# Vote for the best word (for it's meaning) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710 "2003-11-11T23:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/41 "2003-11-27T17:19:45Z")
Barf. Come on, didn’t you just flash on an image of someone doubled up over a toilet? ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/42 "2003-11-27T17:27:05Z")
The word “set” apparently has the record for the most different meanings. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/43 "2003-11-27T20:02:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*Originally posted by WILLASS \*\*FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION - it means something that is totally and utterly without value… I hate to break it to you, **WILLASS** , but floccinacinihilipilification does not mean, and indeed cannot mean that. So far as I know, every word in English that ends in -ation is from Latin, denoting the act of some verb. Floccinaucinihilipilification means the act of…(going to get the OED)…hmm, it’s not in there. The OED has every word in the English language, so if something’s not in there, it isn’t a word; however, my copy is from 1973, so… I nominate mellifluous, which means smooth and sweet, usually in application to a voice. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/44 "2003-11-27T22:49:36Z")
A fourth vote for “defenestration,” especially as used by Bill Watterson: The monster, in its consternation, Demonstrates defenestration, And runs and runs and runs away. Good poetry gives me goosebumps. ---
**Author:** ![ScilaX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@ScilaX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScilaX)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/45 "2003-11-27T23:13:48Z")
Just done some googling… Sorry, **dwalin** , looks like **willass** was right!!! [Clicky](http://www.quinion.com/words/weirdwords/ww-flo2.htm) Anyway, I have to agree with “defenestrate”, I was told that by my German teacher when I was a wee lad, he also thought it was the best world ever 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sweetfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sweetfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweetfreak)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/46 "2003-11-27T23:25:42Z")
Freedom ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/47 "2003-11-28T05:27:58Z")
I’ve always like the word “word”, because I wonder what they called them before that word came along. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/48 "2003-11-28T05:31:09Z")
Oh, and I believe “turn” could give “set” a run for its money. What is your source, **Fuji Kitakyusho**? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/49 "2003-11-28T07:23:48Z")
Yiddish words seem (to me) to impart their meaning in the pronunciation: Mench. Behave like a mench. Don’t be a :wally ---
**Author:** ![cromulent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@cromulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cromulent)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/50 "2003-11-28T20:12:57Z")
Cromulent! It’s definitely my favorite word. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710/51 "2003-11-28T20:36:27Z")
Mordant Mordants make the world colourful (they make dyes stick to cloth) but the word sounds like the name of an alchemists pet crow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-for-the-best-word-for-its-meaning/212710.md?page=2)