Wordsmith collection

Rare & Beautiful Words

by Wordsmith @wordsmith

Fifty of English's most beautiful rare words — sonder, petrichor, mellifluous and more — to savour, collect and actually remember.

• epoch A particular period of history, or of a person's life, especially one considered noteworthy or remarkable.
• nadir The point of the celestial sphere, directly opposite the zenith; inferior pole of the horizon; point of the celestial sphere directly under the place of observation.
• schadenfreude Malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune.
• plethora An excessive amount or number; an abundance.
• mellifluous Flowing like honey.
• labyrinthine Physically resembling a labyrinth; with the qualities of a maze.
• ineffable Beyond expression in words; unspeakable.
• peccadillo A small flaw or sin.
• amalgam An alloy containing mercury.
• lagom The philosophy or ethos of trying to achieve balance in one's life.
• redolent Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.
• quixotic Resembling or characteristic of the Spanish chivalric hero Don Quixote; possessed with or resulting from the desire to do noble and romantic deeds, without thought of realism and practicality.
• bucolic Rustic, pastoral, country-styled.
• denouement Alternative spelling of dénouement.
• sapphire of a deep blue colour.
• chatoyant Having a certain optical reflectance effect, which can be likened to the sheen of a spool of silk.
• cacophony A mix of discordant sounds; dissonance.
• crepuscular Of or resembling twilight; dim.
• dulcet Sweet, especially when describing voice or tones; melodious.
• lucid Clear; easily understood.
• serene Calm, peaceful, unruffled.
• clairvoyant Of, relating to, or having clairvoyance.
• lilt Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness.
• enmity The quality of being an enemy; a hostile or unfriendly disposition.
• euphoria An excited state of joy; a feeling of intense happiness.
• serendipity The phenomenon of making an unplanned, fortunate discovery through a combination of unexpected circumstances and insightful recognition.
• aeonian Alternative spelling of eonian.
• epistolary Of or relating to letters, or the writing of letters.
• syzygy An alignment of three celestial bodies (for example, the Sun, Earth, and Moon) such that one body is directly between the other two, such as occurs at an eclipse.
• epiphany An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
• zenith The point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir.
• petrichor The distinctive scent, caused by geosmin, which accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell.
• idyllic Of or pertaining to idylls.
• luminous Emitting light; glowing brightly; shining.
• ephemeral Lasting for a short period of time.
• superfluous In excess of what is required or sufficient.
• diaphanous Transparent or translucent; allowing light to pass through; capable of being seen through.
• zephyr A light wind from the west.
• felicity Happiness; (countable) an instance of this.
• halcyon Pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher.
• solitude Aloneness; the state of being alone, solitary, or by oneself.
• phantasmagorical Synonym of phantasmagoric.
• sonorous Capable of giving out a deep, resonant sound.
• bombinate to buzz or hum; to speak idly, vacuously, or to little effect.
• ethereal Pertaining to the presupposition of an invisible air-like element permeating all of space, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere.
• blithe Casually careless or indifferent; showing a lack of concern; nonchalant.
• panacea A remedy believed to cure all disease and prolong life that was originally sought by alchemists; a cure-all.
• resplendent Shining brilliantly; gleaming; radiant.
• ambrosial Pertaining to or worthy of the gods.
• sonder The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passing in the street, has a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's personal lack of awareness of it.

Definitions from Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0) and Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).