# What's the word for....?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135619>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 6, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135619 "2002-11-06T23:13:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dark_Canuck)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135619/1 "2002-11-06T23:13:23Z")

</div>

What’s the word for someone who uses obscure words, phrases, or facts to appear smarter than they are? Someone who rambles on about a subject since they know the people they’re talking to aren’t familiar with it and therefore can’t disprove them? We’ve been having a debate with a friend who can’t admit he’s wrong and is resorting to biblical references and twisting reality to make it appear that he’s right.

(And yes, I realize there’s a little bit of irony in my asking for the word just so I can use it.) 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135619/2 "2002-11-07T00:58:03Z")

</div>

Psuedo-intellectual?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135619/3 "2002-11-07T01:21:25Z")

</div>

Duplicate thread.