine holding that all matter has life, which is a property or derivative of matter
  304. Hallux - big toe, more generally, the innermost digit on the hind foot of animals, it is usually backward-directed in birds
  305. Haruspex - a diviner in ancient Rome basing his predictions on inspection of the entrails of sacrificial animals
  306. Hypaethral - wholly or partly open to the sky
  307. Hierarchy - a series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system
  308. Harlequin - to play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks
  309. Harbinger - one that indicates or foreshadows what is to come; a forerunner
  310. Hippopotamomonstrososessiquippadaliaphobia - fear of long words
  311. Homunculus - a miniature, fully formed individual
  312. Hobbledehoy - a gawky adolescent boy
  313. Hecatomb - a large-scale sacrifice or slaughter
  314. Hellspawn - creature born in the depths of hell
  315. Hijinks - good-humored boisterousness, frequently including mischievousness and pranks
  316. Hagiography - biography of a saint or the saints

    -I-

  317. Indefatigable - incapable or seemingly incapable of being fatigued
  318. Impute - attribute to a source or cause
  319. Imbibe - to drink
  320. Incognito - with one's identity disguised or concealed
  321. Infrangible - unable to be broken or separated into pieces
  322. Impaler - a piercer; somebody or something with a pointed object
  323. Iambic - consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented
  324. Incunabulum - a book printed before 1501
  325. Infundibuliform - having the form of a funnel or cone
  326. Iatrogenic - induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures
  327. Isohyet - a line drawn on a map connecting points that receive equal amounts of rainfall
  328. Incarnate - invested with bodily nature and form
  329. Idiosyncrasy - a structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group
  330. Inveigle - to win over by coaxing, flattery, or artful talk
  331. Isometropia - equality of refraction in both eyes
  332. Illeist - one who refers to oneself in the third person
  333. Idiopathy - a disease of unknown origin or one having no apparent cause
  334. Irredentist - one who advocates the recovery of territory culturally or historically related to one's nation but now subject to a foreign government
  335. Illiquid - not readily converted into cash
  336. Inion - the most prominent projecting point of the occipital bone at the base of the skull
  337. Isostasy - equilibrium in the earth's crust such that the forces tending to elevate landmasses balance the forces tending to depress landmasses
  338. Impetus - an impelling force; an impulse; the force or energy associated with a moving body (submitted by aluminumsteel@yahoo.com)
  339. Ipse dixit - an assertion without supporting proof
  340. Impecunious - lacking money; penniless
  341. Imprimis - in the first place
  342. Ithyphallic - having the penis erect. Used of graphic and sculptural representations

    -J-

  343. Jabot - an ornamental cascade of ruffles or frills down the front of a shirt, blouse, or dress
  344. Jurat - a certification on an affidavit declaring when, where, and before whom it was sworn
  345. Jerid - a blunt javelin used by the people of the Levant, especially in mock fights
  346. Juxtapose - to place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast
  347. Jacktar - a sailor
  348. Jussive - a word, mood, or form used to express command
  349. Juggernaut - anything requiring blind sacrifice; or a massive relentless force, person, institution, etc. that crushes everything in its path
  350. Jilt - to deceive or drop (a lover) suddenly or callously
  351. Jokulhaups - massive flooding as the result of volcanic activity beneath a glacier
  352. Juju - a fetish or charm
  353. Jargoon - a colorless (or pale yellow or smoky) variety of zircon
  354. Janissary - a member of a group of elite, highly loyal supporters
  355. Jubilation - a celebration or other expression of joy
  356. Jinx - an unseen force that is thought to bring bad luck

    -K-

  357. Kindred - having a similar or related origin, nature, or character
  358. Kenning - a figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle
  359. Killjoy - one who spoils the enthusiasm or fun of others
  360. Kudzu - an eastern Asian vine (Pueraria lobata) having compound leaves and clusters of reddish-purple flowers. It is grown for fodder, forage, and root starch, and is a widespread weed in the southeast United States
  361. Kef - a state of dreamy tranquility
  362. Karst - an area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns
  363. Kulturkampf - a conflict between secular and religious authorities
  364. Kakistocracy - government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens
  365. Keld - a well, fountain, spring
  366. Kloof - a deep ravine
  367. Knobkerrie - a short club with one knobbed end, used as a weapon by warriors of certain South African peoples
  368. Kinnikinnick - a preparation made from dried leaves, bark, and sometimes tobacco and smoked especially by certain Native American peoples, also bearberry
  369. Kylix - a shallow, stemmed, two-handled drinking cup of ancient Greece
  370. Kvetch - to complain persistently and whiningly
  371. Klezmer - a traditionally itinerant Jewish folk musician of eastern Europe performing in a small band, as at weddings
  372. Kwashiorkor - severe protein malnutrition, especially in children after weaning, marked by lethargy, growth retardation, anemia, edema, potbelly, skin depigmentation, and hair loss or change in hair color

    -L-

  373. Legerdemain - sleight of hand, a show of skill or deceitful cleverness
  374. Labia - lips
  375. Labyrinthian - of, relating to, resembling, or constituting a labyrinth
  376. Leviathan - the largest or most massive thing of its kind
  377. Laissez-Faire - noninterference in the affairs of others
  378. Loquacious - tending to talk a great deal
  379. Lop - to cut off something, for example, hair or a limb, with one stroke
  380. Lanugo - a covering of fine, soft hair, as on a leaf, an insect, or a newborn child
  381. Laager - a defensive encampment encircled by armored vehicles or wagons
  382. Lagan - cargo or equipment thrown into the sea but attached to a float or buoy so that it can be recovered
  383. Loxodromic - of or relating to the path of a ship that maintains a fixed compass direction, shown on a map as a line crossing all meridians at the same angle
  384. Legato - in a smooth, even style without any noticeable break between the notes; used chiefly as a direction
  385. Lachrymose - given to shedding tears
  386. Leitmotif - a melodic phrase that accompanies the reappearance of a idea, person, or situation; a dominant and recurring theme
  387. Liege - a lord or sovereign to whom allegiance and service are due according to feudal law
  388. Logomachy - a controversy marked by verbiage
  389. Lagniappe - a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase
  390. Lissom - limber; supple; flexible
  391. Loricate - covered with an armor, such as scales or bony plates on reptiles
  392. Lovat - a predominantly dusty color mixture (as of green) in fabrics
  393. Lithiasis - pathological formation of mineral concretions in the body
  394. Limicolous - living in mud
  395. Lexeme - the fundamental unit of the lexicon of a language. Find, finds, found, and finding are forms of the English lexeme find
  396. Limn - to describe; to depict by painting or drawing
  397. Lixiviate - to wash or percolate the soluble matter from
  398. Lorgnette - a pair of eyeglasses or opera glasses on a handle
  399. Lionize - to look on or treat (a person) as a celebrity
  400. Lissom - easily bent; supple, also having the ability to move with ease; limber
  401. Litotes - a figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, as in This is no small problem

    -M-

  402. Meretricious - of or pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with prostitutes
  403. Myxomatosis - a highly infectious, usually fatal disease of rabbits that is caused by a pox virus and is characterized by many skin tumors similar to myxomas
  404. Mesencephalon - the midbrain
  405. Milchig - derived from or made of milk or dairy products
  406. Melisma - a passage of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in Gregorian chant
  407. Macaronic - of or containing a mixture of vernacular words with Latin words or with vernacular words given Latinate endings
  408. Mandrake - a southern European plant (Mandragora officinarum) having greenish-yellow flowers and a branched root, this plant was once believed to have magical powers because its root resembles the human body
  409. Manticore - a legendary monster having the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion
  410. Microseism - a faint earth tremor caused by natural phenomena, such as winds and strong ocean waves
  411. Madeleine - something that evokes memory or nostalgia
  412. Moly - a magic herb with black roots and white flowers that was given to Odysseus by Hermes to ward off the spells of Circe
  413. Murrain - any of various highly infectious diseases of cattle, as anthrax; a pestilence or dire disease
  414. Marquetry - material, such as wood or ivory, inlaid piece by piece into a wood surface in an intricate design and veneered to another surface, especially of furniture, for decoration
  415. Morphallaxis - the regeneration of a body part by means of structural or cellular reorganization with only limited production of new cells, observed primarily in invertebrate organisms, such as certain lobsters
  416. Megrim - low spirits
  417. Mammatocumulus - a cumulus or cumulostratus storm cloud having breast-shaped protuberances below
  418. Myrmecology - the scientific study of ants
  419. Menstruum - a solvent, esp. one used in extracting and preparing drugs
  420. Machicolation - an opening between the corbels which support a projecting parapet, or in the floor of a gallery or the roof of a portal for shooting or dropping missiles upon assailants attacking the base of the walls
  421. Mythopoeic - of or relating to the making of myths
  422. Myrobalan - a dried astringent fruit much resembling a prune
  423. Malocclusion - faulty contact between the upper and lower teeth when the jaw is closed
  424. Misopaedia - hatred of children, especially one's own
  425. Mondegreen - a word or phrase resulting from mishearing a word or phrase
  426. Mooncalf - a daydreamer or absent-minded person
  427. Menology - a calendar, especially one commemorating specific people
  428. Monopsony - a market condition where there is only one buyer for a product or service that's being sold by many
  429. Metaplasm - a change in a word, for example by adding, omitting, inverting, or transposing its letters, syllables, or sounds
  430. Mammothrept - a child raised by its grandmother; hence, a spoiled child
  431. Malarky - exaggerated or foolish talk, usually intended to deceive
  432. Maelstrom - a violent or turbulent situation
  433. Minion - an obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant
  434. Masturbatory - of or relating to masturbation
  435. Maharajah - a king or prince in India ranking above a rajah, especially the sovereign of one of the former native states
  436. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine - a drug designed to have the effects of amphetamines but to avoid the drug laws
  437. Manubrium - a handle-shaped anatomical part
  438. Martyrdom - death that is imposed because of the person's adherence of a religious faith or cause
  439. Motet - a polyphonic composition based on a sacred text and usually sung without accompaniment
  440. Mulct - to defraud
  441. Malevolent - having or exhibiting ill will; wishing harm to others; malicious
  442. Mensch - a decent, upright, honorable person

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