# What's Your Favorite Word You Rarely Get To Use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 9, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270 "2011-05-09T14:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/101 "2011-05-12T17:39:08Z")
Ever since The Master mentioned it in an old answer, I try to use “albeit” in casual conversation as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/102 "2011-05-12T23:01:26Z")
Albondigas. I don’t get to use it very often, but occasionally the cafeteria here at work has it on the menu, and I come back and announce to my neighbors, “Albondigas!”. Another favorite is baggywrinkles; every time I see a sailboat with them I have to point them out just so I can say baggywrinkles. I also used the word “martinet” in a conversation today. I don’t think that guy knew what the heck I meant. Last week I had a similar reaction to “bifurcated”, which kind of bummed me out. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/103 "2011-05-12T23:18:00Z")
Here’s a fun one: Akimbo. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/104 "2011-05-12T23:21:15Z")
Floccinaucinihilipilification. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/105 "2011-05-13T01:07:37Z")
_Boustrophedon_ - Mowing a field in opposite directions on each adjacent pass, or, writing alternating lines of text backwards. and, from the German, \*abfahrt \*(exit) ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/106 "2011-05-13T01:31:08Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > _Boustrophedon_ - Mowing a field in opposite directions on each adjacent pass, or, writing alternating lines of text backwards. > > and, from the German, \*abfahrt \*(exit) most people seem to prefer Ausfahrt. 🆒:DMy son thought it was so funny he took a picture of an Ausfahrt sign when he visited Germany. ---
**Author:** ![gloaming](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@gloaming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gloaming)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/107 "2011-05-13T04:11:14Z")
Crapulous! ---
**Author:** ![Ladymarmalade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@Ladymarmalade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ladymarmalade)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/108 "2011-05-13T04:51:21Z")
I am fond of “octoroon.” ---
**Author:** ![scratch\_llll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@scratch\_llll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch_llll)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/109 "2011-05-13T05:02:07Z")
Umbrage, though I always want to preface it with “I say old bean” which is rather inconvenient for the expressing of offence. I suppose I could say “I say old bean, I take umbrage and you’re leaking didactic effluvium in my direction in disheartening measure” but that doesn’t help in gang violence situations as much as one might think. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/110 "2011-05-13T05:24:11Z")
[morganatic](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morganatic) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/111 "2011-05-13T05:34:12Z")
> [@MareIt](#): > > Troglodyte is one that I never get to use, which is a shame. My [favorite usage of that term.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5tVxi6iCXM&feature=related) (Video has two swear words) My favorite is [skeuomorph](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeuomorph). Very useful word. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/112 "2011-05-13T11:55:54Z")
> [@Ladymarmalade](#): > > I am fond of “octoroon.” Which reminds me of a fun new word of recent origin - “octomom” Which leads me straight to my fav new word - “refudiate”. Ah, Sarah Palin, you little semi-literate Shakespearean vixen you! ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/113 "2011-05-13T12:18:45Z")
Syzygy. I’m always on the alert for a spot to use it. I think it drives my interest in astronomy. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/114 "2011-05-13T17:40:27Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Verocative. This word is unknown to [OneLook Dictionary Search](http://www.onelook.com/?w=Verocative&ls=b&sourceid=Mozilla-search) and, apparently, even to [Google](http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Verocative&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=7Tc&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&ei=o2vNTZHvOM2BhQfu_eWTDQ&ved=0CBcQvgUoAA&q=Verocative&nfpr=1&fp=406b21159bfa7b1e) (except as the name of an Australian horse\*). Would you care to explain? \*My sister used to be in charge of naming all racehorses in Australia. I wonder if she was responsible for this one. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/115 "2011-05-14T11:08:01Z")
Well since callipygian has been taken a few times, spathic. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/116 "2011-05-14T11:44:31Z")
Mendacity/mendacious/mendaciousness. Basically it means “bullshit”, and “he’s BS’ing” and “that’s _all_ BS”, but it’s more fun! (and educational!) Serendipity: a happy, accidental discovery; has connotations of being kind of pre-ordained. I actually really like connotation/denotation, too. But while I’m pretty sure most Dopers are familiar with these things, most ‘normal’ people aren’t. ☹ My 20YO daughter who is going to Rule The World one day (really! She means it!) says that when she does, she’s going to make me her “Minister of Good Words”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/117 "2011-05-15T00:34:20Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > “kerfuffle” is a favorite of mine. I rarely get to use it. I use that regularly. I rather like to find ways to sneak concatenation into the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![czarcaztic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@czarcaztic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/czarcaztic)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/118 "2011-05-15T01:20:02Z")
Photosynthesis ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/119 "2011-05-15T19:10:17Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > _Boustrophedon_ - Mowing a field in opposite directions on each adjacent pass, or, writing alternating lines of text backwards. > > and, from the German, \*abfahrt \*(exit) Boustrophedon has always been a favorite. I also like ‘Usufruct’ - it sounds vaguely dirty. I put the blame on my copy of Black’s. Hehehe… made ya say usufruct. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/120 "2011-05-15T19:22:13Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > Pejorative: love it. Damn…that’s the one I came in to say. A text conversation with girl I’m interested in from yesterday: She: “…but then you might think I was weird or something.” Me: “You need to stop using using ‘weird’ as a pejorative.” She: “Sorry, you’re right - I’ll stop that. Good word usage, by the way.” Yep…her stock instantly jumped a few points in my book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270.md?page=7)