Every week, I chose a new word to dissect. Sometimes it’s an obscure word, sometimes it’s an everyday word with unusual etymology, and sometimes it’s just a word that sounds nice. And, very occasionally, it’s a word I’ve found after sticking my finger in the dictionary.
(Oh, and the lovely quote at the top of this page is from a book called ‘Landmarks’ by Robert Macfarlane. It’s provided the inspiration for lots of these words of the week.)
- December 2024
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November 2024
- 27 Nov 2024 enervate 27 Nov 2024
- 22 Nov 2024 crotchety 22 Nov 2024
- 14 Nov 2024 filipendulous 14 Nov 2024
- 6 Nov 2024 winnow 6 Nov 2024
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October 2024
- 30 Oct 2024 gamut 30 Oct 2024
- 23 Oct 2024 maven 23 Oct 2024
- 16 Oct 2024 pariah 16 Oct 2024
- 8 Oct 2024 anapodoton 8 Oct 2024
- 2 Oct 2024 ur-text 2 Oct 2024
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September 2024
- 26 Sept 2024 unobtainium 26 Sept 2024
- 18 Sept 2024 prestigious 18 Sept 2024
- 12 Sept 2024 harangue 12 Sept 2024
- 6 Sept 2024 vaccine 6 Sept 2024
- August 2024
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July 2024
- 31 Jul 2024 spondulicks 31 Jul 2024
- 24 Jul 2024 flatulist 24 Jul 2024
- 17 Jul 2024 gossip 17 Jul 2024
- 10 Jul 2024 electricity 10 Jul 2024
- 3 Jul 2024 flitch 3 Jul 2024
- June 2024
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May 2024
- 29 May 2024 yonic 29 May 2024
- 22 May 2024 milquetoast 22 May 2024
- 15 May 2024 slogan 15 May 2024
- 8 May 2024 nostalgia 8 May 2024
- 1 May 2024 misanthrope 1 May 2024
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April 2024
- 24 Apr 2024 magniloquent 24 Apr 2024
- 17 Apr 2024 parchment 17 Apr 2024
- 10 Apr 2024 eclipse 10 Apr 2024
- 4 Apr 2024 bellwether 4 Apr 2024
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March 2024
- 27 Mar 2024 mundivagant 27 Mar 2024
- 21 Mar 2024 marionette 21 Mar 2024
- 13 Mar 2024 anodyne 13 Mar 2024
- 6 Mar 2024 haggard 6 Mar 2024
- February 2024
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January 2024
- 31 Jan 2024 barbarian 31 Jan 2024
- 24 Jan 2024 gaslight 24 Jan 2024
- 17 Jan 2024 scuttlebutt 17 Jan 2024
- 10 Jan 2024 barmecide 10 Jan 2024
- 3 Jan 2024 serendipity 3 Jan 2024
-
December 2023
- 20 Dec 2023 yule 20 Dec 2023
- 13 Dec 2023 monster 13 Dec 2023
- 6 Dec 2023 rebarbative 6 Dec 2023
- November 2023
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October 2023
- 25 Oct 2023 sarcophagus 25 Oct 2023
- 19 Oct 2023 lemma 19 Oct 2023
- 11 Oct 2023 dashboard 11 Oct 2023
- 4 Oct 2023 recalcitrant 4 Oct 2023
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September 2023
- 27 Sept 2023 bletting 27 Sept 2023
- 20 Sept 2023 salary 20 Sept 2023
- 13 Sept 2023 succinct 13 Sept 2023
- 6 Sept 2023 filibuster 6 Sept 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
-
June 2023
- 21 Jun 2023 evanescence 21 Jun 2023
- 16 Jun 2023 trivia 16 Jun 2023
- 8 Jun 2023 algebra 8 Jun 2023
- May 2023
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April 2023
- 27 Apr 2023 tchotchke 27 Apr 2023
- 20 Apr 2023 grist 20 Apr 2023
- 13 Apr 2023 cakewalk 13 Apr 2023
- 5 Apr 2023 condolence 5 Apr 2023
- March 2023
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February 2023
- 24 Feb 2023 berserk 24 Feb 2023
- 15 Feb 2023 botuliform 15 Feb 2023
- 8 Feb 2023 amok 8 Feb 2023
- 1 Feb 2023 myrmecophilous 1 Feb 2023
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January 2023
- 26 Jan 2023 tartle 26 Jan 2023
- December 2022
-
November 2022
- 23 Nov 2022 psychomanteum 23 Nov 2022
- 7 Nov 2022 zugunruhe 7 Nov 2022
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October 2022
- 26 Oct 2022 proprioception 26 Oct 2022
- 21 Oct 2022 picayune 21 Oct 2022
- 6 Oct 2022 vocable 6 Oct 2022
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September 2022
- 28 Sept 2022 ketchup 28 Sept 2022
- 21 Sept 2022 haywire 21 Sept 2022
- 14 Sept 2022 solivagant 14 Sept 2022
- 8 Sept 2022 carceral 8 Sept 2022
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August 2022
- 31 Aug 2022 kowtow 31 Aug 2022
- 24 Aug 2022 juggernaut 24 Aug 2022
- 17 Aug 2022 boondocks 17 Aug 2022
- 10 Aug 2022 prosody 10 Aug 2022
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July 2022
- 26 Jul 2022 cathedral 26 Jul 2022
- 13 Jul 2022 extremophile 13 Jul 2022
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June 2022
- 27 Jun 2022 cacafuego 27 Jun 2022
- 16 Jun 2022 jiggery-pokery 16 Jun 2022
- 8 Jun 2022 gerrymandering 8 Jun 2022
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May 2022
- 26 May 2022 pognophile 26 May 2022
- 18 May 2022 biddy 18 May 2022
- 11 May 2022 capricious 11 May 2022
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April 2022
- 27 Apr 2022 peristeronic 27 Apr 2022
- 20 Apr 2022 penthouse 20 Apr 2022
- 13 Apr 2022 moxie 13 Apr 2022
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March 2022
- 30 Mar 2022 roorback 30 Mar 2022
- 23 Mar 2022 geek 23 Mar 2022
- 16 Mar 2022 nidification 16 Mar 2022
- 3 Mar 2022 wheelhouse 3 Mar 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
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November 2021
- 24 Nov 2021 matutolypea 24 Nov 2021
- 10 Nov 2021 inaptronym 10 Nov 2021
- 3 Nov 2021 samhainophobia 3 Nov 2021
-
October 2021
- 25 Oct 2021 bezoar 25 Oct 2021
- 13 Oct 2021 gird 13 Oct 2021
- 8 Oct 2021 steganography 8 Oct 2021
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September 2021
- 29 Sept 2021 physiognotrace 29 Sept 2021
- 17 Sept 2021 inimical 17 Sept 2021
- 1 Sept 2021 majuscule 1 Sept 2021
-
August 2021
- 25 Aug 2021 avatar 25 Aug 2021
- 10 Aug 2021 agathokakological 10 Aug 2021
- July 2021
-
June 2021
- 23 Jun 2021 hocus-pocus 23 Jun 2021
- 16 Jun 2021 illeist 16 Jun 2021
- 2 Jun 2021 deadline 2 Jun 2021
-
May 2021
- 26 May 2021 avant-garde 26 May 2021
- 19 May 2021 sanguine 19 May 2021
- 12 May 2021 eavesdrop 12 May 2021
- 6 May 2021 doryphore 6 May 2021
- April 2021
-
March 2021
- 31 Mar 2021 borborygmus 31 Mar 2021
- 26 Mar 2021 astrobleme 26 Mar 2021
- 18 Mar 2021 adamant 18 Mar 2021
- 12 Mar 2021 ingurgitate 12 Mar 2021
- 3 Mar 2021 stellify 3 Mar 2021
- February 2021
-
January 2021
- 21 Jan 2021 janitor 21 Jan 2021
-
December 2020
- 21 Dec 2020 lalochezia 21 Dec 2020
- 5 Dec 2020 forensic 5 Dec 2020
-
November 2020
- 25 Nov 2020 ultracrepidarian 25 Nov 2020
- 18 Nov 2020 disaster 18 Nov 2020
- 12 Nov 2020 relict 12 Nov 2020
-
October 2020
- 29 Oct 2020 palimpsest 29 Oct 2020
- 22 Oct 2020 anachronism 22 Oct 2020
- 12 Oct 2020 assassin 12 Oct 2020
- September 2020
-
August 2020
- 26 Aug 2020 ostracise 26 Aug 2020
- 21 Aug 2020 tenterhooks 21 Aug 2020
- 12 Aug 2020 kakistocracy 12 Aug 2020
- 5 Aug 2020 nocebo 5 Aug 2020
-
July 2020
- 30 Jul 2020 autological 30 Jul 2020
- 22 Jul 2020 loophole 22 Jul 2020
- 15 Jul 2020 contronym 15 Jul 2020
- 1 Jul 2020 pareidolia 1 Jul 2020
-
June 2020
- 25 Jun 2020 hazard 25 Jun 2020
- 10 Jun 2020 gobbledygook 10 Jun 2020
- 2 Jun 2020 maverick 2 Jun 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
-
February 2020
- 26 Feb 2020 mountweazel 26 Feb 2020
- 20 Feb 2020 sycophant 20 Feb 2020
- 12 Feb 2020 tanka 12 Feb 2020
- 5 Feb 2020 licit 5 Feb 2020
- January 2020
-
November 2019
- 27 Nov 2019 hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia 27 Nov 2019
- 20 Nov 2019 ghost 20 Nov 2019
- 13 Nov 2019 benighted 13 Nov 2019
- 7 Nov 2019 endling 7 Nov 2019
-
October 2019
- 30 Oct 2019 burnsides 30 Oct 2019
- 23 Oct 2019 ambivert 23 Oct 2019
- 16 Oct 2019 lukewarm 16 Oct 2019
- 9 Oct 2019 metathesis 9 Oct 2019
-
September 2019
- 25 Sept 2019 fanfaronade 25 Sept 2019
- 18 Sept 2019 quintessential 18 Sept 2019
- 11 Sept 2019 clue 11 Sept 2019
- 4 Sept 2019 quarantine 4 Sept 2019
-
August 2019
- 21 Aug 2019 skeuomorph 21 Aug 2019
- 14 Aug 2019 apotropaic 14 Aug 2019
-
July 2019
- 31 Jul 2019 poppycock 31 Jul 2019
- 24 Jul 2019 calescent 24 Jul 2019
- 16 Jul 2019 puce 16 Jul 2019
- 10 Jul 2019 thagomizer 10 Jul 2019
- 2 Jul 2019 omphaloskepsis 2 Jul 2019
- June 2019
-
May 2019
- 29 May 2019 inchoate 29 May 2019
- 22 May 2019 sluttery 22 May 2019
- 15 May 2019 thalassophobia 15 May 2019
- 8 May 2019 eucatastrophe 8 May 2019
- 1 May 2019 ecdysiast 1 May 2019
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April 2019
- 24 Apr 2019 absquatulate 24 Apr 2019
- 17 Apr 2019 chiliad 17 Apr 2019
- 10 Apr 2019 catafalque 10 Apr 2019
- 3 Apr 2019 hubris 3 Apr 2019
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March 2019
- 27 Mar 2019 widdershins 27 Mar 2019
- 20 Mar 2019 boycott 20 Mar 2019
- 6 Mar 2019 adumbrate 6 Mar 2019
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February 2019
- 27 Feb 2019 lemur 27 Feb 2019
- 20 Feb 2019 equiparate 20 Feb 2019
- 13 Feb 2019 erinaceous 13 Feb 2019
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January 2019
- 30 Jan 2019 frigorific 30 Jan 2019
- 23 Jan 2019 etymology 23 Jan 2019
- 16 Jan 2019 mycology 16 Jan 2019
- 9 Jan 2019 zetabetical 9 Jan 2019
- 2 Jan 2019 galanthophile 2 Jan 2019
- December 2018
-
November 2018
- 28 Nov 2018 gallimaufry 28 Nov 2018
- 21 Nov 2018 denizen 21 Nov 2018
- 14 Nov 2018 bowdlerise 14 Nov 2018
- 7 Nov 2018 bolus 7 Nov 2018
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October 2018
- 31 Oct 2018 pumpkin 31 Oct 2018
- 24 Oct 2018 scurryfunge 24 Oct 2018
- 17 Oct 2018 collywobbles 17 Oct 2018
- 10 Oct 2018 demiurge 10 Oct 2018
- 3 Oct 2018 termagant 3 Oct 2018
- September 2018
-
August 2018
- 29 Aug 2018 star-crossed 29 Aug 2018
- 22 Aug 2018 paraphernalia 22 Aug 2018
- 15 Aug 2018 skive 15 Aug 2018
- 9 Aug 2018 causerie 9 Aug 2018
- 1 Aug 2018 defenestrate 1 Aug 2018
- July 2018
-
June 2018
- 28 Jun 2018 prognathous 28 Jun 2018
- 21 Jun 2018 avocado 21 Jun 2018
- 13 Jun 2018 whiffler 13 Jun 2018
- 7 Jun 2018 clodpole 7 Jun 2018
-
May 2018
- 31 May 2018 tweener 31 May 2018
- 23 May 2018 prebendary 23 May 2018
- 16 May 2018 femtometre 16 May 2018
- 9 May 2018 shibboleth 9 May 2018
- 3 May 2018 anthropoglot 3 May 2018
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April 2018
- 26 Apr 2018 dimorphous 26 Apr 2018
- 18 Apr 2018 tubercle 18 Apr 2018
- 11 Apr 2018 bugbear 11 Apr 2018
- 6 Apr 2018 whence 6 Apr 2018
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March 2018
- 28 Mar 2018 meme 28 Mar 2018
- 21 Mar 2018 equinox 21 Mar 2018
- 14 Mar 2018 masculate 14 Mar 2018
- 10 Mar 2018 skeletonise 10 Mar 2018
- 2 Mar 2018 blizzard 2 Mar 2018
-
February 2018
- 21 Feb 2018 planetesimal 21 Feb 2018
- 15 Feb 2018 gyves 15 Feb 2018
- 8 Feb 2018 gatecrash 8 Feb 2018
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January 2018
- 31 Jan 2018 booze 31 Jan 2018
- 24 Jan 2018 anarcho-syndicalism 24 Jan 2018
- 17 Jan 2018 arpeggio 17 Jan 2018
- 3 Jan 2018 portmanteau 3 Jan 2018
- December 2017