Lexiphanic Words
The use of pretentious terminology to befuddle the ordinary.Archive for July, 2011
Maffick: Darling, would you care to maffick now or maffick later?
This word means to celebrate, but specifically, the celebration is boisterous and might involve hilarious behavior. Think high-school party. Maffick derives from the town of Mafikeng in South Africa. It seems that during the South African War, the British town was under siege. The final lifting of the siege was a significant victory, and so the British celebrated Mafeking Night. Also, this is one of the few words that rhymes with traffic.
Factotum: A fancy sounding word for a gopher.
This sort of gopher “goes for” things. (it’s not the animal.) In other words, an all around servant. It comes from Latin facere (to do) and totum (everything), so it literally means to do everything. This is wonderful sounding title for your personal assistant (if you are privileged to have one), or for yourself (if you are stuck in this position).
Bicural: My boss is so bicural. I can’t stand the way she walks around all the time.
Though it sounds like an insult, bicural is innately scientific, meaning having two legs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t let your listeners think you meant “by cruel”.
