Words that made me put down the book to investigate their meanings
noun A state of equilibrium
Equipose
noun The action of watching or catching sight of something or someone or the fact of being seen. | "He withdrew from his point of espial"
Espial
Noun A branch of social science which looks at the ways in which doubt or ignorance about certain subjects is created.
Agnotology
verb Repeat or prolong an action, thought, or utterance after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased. | "They perseverate under stress"
Perseverate
adjective Characterized by extreme delicacy of form, ethereal
Diaphanous
adjective Pale and drawn out due to a lack of light. | "Etiolated bean seedlings"
Having lost vigor or substance; feeble. | "A tone of etiolated nostalgia"
Etiolated
noun The state of being old, the process of becoming old or aging | There are forces that do not bend to our wants, including senescence and death."
Senescense
adjective Having abundant trees or shrubs
Bosky
adjective Noisy and difficult to control. | "The boy is cocky and obstreperous"
Obstreperous
adjective (Of coloration or markings) serving to warn or repel predators.
Aposematic
noun The skillful and harmonious arrangement or fitting together of the different parts of something.
Concinnity
noun The state of being infatuated or obsessed with another person, typically experienced involuntarily and characterized by a strong desire for reciprocation of one's feelings
Limerence
noun Fixed in one place; immobile. | "Parrotfish inadvertently graze upon sessile invertebrates when cropping algae"
Sessile
adjective Having multiple meanings
Polysemous
noun An object or event as it appears in itself independent of perception by the senses
Noumenon
noun Social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values
Anomie
noun The rhythmic and intonational aspect of language
Prosody
adjective Relating to dreams or dreaming
Oneiric
adjective Superficially plausible, but actually wrong.
Specious
adjective Having many syllables
Sesquipedalian
noun A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action. | "The notion intrigued me, but remained a velleity"
Velleity
adjective Fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent | “Their opulent and sybaritic lifestyle.”
Sybaritic
noun Someone who has no special knowledge of a subject but who expresses an opinion about it.
Ultracrepidarian
noun A state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.
Lassitude
adjective Rare, exotic, or obscure.
Recherché
adjective Serving no practical purpose or result.
Otiose
verb Lower one's body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect.
Genuflect
noun The Ancient Greek concept of ‘spiritedness’; I don't think we have a good modern equivalent in common usage.
Thumos
noun A slight offense | “The movie star's peccadilloes made tabloid headlines.”
Peccadillo
adjective Able to produce the intended result. I love how this word sounds.
Efficacious
noun The study of religious doctrines of salvation.
Soteriology
adjective Slender or thin, especially in a charming or attractive way.
Gracile
noun A pause in a line of poetry, especially near the middle of a line
Caesura
noun A long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes
