# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/121 "2011-05-15T22:42:36Z")
Another one I remember when I took a few sommelier classes was “sabrage”, the act of opening a bottle with a sabre. Very dramatic! ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/122 "2011-05-16T05:28:15Z")
Was reminded when it was used on Doctor Who the other night - petrichor, the smell that’s in the air just after it starts raining. I mean, who says that? But it’s definitely something that needs a word. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/123 "2011-05-16T05:31:07Z")
Because of Siam Sam, I now know what a “passel” is. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/124 "2011-05-16T10:34:30Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Ever since The Master mentioned it in an old answer, I try to use “albeit” in casual conversation as much as possible. A personal favourite - I’ve used this frequently in official e-mails at work. > [@Punoqllads](#): > > Floccinaucinihilipilification. Another favourite. I was first exposed to this many years ago when someone used it as their contribution to our [Dictionary game](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_%28game%29), and then had it turn up twice within the week in two different books I was reading. It turns up periodically every couple of years in things I’m reading, but I never seem to have a chance to use it myself. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/125 "2011-05-16T14:26:19Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Because of Siam Sam, I now know what a “passel” is. My work here is done. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/126 "2011-05-16T14:28:20Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > My work here is done. 😃 Yeah, you bastard, you could have explained in your post instead of making me research. I thought you had made a typo. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/127 "2011-05-16T14:30:59Z")
What, you thought maybe I had a “basket” of cousins? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/128 "2011-05-16T14:32:37Z")
I was thinking more “parcel” or “couple” though I have no idea how I connected passel with couple. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/129 "2011-05-16T14:42:16Z")
They’re only a parcel when I chop them up and mail them cross-country. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/130 "2011-05-17T13:54:50Z")
I am partial to “blatherskite”-it is not a commonly used word. I also like “scoundrel” nad “plugugly”. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/131 "2011-05-17T14:51:32Z")
**Aubergine** sounds much yummier than the word you have to use if you want people to know what you are talking about (in the US anyway. I actually learned aubergine from an Australian lady) People often get embarrassed when I warn them that their proposed action is likely to **exacerbate** the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/132 "2011-05-18T03:05:11Z")
I am rather fond of avuncular meself. ---
**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 18, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/133 "2011-05-18T05:15:00Z")
I just had an occasion to use this in another thread, and I was reminded how much I like the term. Fluffer. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/134 "2011-05-19T01:18:57Z")
antidisestablishmentarianismist ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/135 "2011-05-20T19:45:42Z")
> [@DarrenS](#): > > I love “haecceity” - both the sound of it, and its meaning. All those vowels – it’s like silk. (Firefox’s spellchecker does not like it, though.) Wow, love this. I also want to find a way to use the synonyms from Wikipedia: quiddity and hypokeimenon. My favorite word: widdershins. ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/136 "2011-05-21T03:34:36Z")
Supercilious - As in “You’re a supercilious prick.” ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/137 "2011-05-21T06:09:57Z")
Love. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/138 "2011-05-22T00:12:12Z")
A well-earned lambasting is always a neat thing. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/139 "2011-05-22T01:49:16Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I just had an occasion to use this in another thread, and I was reminded how much I like the term. > > Fluffer. For some reason when I hear or read this word, I imagine the fluffer using a feather duster to do her work on the eh, _underside_ of the package of the fluffee. If she were dressed as a maid I guess in that instance she’d be a French tickler instead. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270/140 "2011-05-22T01:53:30Z")
Hmmm. Is this the same “fluffer” that is a term used in the porn industry? The “technician” on a movie set whose job it is to ensure the male star has a proper erection for when the camera starts rolling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-word-you-rarely-get-to-use/581270.md?page=8)