this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2024
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What's an obsolete or incredibly obscure word you think people should know? (leminal.space)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Overmorrow refers to the day after tomorrow and I feel like it comes in quite handy for example.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

I'm currently reading through all of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, and one fun feature is that he almost always includes one or more very obscure words. It's a nice little thing to look out for.

In the one I'm currently reading it's, "peculate," meaning to embezzle or steal money. Others include:

  • Plerophory - Fullness, especially of conviction or persuasion
  • Apodictically - From apodictic: clearly established or beyond dispute
  • Usufruct - The right to enjoy the use and advantages of another's property short of the destruction or waste of its substance
  • Acarpous - Not producing fruit; sterile; barren
  • Yclept - By the name of
  • Eruction - A belch or burp

I had a look to see if I could find a full list but sadly not. However most Wikipedia entries for the individual novels include a section called, "The unfamiliar word," if you want to find more.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I had a look to see if I could find a full list but sadly not. However most Wikipedia entries for the individual novels include a section called, "The unfamiliar word," if you want to find more.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I was thinking I might. I ly thing is, I haven't got all the books, nor do I have a website on which to host such a list. However I might still have a go πŸ‘

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

If you start it, just put a tag that the list is incomplete and the wiki crowd will finish it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Eruction - A belch or burp

There could be some wild confusion if a New Zealander were to say "I've got a massive eruction building up" πŸ˜†

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It’s curious to see how things merge between languages. In Spain, both usufruct (usufructo) and eruction (eructo) are quite common words.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Oh really? That's cool, thanks for the info. Language is so fascinating πŸ‘