Merriam-Webster had a contest in which people could submit their favorite words that aren’t in the dictionary. “Ginormous” was the winner, and as that is one of my all-time favorite non-words, I had to read the article. (it’s here).
Some of my favorites from the list and from the articles that surround it:
Flusterpated (adj) a state of being flustered that's so intense, one's actions and words become bound up
furgle (v): to feel in a pocket or purse for a small object such as a coin or key
ginormous (adj): bigger than gigantic and bigger than enormous
cognitive displaysia (n): the feeling you have before you even leave the house that you are going to forget something and not remember it until you're on the highway
confuzzled (adj): confused and puzzled at the same time
phonecrastinate (v): to put off answering the phone until caller ID displays the incoming name and number
slickery (adj): having a surface that is wet and icy
gription (n): the purchase gained by friction: "My car needs new tires because the old ones have lost their gription."
Troddle (v) to wander around without knowing of doing so
wurfing (v): the act of surfing the Internet at work and rationalizing that it is for work purposes
onionate (v): to overwhelm with post-dining breath
espacular (adj): especially spectacular
spatulate (v): remove cake batter or other substances from the side of a mixing bowl with a spatula
optotoxical (adj): of or pertaining to poisonous looks that could kill, esp. from a spouse
smushables (n): the groceries that must be packed at the top of the bag or separately to avoid being mangled by the time you get home
pregreening (v): the tendency to creep forward while waiting for a red light to change
vidiot (n): one inept at programming a VCR
precuperate (v): prepare for the possibility of being ill
fumb (n): the large toe
sprummer (n) when spring and summer can't decide which is going to come first—hot one day, cold the next
spinter (n): the season between winter and spring where everything is drowning in a slush/mud mixture
slush turtle (n): the snow that collects on your mud flap
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8 comments:
I first heard 'ginormous' while staying in London. I was on the way to Milton Keynes and the cabbie drove by a new indoor ski slope type dealy. He said it was "ginormous once you get inside, not like a building at all, it's not."
The first time I heard the word "ginormous," it was being used to describe my dog's tongue.
pregreening my favorite thing to do.
'phonecrastinate'
Hah, I like that one. :D
I've only actually heard a few of these. Are they all in actual usage? Or were some made up just for the contest?
I kind of like "spatulate", but soehow it sounds like it should mean something else entirely.
"ginormous" sounds like a disease.
What is it trichinosis which is when you get the worms from Pork that's undercooked?
ginormous should be used to describe what happens when you get gonorrhea.
Wurfing on the job? Methinks you have much too much time on your hands, but am glad you _ I really enjoy the posts!!
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