Lexiphanic Words
The use of pretentious terminology to befuddle the ordinary.Archive for July, 2008
Writative (adj.)
Writative means given to or addicted to writing — a far cry from heavy drug use, but possibly as severe. The word first appeared in a correspondence between Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift in 1736. Pope wrote: “Increase of years has makes men more talkative but less writative.” Alas, I’d love to say I’m writative all the time, but I also have bouts of procrastinative. (Source: Merriam-Webster’s 365 New Words Calendar)
Concupiscence (noun)
I discovered this word while reading Cold Skin by Albert Sànchez Piñol. I looked it up (yes I’m that geeky about words) and found a keeper. Concupiscence means sexual desire or lust. It comes from the Latin word cupere meaning desire. The next time you’re trying to speed things along with your boy- or girlfriend, try saying, “My darling, my concupiscence for you is overwhelming.” It sounds romantic. Or you could try the adjective, concupiscible (worthy of being desired). “My love, you are truly concupiscible.” (Source: Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary)
Hebdomadal (adj)
Why have a weekly sales meeting when you can have a hebdomadal meeting. It sounds vaguely reminiscent of abdominal, but really means weekly. The root of the word is hepta- meaning seventh, and the adjective comes from hebdomad, meaning the number seven. (Source: The Superior Person’s Second Book of Weird & Wondrous Words)
