Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Words

I love all sorts of words and phrases. I don’t think that’s surprising that I might have favorite words as a big reader! Typically, my partner laughs at a lot of what I say because he thinks it sounds “old fashioned.” I don’t often use swear words, so I have a lot of substitutes in place. One of my favorites is from the Christmas movie, Elf, is “Son of a nutcracker!” A very suitable phrase that can be used in so many instances.

But, for today, I’m sharing some of my favorite words, whether I love their meaning or the way they sound, these ten words are some of my favorites. A big note, not all of these words are from the English language, granted most come from Latin or another language, but some are specifically different languages.

Serendipity

• good fortune

This is just by far one of the most fun words to say!

Petrichor

• the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil

I learned this word from my brother-in-law! He’s an English teacher, so I’m not shocked he knew a fun word like this one! Now, every time I smell that earth after rain smell, I remember this word!

Defenestrate

• to throw (a person or thing) out of a window

This one I learned from my partner as he once referenced the “Defenestration of Prague”. After doing some research, there were actually two defenestrations of Prague and I’ve loved the word ever since! It’s a little more dark than the other words on this list, but it’s still a fun word to say!

Wanderlust

• the wish to travel far away and to many different places

I love to travel although I don’t travel as often as I would like and this feeling of wanderlust is one I know so well. I’m actually headed out to Colorado to visit my sister at the end of the month and I’m looking forward to it so much!

Iridescent

• showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles

I love that little shimmer of rainbow colors that makes something iridescent, especially bubbles! It can be sucha fun little surprise and always makes me smile.

Discombobulate

• to confuse or disconcert

I think this word sounds exactly like what it is! In fact, the Miwaukee airport boasts a “recombobulation area” after leaving the security line, which is excatly how just about everyone feels after that process!

Persnickety

• placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details

So, finding an image to represent persnickety, was not easy. I was going to go with a person with a look of disgust on their face and then realized that my disgust for peas would work perfectly for the background and here we are!

Hope

• to cherish a desire with anticipation

A powerful word in the English language, hope can sometimes be hard to believe in, but is also so important to maintain optimism in the world.

Umami

• the essence of deliciousness (Japanese)

As someone who loves to cook, this Japanese word isn’t only fun to say, but also a great way to balance a meal! It’s actually the focus on savoriness or meatiness, and it doesn’t have to always do with animal, you can still achieve this flavor in vegetarian dishes too!

Sacapuntas

• pencil sharpeners (Spanish)

I love this word that I learned in high school and often use it as I’m folding laundry and looking for socks. And yes, it has nothing to do with socks, but it sure sounds like it!

The Artsy Reader Girl currently hosts Top Ten Tuesday, an original feature created by The Broke and the Bookish.