It’s never a bad idea to try to increase your vocabulary in English. Learning new and unusual words will make your writing more interesting, impress your friends and colleagues, and help you to better articulate your ideas. It can also be fun to learn some less common words; you might find it interesting to learn about their origins, and pick up some knowledge that could help you with further English studies, such as reading more complex texts.
We’ve put together a short list of some of the more unusual words in English that you can add to your vocabulary after a little bit of memorisation and practice. Take a couple of minutes to read through the list and write down the words, then try using them in a sentence. You’ll be using new and interesting language in no time!
Anachronism
An anachronism is something (or someone) that is out of place in terms of time or chronology. This is most common with old-fashioned items in a modern setting, but can also occur with futuristic items in period pieces. Most anachronisms are there by mistake, especially within movies and television shows.
E.g. Showing the Pharaoh wearing a wristwatch was an obviousanachronism.
Accismus
A form of irony in which someone feigns indifference to something he or she desires. Aesop’s fableThe Fox and the Grapesillustrates accismus when the fox dismisses some grapes he is unable to reach, stating that he is sure they are sour anyway.
E.g. “Oh I couldn’t possibly accept…” Exclaimed Veronica upon being presented with a pair of diamond earrings, her natural affinity foraccismusshining through.
Cacophony
A cacophony is a harsh mixture of sounds. It descends from the Greek wordphōnēwhich meanssoundorvoice, and is joined with the Greek prefixkak-, meaning bad; creating the meaningbad sound. In a similar way, the wordsymphony(which means a harmonious arrangement of instruments) traces tophōnēand the Greek prefixsyn-, which meanstogether.
E.g. I couldn’t hear over thecacophonyof alarm bells.
Draconian
An adjective to describe something that is excessively harsh and severe. Derives from Draco, a 7th-century Athenian law scribe under whom small offenses had heavy punishments; prescribing death for almost every offence.
E.g. The new parking fines are positivelydraconian.
Limerence
The word limerence was coined only recently, in the 1970’s by psychologist Dorothy Tenov. It can be defined as an involuntary state of mind resulting from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one’s feelings reciprocated.
E.g. Eva wasn’t sure how to shake her recent feelings oflimerence.
Pareidolia
A psychological phenomenon in which the mind perceives a specific image or pattern where it does not actually exist, such as seeing a face in the clouds. Pareidolia can be used to explain a host of otherwise unexplained sightings.
E.g. Alex was sure he saw a human face on the moon’s surface, but it was more likely to bepareidolia.
Riposte
A quick or witty retaliatory reply. In the context of the sport of fencing, a riposte means a counterattack that is made after successfully fending off one’s opponent.
E.g. Cora was known for having an excellentriposteto any insult.
Sanctimony
Pretend or hypocritical religious devotion or righteousness. Someone who is sanctimonious will preach about the evils of drug use whilst drinking a beer, for example. Associated with aholier-than-thouattitude.
E.g. There was an air ofsanctimonyin the way he detailed his charity work.
Serendipity
The act of finding something valuable or interesting when you are not looking for it. Coined by English author Horace Walpole in the mid-1700s, crediting it to a fairy tale he read calledThe Three Princes of Serendip. In the tale, three Persian princes sail to an island calledSerendip(today known as Sri Lanka) to find their fortunes, making wondrous discoveries along the way.
E.g. It had to beserendipitythat I found my dream house during a random drive in the country.
Verisimilitude
Something that merely seems to be true or real. Many writers or filmmakers try for some kind of verisimilitude in their stories, to make them believable. Including a great many details in a novel, for example, adds to its verisimilitude.
E.g. She was experiencing a nightmare of the most extraordinaryverisimilitude.
For some general tips on how you can improve your English, take a look at our previous blog post, that will tell you How to develop good English communication skills.
If you you want to expand your vocabulary and need some extra help, check outourEnglish coursesor contact us today to find how The Language Gallery can help you reach your English language goals.
