# What is the word for the knack for knowing the right word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 22, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769 "2005-03-22T20:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/1 "2005-03-22T20:31:59Z")
I realize I might as well have defined irony with that subject heading, but, ever onwards. I’m looking, especially, for a word that also alludes to someone who can explain things quickly, a combination, perhaps, of concise and precise. Turns out preconcise is not really gonna cut it. -Birdmonster ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/2 "2005-03-22T20:39:38Z")
Eloquent? ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/3 "2005-03-22T20:40:16Z")
articulate? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/4 "2005-03-22T20:43:25Z")
[Succinct](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=succinct)? ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/5 "2005-03-22T20:44:12Z")
How about ‘articulate’ or ‘fluent’ or the others I found [here](http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=articulate)? I like ‘eloquent’ myself. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/6 "2005-03-22T20:44:45Z")
Both eloquent and articulate seem very very close. I just have an itch in my brain that says those aren’t quite what I was thinking of, which may not exist at all. Articulate definately gets the sense of using the most descriptive, apt words, but not necessarily the sense of brevity I had in mind. Am I being picky enough? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/7 "2005-03-22T20:46:37Z")
Look at the second definition of succinct. It means pretty much exactly what you described. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/8 "2005-03-22T20:50:40Z")
Erudite? ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/9 "2005-03-22T20:52:19Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Look at the second definition of succinct. It means pretty much exactly what you described. Can’t argue with that. I’m left with a strange disconnected feeling for no reason. Alas. Succint it is. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/10 "2005-03-22T21:43:29Z")
Perhaps having **perspicacity**? Or being **perspicacious**? > [@Lisa Simpson](#): > > Relax? I can’t relax! Nor can I yield, relent, or… Only two synonyms? Oh my God, I’m losing my perspicacity! ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/11 "2005-03-22T22:37:24Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > Perhaps having **perspicacity**? Or being **perspicacious**? Your Lisa Simpson quote just made it all okay. And, in a torrential downpour, working since 6 am, that’s a tall tall order. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/12 "2005-03-22T23:03:07Z")
> [@](#): > > someone who can explain things quickly [Glib](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=glib) ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/13 "2005-03-23T02:39:24Z")
loquacious? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/14 "2005-03-23T02:50:37Z")
I like to think “Exapno Mapcase” covers it pretty well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-the-knack-for-knowing-the-right-word/295769/15 "2005-03-23T06:55:22Z")
And the word of the day is [breviloquent](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=Breviloquence).