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This one is for (aspiring) writers and those wanting to enhance their verbiage. Other than being able to share your story, arguably the most rewarding part about being a writer is the never-ending discovery of words you may not know. Rare but beautiful words may help one impart emotions or situations that may take multiple words, if not sentences, in just one short term. If you ever wondered if there was a word to describe a particular situation or feeling, there probably is. You just don't know about it (yet).

One may think that the many obscure words are irrelevant in day-to-day living. After all, wouldn't they be more common if people got to use them more often? Well, technically, yes. However, there are many reasons to adapt words you've never heard of. Other than making your vernacular more beautiful, rare words help convey an idea more concisely, whether written or spoken. Besides that, using cool unknown words adds great panache to one's lingua.

Below, we've compiled many rare words with beautiful meanings and typically unknown words that could be applied to everyday language. Just be sure you know what they mean and how to spell them correctly! Discovered any words that you liked and will try to add to your vocabulary? Let us know by giving them an upvote! Also, what other uncommon words should be added to the list? Comment down below!

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#1

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Clinomania

Meaning: an excessive desire to stay in bed.

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#2

Tidsoptimist

Meaning: a person who’s habitually late because they think they have more time than they do.

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#3

Dysania

Meaning: the state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning.

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#4

Lethologica

Meaning: the inability to remember a word or put your finger on the right word.

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

This is me ALL the time. But how am I supposed to remember this word if I can't remember others!

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#5

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Phosphene

Meaning: the stars or dots you see when you rub your eyes.

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clairebulson_1 avatar
secretly a kitten wallflower 2
secretly a kitten wallflower 2
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I didn’t know those had a name! I just always thought of them as stars, or patterns, or light blobs!

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#6

Alexithymia

Meaning: inability to identify and express or describe one’s feelings.

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#7

Overmorrow

Meaning: the day after or following tomorrow.

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#8

Ailurophile

Meaning: a cat lover.

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#9

Nibling

Meaning: the gender-neutral term for nieces or nephews.

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#10

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Cryptomnesia

Meaning: when you forget that you’ve forgotten something, and perceive it as a new, original thought.

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kicki avatar
Panda Kicki
Panda Kicki
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am sure this happens to me a lot, but if it makes me happy I dont mind!

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#11

Potvaliancy

Meaning: brave only as a result of being drunk.

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#12

Griffonage

Meaning: careless or illegible handwriting.

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#13

Schadenfreude

Meaning: a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people.

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#14

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Sangfroid

Meaning: the ability to stay calm in difficult or dangerous situations.

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#15

Whippersnapper

Meaning: a young and inexperienced person considered to be overconfident.

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#16

Psithurism

Meaning: the sound of wind in the trees and leaves.

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#17

Quidnunc

Meaning: a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip.

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#18

Decathect

Meaning: to withdraw one’s feelings of attachment from (a person, idea, or object), as in anticipation of a future loss.

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#19

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Pentapopemptic

Meaning: a person who has been divorced five times.

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#20

Tacenda

Meaning: things not to be mentioned or made public—things better left unsaid.

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elianne_visser avatar
B-flat
B-flat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From the Latin word tacere, meaning ‘to be silent’.

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#21

Vernacular

Meaning: the everyday speech of the people.

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#22

Ultracrepidarian

Meaning: someone who gives opinions beyond one’s area of expertise.

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Jack Pinkerton
Jack Pinkerton
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i am very not ultra creepy its giving me i know what it means because im it and its not ultra creepy like who is the stephanie woman talking about like oga ma gosh shes so stupido

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#23

Callipygian

Meaning: having a shapely bottom.

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#24

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Paresthesia

Meaning: the prickly feeling when your limb 'falls asleep' – also known as pins and needles!

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Chewie Baron
Chewie Baron
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That prickly feeling is your blood going back into the veins it was stopped from doing so.

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#25

Eccedentesiast

Meaning: one who fakes a smile.

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#26

Swivet

Meaning: a state of nervous excitement, haste, or anxiety; flutter.

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#27

Trouvaille

Meaning: a lucky find.

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#28

Foofaraw

Meaning: a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant, or an excessive amount of decoration or ornamentation, as on a piece of clothing, a building, etc.

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#29

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Pogonotrophy

Meaning: the act of cultivating, or growing and grooming, a mustache, beard, sideburns or other facial hair.

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#30

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Meaning: the act of considering something to be not at all important or useful - used mainly as an example of a very long word.

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#31

Gowpen

Meaning: the hollow of two hands held together as if forming a bowl.

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#32

Sprezzatura

Meaning: perfect conduct or performance of something (as an artistic endeavor) without apparent effort.

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#33

Gregarious

Meaning: temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others.

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#34

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Balter

Meaning: dancing clumsily without any particular grace or skill but usually with enjoyment.

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

In sweden: "fuldans", translates to 'ugly dance'. Knowingly to dance bad just for the enjoyment.

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#35

Snollygoster

Meaning: an unscrupulous, untrustworthy person.

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#36

Cachinnate

Meaning: to laugh very, very loudly.

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#37

Epitome

Meaning: a typical or ideal example.

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#38

Ereyesterday

Meaning: the day before yesterday.

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#39

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Apricity

Meaning: the warmth of the sun in winter.

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#40

Defenestrate

Meaning: throwing a person or thing out of a window.

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#41

Yerk

Meaning: strike sharply.

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#42

Aubade

Meaning: a poem or piece of music appropriate to the dawn or early morning.

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#43

Lachrymose

Meaning: given to tears or weeping.

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#44

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Akrasia

Meaning: the state of mind in which someone acts against their better judgment through weakness of will.

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#45

Mumpsimus

Meaning: adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy.

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#46

Frivolous

Meaning: not serious in content, attitude, or behavior.

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#47

Fodder

Meaning: coarse food composed of plants or leaves and stalks.

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#48

Cancatervate

Meaning: heaping things into a pile.

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#49

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Dwale

Meaning: another name for deadly nightshade; belladonna.

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#50

Petulantly

Meaning: in an easily irritated or annoyed manner.

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#51

Panacea

Meaning: hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases.

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#52

Steatopygic

Meaning: having a large bottom.

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#53

Hullabaloo

Meaning: a commotion or a fuss/another word for kerfuffle.

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#54

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Compunction

Meaning: anxiety arising from awareness of guilt.

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#55

Bibelot

Meaning: a small object of curiosity, beauty, or rarity.

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#56

Abditory

Meaning: a place for hiding or preserving articles of value.

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#57

Pogonotrophy

Meaning: the cultivation of beards, beard-growing.

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#58

Acrophobia

Meaning: a morbid fear of great heights.

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#59

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Deferential

Meaning: showing courteous regard for people's feelings.

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#60

Arcane

Meaning: requiring secret or mysterious knowledge.

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#61

Overt

Meaning: open and observable; not secret or hidden.

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#62

Contrived

Meaning: phony, fake, a total sham.

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#63

65 Cool Words You May Have Never Heard Of And Their Meanings Meretricious

Meaning: seeming attractive but really false or of little value.

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#64

Proline

Meaning: an alcohol-soluble amino acid occurring in high concentrations in collagen.

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#65

Umami

Meaning: one of the basic tastes.

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