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Disce puer latine, ego faciam te moscipanie!
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While uncovering dusty, antiquated or subject-specific areas of English vocabulary, you may come across
numerous strange-looking and extremely rarely used words. Personally, I think that the breadth of English originates
mainly from the strong influence of Latin which is a very extensive and noble language; it's worthy of studying
because it gives you a potent basis for learning nearly all European languages swiftly and effectively. For
example, more than 70 percent of English comes from Latin roots; sometimes English words are simply exact copies
of Latin words (quietus, honor, modicum, dictum). Therefore, English haven't become
"The Latin of its day" accidentally.
On this website, I will be gathering interesting words,
ranging from merely uncommon to very seldom used and probably obsolete even to most native English speakers (but
for that I can't be sure, I simply don't know if there are any ranges of generally known and unknown words for an
average inhabitant of English-speaking country). Nevertheless, I'm convinced that when you start learning a foreign
language, you should ultimately finish with mastering it, with attaining the level of perfection sufficient to
produce elaborate press articles, deliver eloquent speeches and translate the most sophisticated pieces of literature.
Not all will agree with my reasoning because for many the ability to express practical requests and knowing
"everyday vocabulary" is just enough - such people consider aiming at linguistic perfection as a snobbish hobby or
showing grandiloquent manner. I cannot accept their way of thinking just the same as I cannot accept any communicative
constraints and presumption that my native language is the only one which I can master.
Methodology of my choice, recommended to all those who have
already surpassed the basics, is simply constant broadening of vocabulary - putting words down, "inventing" the
definitions which would be most comprehensible to us, basically continuous learning of new words, which are the
"elementary units" of language, bricks from which we are building the tower of our linguistic knowledge. Therefore
what I am doing here is both making personal use of my methodology and providing visitors with valuable materials,
very useful when preparing for SAT or GRE exam or just being someone who is (or has to be) truly interested in
linguistics - philologist, etymologist, journalist, essayist or merely a word lover.
This repository (or - as I named it - "crucible",
which refers to two meanings of the word: melting pot [a common metaphor for high diversity of contained material] and severe test
[learning and memorizing can be a severe process]) comprises more sophisticated words often found in journalism
(i.e. articles in magazines and newspapers), literary vocabulary, words of foreign origin, some subject-specific terms,
nice collection of extremely unique words made up just for intellectual fun (like 'floccinaucinihilipilification')
and generally rare and obsolete vocabulary (but with omission of slang and informal language of any hermetic
social group). Each entry in the list (separated by break lines) consists of the basic form of a particular word
(which is bolded), possible alternations, exhaustive definition in English, possible synonyms and Polish translation
(I especially want my compatriots to seize an opportunity).
I will appreciate any help - if you have noticed
any mistakes (unsuitable definitions, typos etc.) or you want to make a contribution by suggesting word for
addition (with already prepared definition, possible alternations and synonyms), then feel free to
send me an e-mail - I will be in your debt. Also, don't hesitate to
recommend this website to your friends who might find it interesting or valuable. After that short introduction,
I invite you to start toiling meticulously over the Word Crucible, with best wishes of intellectual benefits,
patience and satisfaction.
- Jakub Bożydar Wiśniewski
List of Words:
• Adjuration - n. a solemn, urgent and earnest demand made upon another to do something, charging
someone to do something as through on oath, especially conjuring or exorcising evil spirits or demons.
Synonyms: appeal, entreaty, imploration, invocation, orison, prayer, supplication. (błaganie, zaklęcie,
inwokacja, wezwanie, modlitwa, prośba, suplikacja) Added: 26-09-04
• Aestivation, estivation - n. (zoology) cessation or slowing of activity during the summer; especially
slowing of metabolism in some animals during a hot or dry period; a state of quiet yet possibly temporary inaction.
(estywacja, sen letni)
n. (botany) the arrangement of flower parts (sepals and petals) in a bud before it opens; prefloration.
(ułożenie płatków i listków kielicha w pączku kwiatowym przed jego otwarciem, prefloracja) Added: 26-09-04
• Aischrolatry - n. worship of dirt, filth or smut. (kult brudu, plugastwa, nieczystości) Added: 21-03-04
• Auntter - n. obsolete term for adventure, hap. (przygoda, zdarzenie, wypadek) Added: 21-03-04
• Auricomous, auricomos - adj. having golden hair; making hair golden. Synonyms: golden-haired.
(złotowłosy) Added: 10-03-04
• Belsire - n. a grandfather, or ancestor. Synonyms: antecedent, forbear, forefather, progenitor,
stall. (dziadek, przodek) Added: 21-03-04
• Besetment - n. the state of being beset (assailed, surrounded, besieged or harassed) or the
act of besetting. Synonyms: assault, encirclement, siege, surround. (oblężenie, napad, otoczenie) Added: 14-03-04
• Bloviate - v. to speak pompously, overexpansively or with undue grandiosity; to discourse at length in
a pompous or boastful manner. [USA word] (pompatyczne mówienie, używanie górnolotnego języka, wygłaszanie nadętych przemów) Added: 12-04-04
• Chawbacon - n. a fellow who is not very intelligent or interested in culture, a person regarded
as provincial; crude, unsophisiticated and ill-bred man. Synonyms: boor, bumpkin, churl, hayseed, hick, rube,
tike, tyke, yahoo, yokel. (prostak, gbur, cham, burak, kmiotek, prowincjusz, ordynus, rubacha) Added: 26-09-04
• Cholangiocholecystocholedochectomy - n. surgical removal of hepatic duct, bile duct and gall bladder.
(chirurgiczne usunięcie przewodu wątrobowego, przewodu żółciowego i woreczka żółciowego) Added: 21-03-04
• Circumlocution - n. the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea,
evasion in speech, indirect or roundabout language, indirect way of expressing something. Synonyms: periphrasis,
prolixity, verboseness, verbosity. (mowa bez treści, omówienie [peryfraza], pustosłowie) Added: 27-03-04
• Doohickey - n. miscellaneous unspecified artifacts; something whose name has been forgotten or
is not known. Synonyms: doodad, sundry, stuff, thingamabob, trinkets, whatchamacallit, whatsis. (różności,
rozmaitości, drobiazgi, drobnostki) Added: 25-09-04
• Elderweds - n. People who get married later in life. (ludzie biorący ślub w późnym wieku) Added: 03-04-04
• Erewhile - adv. some time ago; a little while before; heretofore. [Archaic]
Synonyms: erstwhile, formerly, hitherto, once, till now, whilom. (chwilę temu, jakiś czas temu,
do tego momentu, do tej pory) Added: 02-04-04
• Erubescence, erubescency - n. the act of becoming red; redness of the skin or surface of anything; a
blushing. Synonyms: blushing, crimson, redness, ruddiness. ([za]czerwienienie, rumieniec, pąs) Added: 10-03-04
• Excruciation - n. the act of inflicting extremely severe punishment and thus causing acute, agonizing
pain; the state of being therefore afflicted by utter suffering. Synonyms: affliction, agony, suffering, throe,
torment, torture. (agonia, cierpienie, kaźń, męka, tortura, udręka) Added: 31-10-04
• Floccinaucinihilipilification - n. the action or habit of estimating something as worthless or of
low value. Made up from four Latin words - flocci, nauci, nihili, and pili - which all
mean more or less "of little or no value". (uznanie czegoś za bezwartościowe lub niewiele warte) Added: 10-03-04
• Golliwog - n. a doll fashioned in grotesque caricature of a Black male. (karykaturalna lalka
przedstawiająca czarnoskórego mężczyznę) Added: 26-09-04
• Hebetude - n. dullness of mind, mental lethargy, stupidity. Synonyms: bluntness, fatuity, folly,
imbecility, inanity, obtuseness. (głupota, tępota, ociężałość umysłowa) Added: 22-03-04
• Humuhumunukunukuapuaa - n. either of two triggerfishes, Rhinecanthus aculeatus or
R. rectangulus, native to the outer reefs of Hawaii, the latter having a broad black band on the side and
a black triangle at the beginning of the tail. (gatunek ryby hawajskiej) Added: 11-03-04
• Impiousness - n. quality of being impious, unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god,
irreverence toward the Supreme Being. Synonyms: godlessness, impiety, ungodliness, wickedness.
(bezbożność, niepobożność, nieposzanowanie) Added: 27-03-04
• Imprecation - n. invocation of evil, the act of imprecating (uttering curses), slanderous accusation.
Synonyms: curse, execration, malediction. (przeklinanie, złorzeczenie) Added: 27-03-04
• Interchangeableness - n. the quality of being capable of interchange or exchange.
Synonyms: exchangeability, fungibility, interchangeability. (wymienność, zamienność) Added: 14-03-04
• Kakorrhaphiophobia - n. abnormal fear of failure or defeat. (paniczny strach przed
porażką) Added: 21-03-04
• Limerance - n. short-lasting psychological state connected with "falling in love", characterized by
powerful, addictive, constantly distracting infatuation. Synonyms: calf love, infatuation, puppy love.
(zauroczenie, miłosne zaślepienie, zadurzenie) Added: 14-03-04
• Longanimity - n. Calmness in the face of adversity and suffering, disposition to bear injuries
patiently, good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence. Synonyms: forbearance, long-suffering, patience.
(cierpliwość, wyrozumiałość, wytrzymałość) Added: 25-09-04
• Luvvie - n. an actor or actress who speaks and acts in a very artificial and noticeable way,
an actor or actress characterized by a flamboyant and affected theatrical manner.
(aktor grający w sposób sztuczny, przesadny) Added: 03-04-04
• Monticule - n. a small natural hill, little mount, elevation or prominence. Can be also a
minor cone of a volcano. Synonyms: hillock, hummock, knoll, mound. (górka, pagórek, wzgórek, kopczyk,
nasypisko, wybrzuszenie) Added: 25-09-04
• Nonplus - n. a state or condition which daffles reason or confounds judgment; insuperable difficulty;
inability to proceed or decide. Synonyms: bewilderment, confusion, embarassment, perplexity, puzzle, quandary.
v. be a mystery or bewildering to. Synonyms: amaze, baffle, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, gravel, perplex, puzzle,
stupefy, vex. ([powodować] osłupienie, zakłopotanie, zawstydzenie, zażenowanie, zmieszanie) Added: 03-04-04
• Obsequy - n. a funeral rite or ceremony. Often used in the plural (obsequies). Synonyms: burial, funeral.
(pochówek, pogrzeb, rytuał pogrzebowy) Added: 14-04-04
• Omnifarious - adj. of many or all varieties, forms or kinds. Synonyms: diverse, manifold,
multifarious, varied. (różnoraki, różnorodny, wieloraki, wielorodny, wszelaki) Added: 03-04-04
• Orgillous, orgulous - adj. having or showing arrogant and boastful superiority to and contempt of
those viewed as unworthy, representing alleged dignity and nobility; disdainfully proud.
Synonyms: arrogant, boastful, haughty, lofty, overbearing, supercilious, swaggering. (wyniosły, buńczuczny,
hardy, pyszny, chełpliwy, zuchwały, samochwalczy) Added: 14-03-04
• Pecunious - adj. abounding in money, wallowing in wealth. Synonyms: abundant, affluent, opulent,
rich, wealthy. (bogaty, forsiasty, majętny, obfity, zasobny, zamożny)
Added: 02-04-04
• Pheumononoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - n. it's allegedly the longest English word (there
are 47 letters) but don't ask me what it means. Just use your imagination :-) Added: 11-03-04
• Plurisy - n. an obsolete term for quantity that is more than what is appropriate.
Synonyms: copiousness, excess, overflowing, plethora, redundancy, superabundance, superfluity, superflux,
teemingness. (bogactwo, nadmiar, przepełnienie, nadwyżka, przerost, zbytek)
Added: 02-04-04
• Prevarication - n. a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth; the deliberate act of
deviating from the truth; intentional vagueness and ambiguity. Synonyms: equivocation, evasiveness, fabrication,
lying, paltering. (dwuznaczność, krętactwo, matactwo, niejasność, wykręt)
Added: 02-04-04
• Querimony - n. an expression of grievance or resentment; a complaint or complaining.
Synonyms: bitterness, gall, grudge, rancor, score. (narzekanie, skarga, uraza)
Added: 23-03-04
• Salvific - adj. having the intention or power to bring about salvation or redemption; tending to save
or secure safety. Synonyms: redemptive, redemptory, salutary, saving. (zbawienny, zbawczy) Added: 22-03-04
• Scrimer - n. a fencing master. (fechmistrz, fechtmistrz) Added: 25-09-04
• Soupcon - n. a slight but appreciable addition; a suspicion, suggestion; hence, a very small portion.
Synonyms: hint, jot, mite, pinch, speck, tinge, touch. (odrobina, drobinka, ociupinka, krztyna, kruszyna,
porcyjka, domieszka) Added: 31-10-04
• Suavity - n. sweetness to the taste. [Archaic]
n. the quality of being sweet or pleasing to the mind, smoothness and graciousness in manner.
Synonyms: blandness, courtesy, good manners, suaveness, urbanity. (słodycz, gładkość, łagodność, uprzejmość,
układność, kurtuazja, dobre maniery) Added: 31-10-04
• Suffuse - v. cause to spread, flush or flood through, over, or across; to become overspread as with
fluid, color or light. Synonyms: perfuse. (oblać [rumieńcem], zalać [się], pokryć [się] barwą) Added: 22-03-04
• Sychnocarpous - adj. having the capacity of bearing several successive crops of fruit without
perishing; as, sychnocarpous plants. (mający/a zdolność wielokrotnego rodzenia owoców i nie więdnięcia) Added: 25-09-04
• Tergiversation - n. falsification by means of vague, ambiguous or evasive language; the act of apostatizing,
changing sides, abandoning a party or cause. Synonyms: apostasy, equivocation, quibble, subterfuge.
(apostazja, wybieg, wykręt, zmiana frontu) Added: 14-04-04
• Thingamabob - n. miscellaneous unspecified artifacts; something whose name has been forgotten or
is not known. Synonyms: doodad, doohickey, sundry, stuff, trinkets, whatchamacallit, whatsis. (różności,
rozmaitości, drobiazgi, drobnostki) Added: 25-09-04
• Velocipedestrianisticalisturianologist - n. someone who performs cycling tricks.
(osoba wykonująca sztuki kolarskie) Added: 21-03-04
• Vituperation - n. abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated
ill will; sustained and bitter railing and condemnation. Synonyms: abuse, curses, insults, invective, revilement,
vilification, vitriol. (pomstowanie, wymyślanie, lżenie) Added: 10-03-04
• Whatchamacallit - n. miscellaneous unspecified artifacts; something whose name has been forgotten or
is not known. Synonyms: doodad, doohickey, sundry, stuff, thingamabob, trinkets, whatsis. (różności, rozmaitości,
drobiazgi, drobnostki) Added: 27-03-04
• Whilom - adv. some time ago, formerly, at times, of old. [Archaic]
Synonyms: erewhile, erstwhile, heretofore, hitherto, once, properly. (jakiś czas temu,
do tego momentu, dawniej, niegdyś, ongiś) Added: 02-04-04
• Zenzizenzizenzic - n. long forgotten, obsolete term once used by mathematicians for the eighth power of a number.
(ósma potęga liczby) Added: 11-03-04
The ascetic form of this site probably won't be changed ever.
That's just the finest possible timeless layout.
Copyright (c) 2004 Jakub Bożydar Wiśniewski,