30 Words You Didn’t Know you Knew

Some of you veteran readers may remember that I did a post a while back containing 30 words I’d learnt from books. And now I’ve read more books, found more words, and I’m challenging you all again: how many of these 30 new words do you know? Scores in the comments section please!

1. Chelicerae – Spider pincers… Grim
2. Sphincter – muscles that guard the stomach or the um… anus…
3. Panache – a confident manor. Think Jace Wayland.
4. Palpable – a feeling so intense it’s almost physical
5. Denuding – strip of coverings or possessions.
6. Portended – warning of a big event likely to happen ⚠️
7. Inured – accustom to something unpleasant. Those with siblings will understand 😝
8. Mullioned – a vertical element that divides windows. I never said these words would be useful
9. Diaphanous – light, delicate fabric
10. Chimerical – a mythical animal formed of parts of other animals, like a hypogriff.
11. Surfeit – a large amount something, the amount of food I’ll eat when it’s free
12. Maraud – searching for things to steal or attack, and everyone’s favourite map of Hogwarts!
13. Caroming – strike and rebound. Can you tell I mostly read fantasy?
14. Amphion – a musician who builds the walls of Thebes in Greek Mythology with his lyre. What a talented guy.
15. Euphoria – a feeling of intense excitement, like I get everytime I see a Bookshop.
16. Siphoned – drawing water to flow a certain way.
17. Countervail – counter something with an equal force. ⚖️
18. Cadence – an inflection of the voice 🎶
19. Poignancy – invoking sadness or regret, that feeling you get when you eat too many Easter eggs
20. Incongruous – not keeping with the surroundings
21. Cerulean – deep sky blue 🌁
22. Evanesce – pass out of memory
23. Allay – put fear or suspicion at rest
24. Poltroon – an utter coward. Aka me.
25. Stupefaction – the state of being stupefied. If you don’t know what that means it’s explained visually in the first Harry Potter film.
26. Samovar – a highly decorated tea urn used in Russia. Not quite sure which book this came from🤔
27. Opulent – pretentiously costly, like Dominoes pizza
28. Esoteric – something intended for a small group of people with specialist knowledge. Had a few university classes that match that definition…
29. Coquetry – flirtatious behaviour
30. Lacquer – an alcohol based liquid that makes a great varnish