15 Entries From Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual Words

If you’re looking to give your vocabulary a little more pop and pizzazz, Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words has you covered. Every entry, however ludicrous, has been accepted as a legitimate English word by at least one major dictionary at some point in time. Here are a few of the wackiest, most intriguing words to liven up your conversations.

1. Omphaloskepsis: meditation while gazing at one’s navel.

2. Pickedevant: a Van Dyke beard.

3. Malneirophrenia: depression following a nightmare.

4. Lissotrichous: having straight hair.

5. Junkettaceous: frivolous, worthless.

6. Sinciput: the forehead.

7. Whigmaleery: a knickknack or a geegaw; a whim.

8. Cuggermugger: whispered gossiping.

9. Goubemouche: a gullible person (literally, one who swallows flies).

10. Kakkorhaphiophobia: fear of failure.

11. Nibby-jibby: narrow margin; a close call.

12. Anaphalantiasis: the falling out of the eyebrows.

13. Quakebuttock: a coward.

14. Humdudgeon: an imaginary illness or pain; a loud complaint about nothing.

15. Floccinaucinihilipilification: the categorizing of something as worthless trivia.