As of 2022, there are 171.476 English words in the Oxford English Dictionary and more than 40.000 obsolete words. Among that numbers, some words might sound funny to your ears. Curious? Here are six weirdest words in English that you might never know existed.
6 English Strange Words and Their Meanings
The English language was developed from the Germanic language in the middle of the 5th century. It has been flourishing ever since
Now, English has become one of the most important languages in the world. Because of that, many people aim to be fluent in it by memorizing many English words. This list below will show you some intriguing words to enrich your vocabulary.
1. Syzygy (Sizijē)
This word can be a weird English word for foreigners, as it is quite uncommon. However, on the contrary, the meaning of Syzygy is something we all likely know.
Syzygy is a phenomenon where three or more celestial objects are lining up, forming a nearly-straight line. The most common depiction of this phenomenon is the lunar eclipse.
2. Absquatulate (ˌabˈskwäCHəˌlāt)
Another interesting word in English is Absquatulate. It depicts a situation where someone leaves the area abruptly.
The word first comes out around the middle of the 18th century. Nowadays, most people use the word “run away,” “go off,” or “fly away” to represent the situation.
3. Plethora (pleTHərə)
If you are new to learning English and want to sound intelligent, you can use “plethora” to replace “abundant” occasionally. Yes, the word can be used to describe something that is large or excessive in amount.
Besides “abundant,” you can also use plethora as the substitute for “too many” or “too much.”
4. Ragamuffin (ˈraɡəˌməfən)
Ragamuffin originates in the middle English era, and it is a description of someone with dirty and worn-out clothes. To be precise, it is a word to describe kids with a dirty appearance even though it is also used for adults.
The word is one of the English uncommon words nowadays. Despite this fact, it is often used between people with a close relationship as an expression of endearment. They would call their friends or partners “ragamuffin” when they appear messily.
5. Ethereal (iˈTHirēəl)
The word “ethereal” is often used to describe someone or something perfect, to the point, it seems unnatural. Therefore, it is a way to show admiration for the object’s airiness, lightness, or delicateness.
You can consider “ethereal” as one the unusual words with deep meaning. Many people usually use it to replace “too beautiful,” “too pretty,” or “exquisite.”
6. Limerence (limər(ə)ns)
Limerence is a psychological term that means the feeling of involuntarily being smitten with someone. It is a word to describe the feeling of infatuation, fixation, or having intense feelings unintendedly.
At a glance, limerence can be considered a rare word with beautiful meanings. Indeed, it sounds similar to love. However, the feeling of limerence is considered a neurological disorder in a psychological aspect, and it requires professional help.
In a real conversation, you might stumble upon strange words, slang, or idioms that you might never hear before. Therefore, enriching your English vocabulary is important to step up your English skill. And, of course, to impress people.
For that, you can rely on us. Our competent and creative tutors in Fun English Course will help you achieve the level of fluency you want, regardless of age or occupation.
Fun English Course has a variety of programs, and you can choose whichever is more suitable to your goals. Guaranteed knowing the weirdest words in English is not the only benefit of joining us. So, if you have any questions about our programs, don’t hesitate to contact us.