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Though missing a physical body, languages are living things that change and evolve throughout time. In fact, it's estimated that a new English word is created every 98 minutes — that's around 14 new words per day! Because humans have a much shorter lifespan than languages do, we might not feel the shift as consequential to our vocabulary. However, if we looked at old literary works, we would spot plenty of unfamiliar words that have fallen out of common usage. In fact, literary works now might be one of the few remaining sources to find beautiful forgotten words; not just Shakespearean words, but many old English words not used anymore.

Still, many other beautiful words other than literary words have fallen victim to the passage of time. Technologies have evolved and will continue to do so, requiring each new invention or phenomenon to be given a name. Hence, it's inevitable that so many more terms, some already rare words, will become forgotten. However, that's also a generational input: Archaic words are replaced with more contemporary options, and hard-to-spell words are replaced with others that trip off the tongue. Hence, the list of obscure English words will only keep expanding, which is, essentially, how things work in life and how they always did. Survival of the fittest, even in matters of linguistics! However, the process of these forgotten words going extinct can be slowed down.

To help with the latter, below, we've compiled the many obscure words or rare English words that need to be saved (a point for debate: do they really?) from falling into disuse. Do you still use any of these rare English words on a daily basis? Which 'forgotten' word would you like to be given a fresh lease on life? Let us know in the comments!

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#1

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Pluviophile

Meaning: a person who loves rainy days and rain, how it looks, sounds, etc.

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#2

Euneirophrenia

Meaning: the contented feeling of waking up after a good dream.

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#3

Petrichor

Meaning: a pleasant aroma that often follows the first rain after prolonged warm, dry weather.

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#4

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Scurryfunge

Meaning: to frantically rush around the house to clean up before guests arrive.

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#5

Eccedentesiast

Meaning: someone who puts on a fake smile.

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#6

Uhtceare

Meaning: to lie awake late at night worrying about something.

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jonjonsscagsy avatar
scag$y
scag$y
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which is ironic, because tonight I'll be lying awake trying to figure out how to pronounce it.

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#7

Thrice

Meaning: three times.

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Pat Bond
Pat Bond
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not forgotten at all, it's still used regularly in the UK.

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#8

Blithering

Meaning: talking foolishly.

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Pat Bond
Pat Bond
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still quite commonly used in the UK usually in this form "blithering idiot"

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#9

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Eventide

Meaning: evening; the end of the day.

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#10

Raven-messenger

Meaning: a messenger who takes too long to arrive.

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#11

Twankle

Meaning: to twang with the fingers on a musical instrument.

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Mister Dave
Mister Dave
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here's a tip: Don't use part of the root word you're defining in the definition.

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#12

Chork

Meaning: to make a squelching sound when walking, especially if your shoes are soaked with water.

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#13

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Librocubularist

Meaning: someone who reads in bed.

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#14

Sillage

Meaning: the aroma trail left behind by someone wearing perfume.

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#15

Tarantism

Meaning: a mania marked by an uncontrollable need to dance.

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Skara Brae
Skara Brae
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tarantinoism: The compulsion to make violent movies.

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#16

Guttle

Meaning: to greedily and noisily consume food or beverages.

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#17

Twirlblast

Meaning: apparently, that's what a tornado was called in the 1700s.

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#18

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Empurple

Meaning: to become or make something purple.

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#19

Crapulence

Meaning: sickness brought on by overindulging in food or drink (or hangover).

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#20

Snollygoster

Meaning: a sly, unscrupulous individual, especially a politician.

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#21

Widdershins

Meaning: in a direction opposite to the sun's path or counter-clockwise.

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#22

Apricity

Meaning: relating to or associated with early spring or the sun's warmth in winter.

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#23

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Balter

Meaning: to move awkwardly when dancing or walking.

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#24

Moonglade

Meaning: the moonlight's reflection on a body of water.

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#25

Rawgabbit

Meaning: someone who confidently comments on a subject they know little about, similar to ultracrepidarian.

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#26

Zenosyne

Meaning: the perception that time is going faster than it formerly did, especially as one grows older.

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#27

Uglyography

Meaning: bad handwriting and/or poor spelling.

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#28

Callipygian

Meaning: someone who has nicely shaped buttocks.

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#29

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Swullocking

Meaning: very hot and humid.

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#30

Nibling

Meaning: a kid of your sibling.

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laurahelario avatar
Squirrelly Panda
Squirrelly Panda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Funny, I lived more than 50 years without hearing this word once. Learned it in the last couple of years. Not common to hear, but it pops up every once in a while.

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#31

Chasmophile

Meaning: lover of nooks and crannies.

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#32

Hyemation

Meaning: the passing of winter in a particular place.

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XenoMurph
XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read that wrong, was expecting a very different definition.

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#33

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Bunbury

Meaning: a made-up reason to go somewhere or avoid doing something.

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#34

Gallimaufry

Meaning: a hodge-podge.

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#35

Growlery

Meaning: a place to growl.

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#36

Namelings

Meaning: two or more people with the same name (name + siblings).

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#37

Ombrophobous

Meaning: incapable of withstanding long-lasting rain.

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#38

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Perendinate

Meaning: to postpone for a day.

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#39

Starrify

Meaning: to decorate with stars.

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#40

Twychild

Meaning: a person who is experiencing a second childhood.

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#41

Barbigerous

Meaning: having a beard, bearded.

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#42

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Eucatastrophe

Meaning: a happy ending.

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XenoMurph
XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not to be confused with "EU-catastrophe" meaning Brexit, not a happy ending.

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#43

Gobble-pipe

Meaning: a saxophone.

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#44

Iddy-umpty

Meaning: slang term for Morse code used in the mid-19th century.

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#45

Proditomania

Meaning: one’s fear that someone is out to get them.

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#46

Ucalegon

Meaning: a neighbor whose house is on fire.

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#47

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Zalabia

Meaning: a sort of fried dough resembling doughnuts.

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#48

Yogibogeybox

Meaning: the holding place for spiritualists’ paraphernalia.

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#49

Interrobang

Meaning: a punctuation mark used to denote a question asked in an exclamatory tone (‽).

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glorialawson avatar
BLONDTROBL
BLONDTROBL
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or what your PO husband does to you when he gets home from work.

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#50

Ultracrepidarian

Meaning: a person who gives an opinion on a subject they know little or nothing about.

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#51

Throttlebottom

Meaning: an incompetent person in a public position.

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#52

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Aphthongs

Meaning: the silent letters in words that are spelled but not pronounced.

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XenoMurph
XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not to be confused with "aft-thongs" the part of the underwear that can be seen above the jeans when the person bends down

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#53

Duffifie

Meaning: to lay an almost empty bottle on its side to collect the last few drops.

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#54

Egrote

Meaning: to fake illness to skip work or school.

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#55

Eldritch

Meaning: weird or abnormal, especially in a manner that makes you feel scared.

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#56

Euonym

Meaning: a name that really suits the person, place, or thing.

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#57

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Hebetude

Meaning: mental dullness or lethargy.

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#58

Lemniscate

Meaning: the infinity symbol (∞).

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#59

Lethologica

Meaning: the inability to recall a specific name or word.

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#60

Mundivagant

Meaning: wandering all over the world.

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#61

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Novaturient

Meaning: wanting or looking for significant change in one's life.

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#62

Phosphenes

Meaning: a sense of a light flash (as in "seeing stars") without actual light stimulation to the eye. This could occur by rubbing the eyes while closed.

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#63

Psithurism

Meaning: a rustling or whispering sound, like wind-blown leaves.

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#64

Redamancy

Meaning: the love you give back to someone who loves you.

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#65

Susurrus

Meaning: a soft murmuring or rustling sound.

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#66

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Vorfreude

Meaning: pre-joy about something happening in the future or joyful anticipation.

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#67

Zemblanity

Meaning: the opposite of serendipity, an unfortunate though predictable discovery.

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#68

Scurrilous

Meaning: (of a person) distributing defamatory information about someone to harm their reputation.

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#69

Mullock

Meaning: nonsense or waste matter.

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#70

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Welkin

Meaning: the sky or the vault of heaven.

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#71

Charette

Meaning: a period of intense work typically done to meet a deadline.

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#72

Holmgang

Meaning: a duel.

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#73

Mountweazel

Meaning: a bogus entry purposefully added to a reference work, typically as a copyright protection measure.

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#74

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Oaf-rocked

Meaning: intellectually deficient from childhood or poorly raised; spoilt.

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#75

Wantum

Meaning: a blend of want and quantum to indicate “a quantifiable deficiency or desire.”

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#76

Groaning-cheese

Meaning: a large cheese divided among the household members after childbirth. It was cut from the middle, making a hole large enough to pass the newborn through.

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#77

Trumpery

Meaning: either used as a noun for beautiful but useless objects or as an adjective to describe showy but worthless items.

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#78

Pilgarlik

Meaning: a bald head or a man with a bald head. Or a person who is treated with mild or fake contempt or pity.

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#79

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Aeonian

Meaning: lasting for an uncountably or infinitely long time.

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#80

Meliorism

Meaning: the belief that human endeavor can improve the world.

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#81

Mucksluff

Meaning: a worn-out garment or an overcoat used to conceal the faulty clothing underneath.

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#82

Nefelibata

Meaning: a "cloud-walker"; being a nefelibata entails thinking and acting differently from others and choosing your own path.

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#83

Ostranenie

Meaning: a process of alienation or defamiliarization. In arts, depicting things in a way that we are unfamiliar with or modifies how we interpret them.

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#84

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Voluble

Meaning: (of a person) speaking constantly, confidently, and with enthusiasm.

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#85

Febricula

Meaning: a slight and short fever.

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#86

Beard-second

Meaning: a length measure equal to the distance beard hair grows in a second.

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#87

Lawrence

Meaning: a heat haze — the air over a heated surface that appears shimmering and wavy.

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#88

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Nyctograph

Meaning: a tool that makes it possible to write in nyctography, a type of shorthand, in the dark.

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#89

Schnapsidee

Meaning: (German) crazy or crackpot idea, especially when drunk; literally, a “booze idea.”

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#90

Vespering

Meaning: singing vesper (evening prayer) songs.

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#91

Sophronize

Meaning: to endow with moral values or restraint.

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#92

Pannychis

Meaning: an all-night feast or celebration.

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#93

96 Forgotten Words That Are Swiftly Exiting Modern English Agerasia

Meaning: a more youthful appearance than expected at a certain age.

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#94

Dimber-damber

Meaning: the capo of a gang of criminals.

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#95

Finger-post

Meaning: a guide post with a sign (or signs) indicating a direction, sometimes fashioned like a pointing finger or hand.

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#96

Kelter

Meaning: proper or regular state or condition.

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