50 Words I Love, But Never Get To Use

Several times over the course of this blog I have discussed being a self-identified lexophile (someone who loves words). As often as I write, however, many of my favorite works are simply not suitable for everyday blog use. One of the goals of any writer is to be understood, and using some of the words I know would certainly prevent many of my readers from being able to focus on the content of my posts, as they might become too distracted by the words themselves. Today, however, I decided I'd like to share my love of words with you, my readers. To accomplish this, I've decided to publish a listing some of the most wonderful—and most impractical—words I know, along with a basic definition for each. (For the record, even my laptop's spell checker doesn't recognize many of these words!)

1. adduce: to bring forward in argument as evidence; cite as pertinent or conclusive.
2. adumbrate: to foreshadow; prefigure.
3. altiloquent: high-flown or pretentious.
4. amphibological: of or pertaining to the ambiguity of speech, especially from uncertainty of the grammatical construction rather than of the meaning of the words.
5. ana: a collection of miscellaneous information about a particular subject or thing, or an item in such a collection, as an anecdote, a memorable saying, etc.
6. anacoenosis: a figure of speech in which an appeal is made to one's listeners or opponents for their opinion or judgment as to the subject under discussion.
7. antiphrastic: of, or relating to the use of a word in a sense opposite to its proper meaning.
8. barbigerous: bearded; hairy.
9. bildungsroman: a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.
10. brumal: wintry.
11. buccinal: shaped or sounding like a trumpet.
12. carpophagous: fruit-eating.
13. catachresis: misuse or strained use of words, as in a mixed metaphor, occurring either in error or for rhetorical effect.
14. concatenate: to link together; unite in a series or chain.
15. cordiform: heart-shaped.
16. cramoisy: deep purplish-red.
17. crepuscular: of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight.
18. cryptonym: a code name or code word.
19. doy: a beloved person: used esp as an endearment.
20. erotema: a rhetorical question.
21. erudiate: to educate or instruct.
22. euphuism: any ornate style of writing or speaking; high-flown, periphrastic language.
23. exigent: requiring immediate action or aid; urgent; pressing.
24. exiguous: scanty; meager; small.
25. fatuous: unreal; illusory.
26. fugacious: fleeting; transitory.
27. fulgid: shining brilliantly; resplendent; gleaming.
28. futhark: the runic alphabet.
29. homologize: to make or show to be corresponding.
30. hypocorism: a pet name.
31. illume: to make clear.
32. inveigh: to protest strongly or attack vehemently with words; rail (usually followed by against).
33. jocose: humorous; playful.
34. merism: a synecdoche in which a thing is expressed by a description of several of its parts.
35. nubigenous: born of, or produced from, clouds.
36. oneiric: of or pertaining to dreams.
37. paralipsis: the suggestion, by deliberately concise treatment of a topic, that much of significance is being omitted.
38. perpend: to consider; to deliberate.
39. promulgate: to make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation (a law, decree of a court, etc.).
40. pulchritudinous: physically beautiful.
41. quincunx: an arrangement of five objects in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
42. roman-fleuve: a saga.
43. sedulous: diligent in application or attention; persevering.
44. splore: a frolic; revel; carousal.
45. tautology: needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness.
46. thaumaturge: a worker of wonders or miracles; magician.
47. toxophilite: a devotee of archery.
48. urtext: the original form of a text, especially of a musical composition.
49. welkin: the sky; the vault of heaven.
50. yare: quick; agile; lively.

Well, there you are!  50 super-fun words to work into your vocabulary!  Are there any fun words you know that belong on a list such as this?  Tell me about it in the comments below!