mirror ball 49: words I like

words I like: 

Dan:

what-not: One of my favorites, I'd never heard it until I moved to new jersey. A police officer friend of mine was telling me a long drawn out story and she was saying: "so I went to the grocery store to pick up apples, potato chips and what-not and then...(finishing the story with the main point)" I remember making her stop mid-sentence "what did you just say?" - I asked twice more... 

it sounds even better with a jersey accent.

here's the definition..

A what-not is a piece of furniture derived from the French étagère, which was exceedingly popular in England in the first three-quarters of the 19th century. It usually consists of slender uprights or pillars, supporting a series of shelves for holding china, ornaments, trifles, or what not, hence the allusive name. In its English form, although a convenient piece of drawing room furniture, it was rarely beautiful. The early mahogany examples are, however, sometimes graceful in their simplicity.

What-not is also an English term used to incorporate any other details not mentioned. This term is used much like et cetera to supplement details. 

John:

I edit science writing for a living and so am always coming across crazy, unpronounceable, discipline-specific words. Most just have a kind of dry, didactic feel to them, but today I found two great words: scramblase (a protein) and flippase (an enzyme).

Two other favorites are "quacker" and "flopper," which we say to our cats just after they have performed these actions.

One of the best words: sweetheart. 

Tanya: 

I love the word Brilliant, as used by the British to mean "wonderful, inspired, extra special, dynamic, fabulousness".

I also love a word for a delicious Puerto Rican dish called Mofongo. Sounds like you are flipping someone off!!  That is what made me try the dish, I just had to have some of that stuff with the "brilliant" name!  And, it is amazing!! A crusty shell of garlicky plantains filled with big hunks of lobster in a savory, mouth-watering Caribbean red sauce...and when paired with sangria and eaten while overlooking the shimmering turquoise ocean it is perfection!! 

Tom:
I just don't have any words that stand out for me. The only ones I could think of were frankincense and myrrh. I always thought these were silly words. How come we never hear about these anymore? Now, it's all jasmine or pitchouli or vanilla...but you never hear about frankincense and myrrh. Maybe they'll make a comeback sometime, kinda like flared jeans or the mullet (I'm really pulling for the mullet). 

Ann:
Kerfuffle
I like that it's a kind of humorous, nonthreatening word that is usually used to describe somewhat bad things. It takes the edge off a difficult moment. Wouldn't you rather experience a kerfuffle than a problem?

Similarly, brouhaha. Again, a brouhaha is generally a negative thing, but the happiness of the word takes the edge off. It even has laughter built right into the word, haha! 

Lori F: 
Sassy.

I love this word. I use it everyday.

"this skirt makes me feel all sassy."

"you look so sassy!"

"that red lipstick is sassy."

"don't you feel all sassy?"

I loved Sassy magazine back in the day, that is where my love of the word began. I loved the spoof on SNL where Phil Hartman said sassy over and over again. I love that there is a cab company and a strip club in Portland both called Sassy's.

See? It's a good word! 

Kori:
Some of my favorite words are coolly, yucky, innate, symbiotic, and kiva :) 

Steve:
Jolie laide: a French term meaning something like "pretty/ugly"-- one who is beautiful or compelling despite/because of being unattractive.

grimoire: a textbook of magic, a book of spells. 

Beth:

Many of my favorite words are in foreign languages, when English just isn't enough:

Dìmmi tutto (Italian)

Literally: Tell me everything.

Figuratively - a loving invitation; Tell me your heart, the good, the bad, the everything.

          E.g. Ma, che c'e`? Dìmmi tutto, caro! (Translation: What's up? Tell me everything, dear one.)

Doch (German)

Si (French) 

Both are the positive answer to a negative question in a word. We have to say "on the contrary" or "No, yes I do!" Or "yes, I don't." It can be confusing in English.

         E.g. You don't like chocolate, do you? Doch!/Si (Yes, I do!)

Naches (Yiddish)

To derive pleasure in the accomplishment of others, especially one's offspring.

          E.g. Oy, I shepped so much naches after my kids' performance, I'm verklemt!

Zaftig (Yiddish)

Juicy + plump + ripe and "delicious". Can refer to food, ideas or people -- or a buxom woman. 

          E.g. Reubens paints women who are zaftig, not thin.

         

Flink (Norwegian)

          Clever + intelligent + talented + well behaved, all rolled into one.

          E.g. After some accomplishment, big or small, you'd tell someone: 

          Du er flink!   (You are clever/good!)

Basta (Italian)

Enough! Stop it! (whether it is behavioral or an amount of something.)

         E.g. Beth, we've heard enough of your favorite words -- Basta così!

Kristine:

i do love words

here is a short list-maybe more to come....

      kind

      owl

      hashish

      lolligag

      damp---it is fukt in swedish which i totally love

      oops

      fissure

      reconnoiter

      rash

      slew/slue 

Eve:

More to come, but for now,

Clandestine. 

Holly:

sprezzatura

1.    n. The art of performing a difficult task so gracefully, that it looks effortless. 

Dave W:

Merkin. I like the word "merkin". I like the word "merkin" for many reasons. How it sounds. Merkin. Short, odd, playful, even slightly sardonic. It could be a game, a teasing nickname or a dismissive insult. But I like "merkin" for what it is: a wig for the pubic area.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin I also like the fact that in the movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the name of the President of the United States is Merkin Muffley. And lastly, why I like "merkin" is that it is an indicator of the quality of the dictionary you hold in your hands. If your dictionary has heft, if it feels somehow superior, then it has the word "merkin" in it. It is a good dictionary. Solid. Dependable. A book you can trust. If it does NOT have the word "merkin" in it, it is merely a collection of paper folds, ink splatters, gibberish, tattermouth and goo. A friend of mine and I made this discovery over 20 years ago.  On my next birthday she gave me a very heavy present. You guessed it, a dictionary. On the first page was this inscription: "Dave - P. 893. with love, hilary"

My best gift in years.

Lori M:

copacetic

cacciatore 

Valerie: 

Ha! I will delight in this one. Some thematic favorites:

Boom Vang

Fairlead

Scupper

Halyard

Spinnaker

Genoa

Spume

Swell

Lark's Head 

Carolina: 

Bawdy
The bawdy tavern woman was not the least bit concerned over the state of her bodice.
Gauche
The pirate gauche in his courtesies stares at her chest slack-jawed.
Impervious
The well-crafted table oak table was impervious to the slaughter.

Chris H:

Whoosits

Whatsisnuts

Thingamabobber

Dohicky

Whatchamacallit

Whatchamajiggle

Whatchamabob

... I can't remember the others.